CRHNet DRR Symposium

February 21-23 2024, Edmonton, AB

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We are so excited to be planning our 20th Anniversary Symposium. We are looking forward to reconnecting with our community, renew old ties. build new relationships and collaborate to improve DRR across Canada.  We will reflect on the past and present, while collaborating on a better future.

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is a field that has evolved over time and continues to change. Here is a brief overview of the past, present and future of DRR:

  • Past – In the past, disaster management was focused on emergency response and relief efforts, rather than on preventing or reducing the risk of disasters. This approach was reactive and often failed to address the underlying causes of disasters such as poverty, inequality, and poor land-use planning.
  • Present – Today, the field of DRR has evolved into a more initiative-taking approach. DRR focuses on reducing the risk of disasters by addressing the underlying causes and vulnerabilities, such as through risk assessments, land-use planning, and community-based disaster risk management. In addition, the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015 and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 have been established as the international framework for DRR, providing a more comprehensive approach to DRR.
  • Future – In the future, DRR will continue to evolve and adapt to new challenges and risks. Climate change and its impacts and increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events will require new and innovative approaches to disaster risk reduction. Technology will continue to play a significant role in DRR, with new tools and methods for data collection, analysis, and communication.

As with DRR, CRHNet has evolved over its 20 years in existence and we are excited about the future. CRHNet was one of the first national organizations to intentionally focus on DRR related research and work through our annual symposium event. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary year, we strive to refocus on our mission.

CRHNet brings together the disaster risk management community to increase resiliency through the transfer of knowledge, the building of relationships, and the exchange of best practices.

DRR and the field of Disaster and Emergency Management (D&EM) are inherently linked in that DRR is the framework that focuses on identifying the root causes of disaster risk and either eliminating them or reducing them through intentional and focused efforts; D&EM is the practice tasked with executing the work and research to enable this to be achieved, and it is undergoing a significant shift from response and recovery to prevention and mitigation, in order to be more proactive in addressing disaster risk while also building resiliency at all levels of society; D&EM is now based on a more holistic system of prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery which considers DRR opportunities at every phase and with every activity and stakeholder. This is what CRHNet wants to explore and enable further, as part of our commitment to our members and Canada.

We are clear on our mission and purpose. Our role at CRHNet is to create the opportunity for the D&EM community to connect, share, learn from, and celebrate with each other  as we work towards a more disaster resilient Canada. We offer a symposium, not a conference, with a clear focus on DRR, including experts and emerging professionals who are engaged in DRR through their respective endeavours or mandates.