United Nations (UN) Disaster Risk Reduction Framework: Case Study of the Portuguese Army on UN Challenges in the Context of Sustainable Risk Mitigation

Bruno Martinho,João Reis

doi:10.3390/su14031834

Bruno Martinho, João Reis

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031834

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Abstract

The United Nations (UN) in the context of disaster risk reduction has been sensitizing governments and all citizens to the need to develop mechanisms that contribute to preventing risks and reducing vulnerabilities regarding serious accidents or disasters. The search for an adequate response to the different types of accidents is a social demand; leading civil protection authorities, together with other national entities, namely the Armed Forces, to create diverse response mechanisms. This research intends to call the reader’s attention and awareness to disaster risk reduction, characterizing the UN policy, and evaluating the Portuguese Army’s capacity for organizational change. This article follows a case study research strategy, considering a deductive reasoning structure and a qualitative methodological orientation. The evolution of the UN’s growing concern with disaster risk reduction over time will be studied, and the way in which the Portuguese military has adapted to the new challenges promoted by the UN will be discussed.

Highlights

The United Nations (UN) celebrates the International Day for Disaster Reduction
Unit acts in the framework of “dual use”, which allows the deepening of the FFAA’s response capacity in disaster and calamity situations. This Unit was established in 2016, with the creation of the Emergency Military Support Unit. In this subchapter, we present the case study regarding the creation of the Emergency Military Support Unit in the light of John Kotter’s theory [9]
The main contribution of this research takes into account the UN International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction [2]

Summary

Introduction

The UN celebrates the International Day for Disaster Reduction. The celebration is an important milestone in disaster reduction and has been instituted since 1989.The UN aims to sensitize governments, organizations, and citizens around the world to the need to develop collaborative actions that prevent risks and reduce vulnerabilities. The UN celebrates the International Day for Disaster Reduction. The celebration is an important milestone in disaster reduction and has been instituted since 1989. The UN aims to sensitize governments, organizations, and citizens around the world to the need to develop collaborative actions that prevent risks and reduce vulnerabilities. Disaster risk reduction is a complex issue that, taken preventively, can save many human lives. This issue should not be solved independently by a nation or institution, as it is necessary to bring together collective efforts and combined knowledge from all sectors of society, whether public or private or from other active members of civil society [1].

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