2nd Preparatory Meeting of the 22nd OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum

Conference

Date:: 20 - 21 May 2014
Location:: Montreux, Switzerland
Organized by:: Swiss OSCE Chairmanship 2014 and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities
Series:: Economic and Environmental Forum
Source:: OSCE Secretariat, OSCE Chairpersonship
Fields of work:: Economic activities, Environmental activities

The Economic and Environmental Forum is the main annual event in the OSCE's Second Dimension. In 2014, under the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship, the 22nd Economic and Environmental Forum will focus on "Responding to environmental challenges with a view to promoting cooperation and security in the OSCE area.” The Forum process is meant to stimulate deeper political dialogue among the OSCE's 57 OSCE participating States.

On 20-21 May, the Second Preparatory Meeting of the Forum will take place in Montreux. During this two-day meeting participants will discuss and exchange experiences on the concept of integrated disaster risk management of environmental challenges. Special attention will be devoted to the areas of preparedness, emergency response and recovery and their link to security and co-operation. The event will also focus on the adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction at local level; measures to reduce disaster risks at an international, cross-border and national level; and the cross-dimensional impacts of natural and man-made disasters.

Two field visits will be also organized: one will allow participants to analyse the cross-border co-operation between Italy and Switzerland in applied disaster risk management along the transnational route of the Grand-Saint-Bernard; the second one will focus on the management of natural and technical risks in the Swiss municipality of Monthey.

Representatives of national and international institutions, NGOs, academia and the business community will join their efforts throughout the Forum meetings in order to reinforce the role of the OSCE in the promotion of good governance in disaster management and its support for the fulfilment of the aforementioned commitment.

In 2014, the First Preparatory Meeting took place on 27-28 January 2014 in Vienna. A Concluding Meeting, to take place in Prague on 10-12 September 2014, will build on the results of the two preparatory meetings.

Making communities more resilient