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Unless otherwise specified, in this Report the least developed countries (LDCs) are classified according to a combination of geographical and structural criteria, Therefore, some of the island LDCs that geographically are in Africa or Asia are grouped together with the Pacific islands, due to their structural similarities. Likewise, Haiti and Madagascar are grouped together with African LDCs.

The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat is a vital interface between global policies in the economic, social and environmental spheres and national action. The Department works in three main interlinked areas: (i) it compiles, generates and analyses a wide range of economic, social and environmental data and information on which Member States of the United Nations draw to review common problems and to take stock of policy options; (ii) it facilitates the negotiations of Member States in many intergovernmental bodies on joint courses of action to address ongoing or emerging global challenges; and (iii) it advises interested Governments on the ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in United Nations conferences and summits into programmes at the country level and, through technical assistance, helps build national capacities.

Development efforts are increasingly at risk. A faltering global economy, food and energy insecurity, conflict, global climate change, declining ecosystems, extreme poverty, and the threat of epidemics seriously challenge progress towards improving social welfare and economic growth in many developing countries. In 2008, the deaths of approximately 140,000 people in the Myanmar cyclone and the collapse of more than five million buildings and damage to 21 million more in the China earthquake, were stark reminders that disaster risks associated with tropical cyclones, floods, earthquakes, droughts and other natural hazards are a key part of this interlocked set of threats. The Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction focuses attention on that challenge. It identifies disaster risk, analyses its causes, shows that these causes can be addressed and recommends the means to do so. The over-riding message of the Report is that reducing disaster risk can also help in reducing poverty, safeguarding development and adapting to climate change, with beneficial effects on broader global security, stability and sustainability. Given the urgency posed by climate change, the Report forcefully argues the case for taking action now.

This publication demonstrates the link between disaster riskreduction andclimate change adaptation, while contributing to the ongoing glolal effort to promote gender equality in socio-economic development.

This study explores ways in which environmental considerations can be integrated into economic decisions in order to facilitate planning for sustainable development (SD), with particular emphasis on Pacific Island Countries (PICs).1 Ever since the ‘Earth Summit’ was held in June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, sustainable development has been embraced worldwide as a desirable development goal. At the Earth Summit, world leaders adopted Agenda 21, an agreement consisting of various action programmers covering nearly every aspect of all human activities that impact on the natural environment. Chapter 8 of Agenda 21 deals with integrating environment and development in decision making. Section 8.5, ‘Improving planning and management system’, states.