14th IRDR Scientific Committee taking place at Stellenbosch University

Between the 16-18 November, Stellenbosch University, partner of Periperi U will host the 14th IRDR Scientific Committee (SC) meeting.  Not only does it take place immediately prior to COP 21, (2015 Paris Climate Conference), it also represents the first occasion in which the IRDR Scientific Committee has met outside China or Europe. Convening the SC in Africa underlines Africa’s rapidly changing disaster risk profile – and acknowledges the continent’s increasing capacity in integrated disaster risk research. It is hosted by Stellenbosch University’s Research Alliance for Disaster and Risk Reduction (RADAR), in RADAR’s capacity as secretariat for Periperi U - the IRDR International Centre of Excellence for Risk Education and Learning (ICoE REaL). Taking place over three days (including the first day for internal SC discussions), the 14th IRDR Scientific Committee discussions seek to:

• Stimulate a dialogue between SC members (including ex officio members) and representatives of the disaster risk science community in South Africa and beyond on the science opportunities and challenges associated with the implementation of the Sendai Framework;
• Share insights and innovations related to integrated research on disaster risk from different regional contexts and risk environments;
• Profile plans and advances in integrated disaster risk research within Africa and South Africa.
• Discuss and plan for the UNISDR’s Science and Technology Conference in January 2016.