The Third Session of the Chinese National Committee for Integrated Research on Disaster Risk Program (IRDR CHINA) was established in Beijing on July 6, 2017. Presided over by Prof. GUO Huadong, the meeting brought together over 40 experts and governmental officials in the related fields.

Chaired by Prof. Guo, the new session consists of over 30 members from the fields of engineering science, technology and social science, with a goal to serve as a think tank for providing disaster risk reduction solutions to the Belt and Road initiative.

WANG Qinglin from the China Association Science and Technology reviewed the work of the second session of IRDR China, affirming its active role to advancing integrated research on disaster risk reduction in China. He called on the new session members to work out a solution for global disaster risk reduction, especially in Belt and Road regions, by sharing Chinese experiences and wisdom in this field.

Prof. GUO Huadong briefed the background, working mechanism and mid-term evaluation of IRDR and IRDR CHINA. Guo pointed out that IRDR CHINA as the domestic decision-making agency of IRDR, functions national think tank and research platform in the field, providing scientific advice for the implementation of Belt and Road initiative.

Prof. CHEN Fang, secretary general of IRDR CHINA delivered a work summary report on the second session of IRDR China. The new committee listened to reports on the IRDR CHINA Working Group on the work of the six key areas, and reviewed its 2016 report on the disaster risk and coping strategies in the process of urbanization of China.

The new session will function as think tank for the integrated research on the disaster risk in the region of Belt and Road, and strengthen research on the risk triggered by natural disasters and human activities under the guidance of large planning and co-ordination. The think tank should focus on the “Belt and Road” initiative and the United Nations sustainable development goals, and provide scientific support for making-decision.

Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) is a decade-long research programme co-sponsored by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the International Social Science Council (ISSC), and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). It is a global, multi-disciplinary approach to dealing with the challenges brought by natural disasters, mitigating their impacts, and improving related policy-making mechanisms. IRDR International Programme Office is hosted by RADI.

A scene of the meeting.

Group photo.