The Cambridge Handbook of Disaster Risk Reduction and International Law

The number, intensity, and impact of diverse forms of 'natural' and 'human-made' disasters are increasing. In response, the international community has shifted its primary focus away from disaster response to prevention and improved preparedness.

The current globally agreed upon roadmap is the ambitious Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, central to which is the better understanding of disaster risk management and mitigation. Sendai also urges innovative implementation, especially multi-sectoral and multi-hazard coherence. Yet the law sector itself remains relatively under-developed, including a paucity of supporting 'DRR law' scholarship and minimal cross-sectoral engagement.

Commonly, this is attributable to limited understanding by other sectors about law's dynamic potential as a tool of disaster risk mitigation, despite the availability of many risk-related norms across a broad spectrum of legal regimes. This unique, timely Handbook brings together global and multi-sector perspectives on one of the most pressing policy issues of our time.

• Introduces concepts of DRR, especially DRR law, increasing awareness and understanding of the existence and function of DRR law at a key time in its development
• Highlights the critical need for broader cross-sectoral engagement on DRR issues and looks at multi-sectoral approaches by the Sendai Framework, especially between law, science and technology
• Seeks to contribute to the development of DRR related law, policy and practice as well as to better inform law and policy makers on the growing importance of DRR law through a comparative analysis of multiple regime