The notion of disaster risk reduction (DRR) has come a long way from emergency response to disaster risk management with emergency response now being only one of the components of a broader approach that deals with disaster risk in terms of prevention, preparedness and response.

The year 2015  marked important intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda, climate change (CC) and DRR. These negotiations clearly accepted that DRR and CC are closely related and integral parts of the future development agenda. The way DRR and CC are included in future development will, among other things, shape our future. DRR policy framework, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, emphasizes mainstreaming and urges states to invest in risk-informed and climate-smart development choices that take the increase in disaster risk and extreme weather events into consideration.

Substantially increased disaster losses in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) over the past decades - effects of CC manifested in more frequent extreme weather events such as May 2014 floods - signals that a comprehensive understanding of DRR by all stakeholders is a necessity in BiH. Post-disaster periods are an opportune moment to introduce important behavioral changes, from awareness raising to a greater understanding of the importance of prevention and preparedness as opposed to response and recovery. This is why now, after the devastating May 2014 floods and recovery efforts, investments into DRR is expected to yield the greatest impact through by-in of all stakeholders.  

The purpose of this paper is to guide UNDP’s strategic support to DRR efforts in BiH in a form of a road map to contribute to the achievement the four priorities of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.