At the 2025 International Forum on Emergency Medical Rescue (IFEMR) held in Beijing on December 12, Dr. Saini Yang, Executive Director of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) programme, emphasized the critical integration of disaster risk reduction with planetary health. The forum, themed "Emergency Medicine: AI-Enabled Future", was jointly organized by the Emergency General Hospital of China and the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Emergency Management, bringing together officials, experts, and representatives from international bodies including World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)..
Speaking under this theme, Dr. Yang pointed out that the global risk landscape is undergoing profound changes, with intertwined challenges such as climate change and public health requiring interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder collaboration. She highlighted IRDR's practical work in Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (Health-EDRM) by using the case from IRDR ICoE CCOUC, including community-based health education, early warning systems for diseases, and physical vector control measures to enhance disaster resilience in remote and vulnerable communities.
In addition, Dr.Yang introduced IRDR's collaborative achievements with international organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNESCO in planetary health. She emphasized the importance of collaboration with the health sectors.
The forum served as a high-level platform for dialogue at the intersection of emergency medicine, data innovation, and disaster risk management. IRDR's contributions further underscored the importance of integrating health into global risk governance. Moving forward, IRDR will continue to deepen scientific research, policy advocacy, and capacity building to advance a more resilient and inclusive sustainable future.





