National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2018-2030

This Bulgarian National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction for the planned period from the year 2018 until the year 2030 outlines the vision for reducing the risk of disasters on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria. The NSDR takes into account the international approach to ensuring policy coherence for disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and sustainable development, under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Paris Climate Agreement and the Sustainable Development Agenda of United Nations by 2030 "Transforming our world". The National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction sets the course for action until 2030, outlining a coherent framework for adequately reducing existing risks and preventing the emergence of new ones, increasing preparedness and response capabilities and rapid recovery after disasters, respecting the principle "to build again but better". Bulgaria's disaster protection system includes a number of strengths that can be used to address identified weaknesses, subsequently upgrade and transition to a system that covers all phases of the disaster risk management cycle with equal priority. Such a transition is only possible after an adequate assessment of the capabilities of the current disaster protection system and the threats it faces.
Disaster risk reduction is part of sustainable development, which is why society, government, non-profit organizations, the private sector and the scientific community must be actively involved in the process. Adequate risk management requires the implementation of multi-sectoral measures that focus on people's safety and that ensure the achievement of resilience in various, including cascading and interacting hazards. Disaster risk reduction programs should not be designed and considered as a separate element, but should be integrated into development policies, as disasters and their negative consequences are an indicator of poor planning, unsustainable economic and social processes and poorly prepared population. In this regard, it is necessary to consider the different types of risks, to carry out an assessment of their impact and to adapt the targeted measures to the context of local conditions. In order to achieve the expectations from the implementation of this document, it is necessary to realize the following strategic goals: 1. Achieving resilience of society in the face of disasters; 2. Capacity building for disaster risk management at all administrative levels of government; 3. Achieving coherence in the implementation of policies for sustainable development, adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction; 4. Achieving sustainability of disaster protection financing.