The National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction is a multi-sector and multi-discipline structure that houses several institutions and organizations which, due to their powers and nature, can contribute towards minimizing collective risk.

For this structure to be able to fulfil its role, it is indispensable for it to mobilize in a strong way civil society and the private sector. The main principles on which the purposes of this platform lie are seeking synergies and setting up coordination mechanisms for the various public, private, and civil society initiatives.

The PNRRC’s main goals are as follows:

• Take stock of and coordinate all the action for disaster risk reduction (DRR)
• Set up an institutional framework favourable to the integration of initiatives that lead to disaster risk reduction in the sector plans and programmes according to the Sustainable Development Goals, set out in the Sendai Framework
• Foster the integration of the problem of risk on local, national, and sub-regional plans with a view to sustained development.

The following belong to the platform: ministries, public institutions, municipalities, private enterprises, and Development NGOs.

The Platform’s mission is based on a tri-annual Strategic Action Plan which must, in turn, be transformed into projects and programmes to carry out the action on the ground. 

In June 2020, the ANEPC published its Guidelines for setting up Local Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction (PT). The goal of these guidelines is to assist local government in setting up or enhancing the Local Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction – PLRRC, in articulation and together with the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction – PNRRC. It is also relevant to entities of the public and private sector and civil society that wish to take part in the process to integrate the measures for disaster risk reduction in local policy in line with the 2015-2030 Sendai Framework. 

In 2010, the United Nations launched the “Making Cities Resilient: My City is getting ready!” campaign to stress the importance of the local level in developing resilient communities. One of the campaign’s guiding principles is to foster the implementation of disaster risk reduction measures by local government. Joining this initiative on a global level has led to meeting the priorities and targets set in the  2015-2030 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Discover the publication Resilient Cities in Portugal 2018 (PT/ENG) hat showcases the work undertaken by the municipalities that are committed in the common goal to reduce disaster risk on a local level. 

​Also under the scope of the work undertaken by the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, the publication Managing Flood Risk – Document to Assist with Good Practice​ (PT) was published. This document contains a series of good practices implemented in managing flood risk to avoid new elements arising that are exposed or mitigating the vulnerabilities of those that already exist. It took into account the lessons learned from specific research projects, such as the Molines project funded by the Science and Technology Foundation.​         

Fruit of the Platform’s activity, the Good Practice on Critical Infrastructure Resilience – Private Sector and State Business Sector (PT) has also been made available, which seeks to combine a series of recommendations and good practices on organizations’ resilience, illustrated by case studies showing the implementation of enhancement measures by the operators. Adopting these good practices will contribute towards organizations enhancing their capacity to remain in operation in the event of a serious accident or disaster, thereby increasing the reliability of the services they provide.