ICC eNews

Code Council Attended Hyogo Framework Meeting in Panama

In the context of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that the International Code Council signed with the International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (ISDR) of the United Nations (UN), the Code Council participated in the Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas, that took place March 17-19 in Panama City. This was one of different regional platforms created to serve as the overarching and permanent forum for the exchange of information and knowledge, and the coordination of efforts throughout the regions, for providing advocacy for effective action to reduce disasters, for expanding the political space devoted to the issue, and for contributing to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action.

The Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters, to which 168 governments agreed in Hyogo, Kobe, Japan, in 2005, aims for “the substantial reduction of disaster losses, in lives and in the social, economic and environmental assets of communities and countries.” The fourth priority of this framework “Reduce the Underlying Risk Factors” calls directly for “the revision of existing or the development of new building codes, standards, rehabilitation and reconstruction practices at the national or local levels, as appropriate, with the aim of making them more applicable in the local context, particularly in informal and marginal human settlements, and reinforce the capacity to implement, monitor and enforce such codes, through a consensus-based approach, with a view to fostering disaster-resistant structures.”

During the recent regional platform, areas that were mentioned as priorities include: protection (retrofitting) of critical services such as shelters, hospitals, emergency operation centers, risk reduction of urban areas (capacity building in this area is fundamental), incorporation of risk mitigation measures in water supply and sewerage systems, climate change, and education in risk management.

The International Codes are being used as frameworks and references for building code development globally. It is important to highlight the importance to reflect local conditions and to address the scale of construction for the relevance of the construction codes at national and local levels; monitoring and enforcement mechanisms; as well as conformity assessment procedures are essential in the effective implementation of codes and standards.

International Code Council International Liaison and International Operations Director Sylvana Ricciarini (left) with Sálvano Briceño, Director of the Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction.