The incidence of disasters around the world and the role of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) in relation to reducing vulnerability are reviewed, with reference to the relationship between climate change and landslides. This complex problem is then briefly discussed, to demonstrate trends over time and to establish the possible impacts of climate change on landslides. The ISDR secretariat supports this important event and hopes that this paper will provide an introduction to the International Conference on “Landslides and Climate Change”.