A way forward to monitor disaster-related losses of ecosystems and ecosystem services in the Sendai Framework Monitor

To achieve progress in DRR as envisioned by the SFDRR, the policy brief argues that currently neglected ecosystems and their services need the same attention as social and economic disaster-related losses are given in terms of monitoring. The Sendai Framework Monitor (SFM) facilitates the monitoring of disaster-related losses in order to measure progress on global targets for DRR. However, the SFM has a limited number of options to capture disaster-related losses of ecosystems and their services.

Yet, the potential of the SFM to integrate disaster-related losses of ecosystems and ecosystem services has not been leveraged, most likely due to a lack of understanding and consideration of ecosystems and their services in the context of disaster-related impacts and what this means in terms of advancing DRR efforts. This policy brief provides five specific recommendations as a way forward for integrating ecosystems and their services in the existing framework of the SFM.