Multi-hazard risk assessment and management: pathways for the Sendai Framework and beyond

Abstract. Multi-hazard events pose increasingly complex challenges as natural hazards interact in cascading and compounding ways that amplify risks beyond individual hazards. Understanding these interactions – from hazard processes to cascading effects across social, economic, governance, and infrastructure systems – is critical for effective disaster risk management. National and international frameworks increasingly recognise these risk dynamics, most notably the United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. The Sendai Framework Mid-Term Review (MTR) in 2023, however, identified substantial implementation challenges across its four priorities; these challenges include gaps in risk data governance, fragmented multi-scale coordination, insufficient investment mechanisms, and limited coverage of multi-hazard early warning systems. With the Sendai Framework approaching its conclusion, there is a pressing need to address these current shortcomings. Responding to this need, the 3rd International Conference on Natural Hazards and Risks in a Changing World took place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on 12–13 June 2024, with the objective of: (1) assessing current progress in multi-hazard risk research and policy practice; and (2) identifying scientific priorities to support further implementation of Sendai Framework until 2030 and beyond. Here, we document the arc of the scientific discussions held at the conference, synthesise the main findings from sessions, and set forth expert knowledge on how state-of-the-art science can fill gaps outlined by the MTR by identifying four perspective themes: (1) assessments and tools for risk understanding and decision-making; (2) understanding and management of complex risk landscapes; (3) emerging technologies for risk and resilience; and (4) multi-level governance for coordinated risk management. Ultimately, we call for governance reform enabling multi-scale coordination, investment in knowledge brokers translating across systems and scales, and participatory technology deployment ensuring emerging tools are applied to reduce disaster risk management inequalities. This perspective emphasises that effective Disaster Risk Reduction requires both incremental technical improvements and fundamental shifts in governance, data sharing, and inclusive engagement to address systemic risks and implementation gaps.

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Publication Details

Journal
Geoscience Communication
Published
2026-04-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-9-185-2026
Primary Topic
Disaster Management and Resilience
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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Multi-hazard risk assessment and management: pathways for the Sendai Framework and beyond

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article en

Abstract

Abstract. Multi-hazard events pose increasingly complex challenges as natural hazards interact in cascading and compounding ways that amplify risks beyond individual hazards. Understanding these interactions – from hazard processes to cascading effects across social, economic, governance, and infrastructure systems – is critical for effective disaster risk management. National and international frameworks increasingly recognise these risk dynamics, most notably the United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. The Sendai Framework Mid-Term Review (MTR) in 2023, however, identified substantial implementation challenges across its four priorities; these challenges include gaps in risk data governance, fragmented multi-scale coordination, insufficient investment mechanisms, and limited coverage of multi-hazard early warning systems. With the Sendai Framework approaching its conclusion, there is a pressing need to address these current shortcomings. Responding to this need, the 3rd International Conference on Natural Hazards and Risks in a Changing World took place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on 12–13 June 2024, with the objective of: (1) assessing current progress in multi-hazard risk research and policy practice; and (2) identifying scientific priorities to support further implementation of Sendai Framework until 2030 and beyond. Here, we document the arc of the scientific discussions held at the conference, synthesise the main findings from sessions, and set forth expert knowledge on how state-of-the-art science can fill gaps outlined by the MTR by identifying four perspective themes: (1) assessments and tools for risk understanding and decision-making; (2) understanding and management of complex risk landscapes; (3) emerging technologies for risk and resilience; and (4) multi-level governance for coordinated risk management. Ultimately, we call for governance reform enabling multi-scale coordination, investment in knowledge brokers translating across systems and scales, and participatory technology deployment ensuring emerging tools are applied to reduce disaster risk management inequalities. This perspective emphasises that effective Disaster Risk Reduction requires both incremental technical improvements and fundamental shifts in governance, data sharing, and inclusive engagement to address systemic risks and implementation gaps.

Geoscience CommunicationVol. 9(2)
TH Köln - University of Applied Sciences (DE), National Security Agency (US), Eurac Research (IT), University of Helsinki (FI), University of Bonn (DE), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (DE), British Geological Survey (GB), Universität Hamburg (DE), University of Potsdam (DE), Wetlands International (NL), Tohoku University (JP), University of the Free State (ZA), University College Cork (IE), Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR) (DE), Joint Replacement Institute (US), Red Cross Hospital (GR), Deltares (NL), CICERO Center for International Climate Research (NO), CMCC Foundation - Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (IT), United Nations University (DE), Institute for Environment and Human Security (DE), GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences (DE), Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (DE), Institut für Arbeitsschutz der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung (DE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL), University of Twente (NL)
Horizon 2020
Climate action
Openalex Percentile: Top 14%
Disaster Management and Resilience
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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