The ICSU ROAP Steering Group on Natural Hazards and Risk (SGNHR) held its meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 24 and 25 February 2015. Chaired by James Terry from Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the group is currently composed of four other members, (Kruawun Jankaew, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand,  Nigel Spear, SCOR,  James Goff, UNSW, Australia, and Jianxin Zhang, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences). The Director of the ICSU ROAP secretariat is an ex officio member.

The meeting discussed the participation of SGNHR members at the 4th International Tsunami Field Symposium which will be held in March 2015 in Thailand, and on the role that the group would play in the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. Members of the group form part of what is expected to be a 400-strong delegation of the Science and Technology Major Group, led by ICSU and IRDR.

In line with similar efforts undertaken in the IRDR programme, the regional steering group also discussed opportunities and specific steps that would be taken to enhance ties with assessment needs of the Asian re-insurance industry. The SGNHR has also been successful in securing funding to support a two-year research project on coastal hazards in South-East Asia from Zayed University where the Chair is based. Additional funds from the National University of Singapore have also been committed for the project in its first year (2015).