As the frequency and intensity of sudden-onset natural disasters is expected to increase in the future as a result of global warming, it is more important than ever that governments and international responders enhance their capacity to prevent, respond to, and recover from natural disasters.

Substantial efforts are underway to enhance the capacity of governmental responders and of international agencies charged with disaster risk reduction and emergency response.  However, much remains to be done at the regional level, a level at which response could be the most effective.

Although regional mechanisms are playing increasingly important roles in disasters, there has been remarkably little research on their role in Disaster Risk Management (DRM). There are few published studies about the relative strengths and weaknesses of regional bodies, much less comparisons of their range of activities or effectiveness in DRM.

The report by the Brookings Institution and the London School of Economics, with the support of the Australian Civil-Military Centre – In the Neighborhood: The Growing Role of Regional Organizations in Disaster Risk Management begins to address that gap., The report provides basic information regarding the work of more than 30 regional organisations involved in disaster risk management. Thirteen of those organisations have sophisticated disaster response mechanisms, and the report draws comparisons and conclusions about how effective those organisations are and whether lessons can be learned to enhance the effectiveness of other regional response mechanisms.

Copies of the report can be downloaded free of charge at:

http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2013/02/regional-organizations-disaster-risk-ferris