International Programme Office for Integrated Research on Disaster Risk

Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) is a decade-long research programme co-sponsored by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the International Social Science Council (ISSC), and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). It is a global, multi-disciplinary approach to dealing with the challenges brought by natural disasters, mitigating their impacts, and improving related policy-making mechanisms. Core funding for IRDR is provided by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST). IRDR International Programme Office is hosted by Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (RADI) Chinese Academy of Sciences. 

IRDR is governed by a 15-member Scientific Committee (SC) set up by and on behalf of the Co-Sponsors. The SC is comprised of disaster and risk reduction experts from around the world. Members are chosen based on their standing in the international scientific community and their commitment to the strategic objectives of the Programme. The Committee aims to include a balanced representation of relevant disciplines in the natural, social and engineering sciences, taking into consideration regional and gender balance.

IRDR National Committees (NCs) and Regional Committees (RCs) support and supplement IRDR’s research initiatives, and help to establish or further develop crucial links between national disaster risk reduction programmes and activities within an international framework. The current 13 NCs and 1 RC will help foster the much-needed interdisciplinary approach to disaster risk reduction within national scientific and policy-making communities, and can serve as important national focal points between disciplinary scientific unions and associations.

Currently IRDR has 16 International Centres of Excellence (ICoEs). ICoE and IRDR projects will collaborate to provide global contributions towards achieving the IRDR legacy. In particular, each established ICoE will enable regional scientific activities through geographically-focused contributions based on more localised inputs, and by being visible centres of research to motivate participation in the IRDR programme.

IRDR would like to promote capacity building of young professionals, and encourage them to undertake innovative and needs based research which makes science-policy and science-practice linkages stronger. The IRDR Young Scientists Programme started in late 2016. Currently, it is a community of 115 young researchers from over 40 countries after 3 batches of application. IRDR network and partners provides academic advice and training courses, workshops and programmes for IRDR young scientists. IRDR young scientists contribute to innovative research in the field of disaster risk reduction and participate in conferences and/or social media as the ambassador of IRDR. 

IRDR Mission

To develop trans-disciplinary,  multi-sectorial alliances for:

1.    in-depth, practical disaster risk reduction research studies, and

2.    the implementation of effective evidence-based disaster risk policies and practices.

IRDR Research Objectives

1.    Characterisation of hazard, vulnerability and risk.

§ 1.1 identifying hazards and vulnerabilities leading to risks;

§ 1.2 forecasting hazards and assessing risks; and

§ 1.3 dynamic modelling of risk.

2.    Effective decision-making in complex and changing risk context.

§ 2.1 identifying relevant decision-making systems and their interactions;

§ 2.2 understanding decision-making in the context of enviornmental hazards;

§ 2.3 improving the quality of decision-making practice

3.    Reducing risk and curbing losses through knowledge-based actions.

§ 3.1 Vulnerability assessments

§ 3.2 Effective approaches to risk reduction 

Contact Us

Integrated Research on Disaster Risk | IPO

c/o RADI/ CAS

Room B713, No 9 Dengzhuangnan Rd.,

Haidian District, Beijing, China 100094

Tel: +86 10 8217 8917 | Fax: +86 10 8217 8913

Email: connect@irdrinternational.org