Lessons from a cross country study

Despite the achievements of OECD countries to boost resilience to disasters, gaps in disaster risk reduction efforts continue to accentuate their social and economic vulnerabilities to such extreme events. This chapter provides an overview of the findings of a cross-country study of Austria, France, and Switzerland carried out to assess and compare progress and achievements in closing resilience gaps. It looks at how countries have ensured an appropriate policy mix between structural and non-structural measures to effectively reduce disaster risks. It highlights the increasing attention given to nonstructural measures, and discusses the challenges associated with the maintenance of protective infrastructure and the associated increases to exposure. The chapter discusses how countries have strengthened organisational efforts to manage disaster risks, even if such measures have not always achieved the desired outcomes. To conclude, the chapter looks at how governance and financing arrangements could help boost the effectiveness of the proposed organisational measures.