Mr. Glasser highlighted the need for the establishment of a standing Expert Group on Global Risk Assessment in support of the implementation of the Sendai Framework, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

He also called for the secured commitment of partners to contribute to the first iteration of the Global Risk Assessment Framework to feature in the 2019 Global Assessment Report which will be produced in time for the UN High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development and the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction, both in May 2019.

Addressing the plenary, Mr. Adam Fysh, UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction - Africa Office, said that if data on global risk profiles was unified and standardized it would be a great improvement. “Information at country level is not good, and not always available in some languages. Data is inaccessible on the internet”, he said.

Mr. Chadi Abdullah, National Council for Scientific Research, Lebanon said: “Analysis of risk models cannot be used without adaptation. The lack of data and historical records are a big setback in developing countries. as is the lack of geospatial location of hazards. There are also big discrepancies in location of disaster risks on databases such as DesInventar and what is being projected elsewhere.”

Mr. Scott Hook, Pacific Islands Forum Sect. said: “We rely on expertise from national offices but capacity is a challenge and access to technology could be better. Access to forecasts is available in urban settlements but not in remote communities. Communicating key messages and updates is difficult.”