International Perspectives on

Disaster Management and linkages

with Climate Change
(with certain country experiences)
Presentation Plan
Section 1: International Perspectives
Section 2: Approaches and
paradigm shift internationally
Section 3: Country experiences
Section 4: DRR linkages with Climate
Change
- IDNDR
- 1st World Conference, Yokohalma, 1994
- ISDR
- 2002 Johannesburg Plan of Action, WSSD
- Global Platform for DRR
- 2nd World Conference, Kobe, 2005 & HFA
- Africa Regional Strategy
- From Reactive to proactive approach
- Linear model to DRR Framework
- Economic and other impacts
- China
- Brazil
- Bangladesh
- USA
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Civil Defense: Birth of Modern
Emergency Management

 After the first world war most of

nations began to elaborate system
of civil defense in response of threat
of air raid and nuclear attack.
 Great Britain disaster management
agency traces its root to civil defense
act of 1948
 USA: FEMA grew out of the Federal
Civil Defense Act of 1950

3
 Disaster Reduction: An agenda in Progress internationally

 1989: IDNDR 1990-1999 – promotion of disaster reduction,

technical and scientific

 1994: Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action – Mid-review

IDNDR, first blueprint for disaster reduction policy guidance (social &
community orientation)

 2000: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) -

increased public commitment and linkage to sustainable development,
enlarged networking and partnerships. Mechanisms: ISDR
secretariat, UN Trust Fund

 2002: Johannesburg Plan of Implementation- WSSD Includes a

new section on “An integrated, multi-hazard, inclusive approach to
address vulnerability, risk assessment and disaster management…”

 2005: Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 Building the

Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters (“ISDR+5”):
 Strategic goals
 Priorities for action
 Implementation and follow-up
4
IDNDR

The United Nations General Assembly

designated the 1990s as the International
Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR).
Its basic objective was to decrease the loss of
life, property destruction and social and
economic disruption caused by natural disasters,
such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods,
landslides, volcanic eruptions, droughts,
infestations, and other disasters of natural
origin.
UN GA Resolution: 44/236 (11th December 1987)

5
1st World Conference 23 – 27 May 1994: Yokohama Strategy
and Plan of Action

 IDNDR followed strictly techno-centric and

scientific approach in beginning
 Yokohama conference in 1994 put socio-
economic aspects as component of effective
disaster prevention into perspective.
 It was recognized that social factors, such
as cultural tradition, religious values,
economic standing, and trust in political
accountability are essential in the
determination of societal vulnerability.

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 1st World Conference 23 – 27 May 1994: Yokohama Strategy
and Plan of Action
 To reduce societal vulnerability and decrease consequences of
natural disasters factors need to be addressed. However, the
ability to address socio-economic factors requires knowledge
and understanding of local conditions, which can – in most
cases - only be provided by local actors.
 A global strategy aiming at reducing the impacts of natural
hazards therefore must include the development of national
and sub-national mechanisms for disaster risk reduction.
 Within this context the IDNDR called on the UN-member states
to establish National Platforms which would facilitate the
adjustment of general disaster risk reduction objectives to
national/local conditions, implement the agreed policies and
expand the understanding and perception of the importance of
disaster risk reduction on national levels.
 In practice, there remains a pressing need to revitalize and
strengthen these national structures.
 The same resolution designated the second Wednesday of
October as International Day for Natural Disaster
Reduction.
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 ISDR

When it drew to an end, the IDNDR was replaced

and continued by the International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction (ISDR). The ISDR aims to
pursue the initiatives and cooperation agreed on
during the IDNDR, and developing new mechanisms
as well as pushing for further commitments from
policy-makers. The overriding goal is to reduce
human, social, economic and environmental losses
due to natural hazards (and related technological
and environmental disasters). The building of
disaster resilient communities is a main objective.

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ISDR

The ISDR promotes the following four objectives as tools

towards reaching disaster reduction for all:
 Increase public awareness to understand risk,
vulnerability and disaster reduction globally.
 Obtain commitment from public authorities to implement
disaster reduction policies and actions
 Stimulate interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral
partnerships, including the expansion of risk reduction
networks
 Improve scientific knowledge about disaster reduction

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ISDR

A global partnership towards disaster resilient

communities

 Inter-Agency Task Force on Disaster Reduction

(IATF/DR)
 Inter-Agency Secretariat of the ISDR (UN/ISDR)
 Regional outreach programmes
 National platforms
 Partner risk reduction networks

10
 ISDR

Contribution / Value Added:

1. Advocacy
 2003 World Disaster Reduction Campaign
Living with Risk
 Education and Training
 Promoting commitment from public authorities
 Promotion of ISDR National Platforms

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 ISDR
2. Coordination
 Support to IATF/DR and working groups
 Providing policy inputs to partnerships for follow-up of WSSD
 Establishment of specific agreements
 Provide policy development support
 Visibility to disaster reduction within UN system
 Support international cooperation on El Niño and Early
Warning
3. Information Management
 Monitoring, review and assessment of disaster reduction
initiatives
 Yokohama review process
 Networking for scientific knowledge development

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2002: Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, WSSD

World Summit on Sustainable Development

 Reinforced awareness of the need for risk and
vulnerability reduction in order to secure sustainable
development
 Imperative for development and environment sectors
to channel investment into disaster reduction
activities to complement and integrate humanitarian
investments
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
Commitments related to disaster and vulnerability
reduction and improved early warning under the
sections of protecting and managing the natural
resource base of economic and social development.

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Global Platform

 Resolution of the GA calling upon adoption by governments by

recognizing the Global Platform as a successor mechanism to the
Inter-Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction.
 National practitioners and stakeholders repeatedly expressed
desire to have a mechanism through which they can exchange
their experiences in DRR and access information on how other
countries addressed particular challenges in the implementation of
the Hyogo Framework.
 The Global Platform has been set up to serve this need, and is
expected to become main global forum for all parties involved in
DRR, namely governments, United Nations agencies, international
financial institutions, regional bodies, civil society, the private
sector, and the scientific and academic communities.
 The Global Platform provides advocacy for effective action to
reduce disaster risks, expands the political space devoted to the
issue, and contributes to the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals particularly in respect to poverty reduction
and environmental sustainability.

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 2nd World Conference, Kobe

 World Conference on Disaster Reduction is a United Nations

conference bringing together government officials, non-
governmental experts and other specialists from around the
world to discuss the growing trend of people affected by
natural disasters.
 A 2nd WCDR conference was held in Kobe, Japan January
18–January 22, 2005.
 This conference took on 10 years to the day after the Great
Hanshin earthquake in Kobe and less than a month after
the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and resulting tsunami.
 The Conference adopted plans to put in place an
International Early Warning Programme (IEWP), which was
first proposed at the Second International Conference on
Early Warning in 2003 in Bonn, Germany.

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 Key messages from Hyogo

 2005: Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015

Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to
Disasters (“ISDR+5”):

 Integrate disaster risk reduction into policies, plans and

programmes of sustainable development and poverty
reduction

 United Nations system and international financial

institutions to engage fully in supporting and
implementing the International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction, and cooperate to advance integrated
approaches to building disaster resilient nations and
communities

 Focus on national implementation, through bi-lateral,

multi-lateral, regional and international cooperation.

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HFA
Structure of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015:
Building Resilience of Nations

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 Impact of Disasters

Less people die from disasters, but

Economic losses related to number of disasters
increased number of disasters,
in million
economic losses and affected

Number of disasters
6,000 800
population.

Economic losses
5,000 700
600
4,000 500
Disaster impacts
3,000 400
in million in million
2,000 300
3 2,000

Affected population
200
1,000 100
1,500
2
Dead

0 0
1,000 1970-79 1980-89 1990-99
1
500
Number of disasters Economic losses
0 0
1970-79 1980-89 1990-99

Dead Affected population Source: OFDA/CRED International

Disaster Database
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The Poor: Most Vulnerable

Number of People Killed (Income Class/Disaster Type)

(1975-2000) World Summary

Low Income
1,347,504(67.98%)
Inc o m e Class

Low er Middle Income 520,418(26.25%)

Upper Middle Income 87,414(4.41%)

High Income 27,010(1.36%)

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600

Number of People Killed ('000s)

Dro ught Earthquak e Epide mic Flo o d Slide Vo lcano Wind sto rm O the rs

Source: ADRC, OFDA/CRED 20

Distribution of Disasters

Disaster Progression

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Brazil

 Disaster response: highly decentralized

 In the event of a natural disaster, the
affected municipality handles its own
response. When the scope of the disaster
exceeds the municipality‟s capacity to
respond, the regional office is called in, then
the state, then the national level.
 This separation of powers is attributed to
the Brazilian legal structure, which ascribes
a great deal of autonomy to the state and
local governments.

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Bangladesh

 Project "Support to Comprehensive Disaster Management“, 1993

with overall goal to reduce the human, economic and
environmental costs of disaster in Bangladesh. One of the main
elements for the development objective of the project was to
increase the capacities of the households and local communities
in the highly disaster prone areas through establishment of Local
Disaster Action Plans (LDAPs) to cope with cyclones, floods and
other potentially disaster situations.
 To maintain proper coordination amongst the concerned
Ministries, departments, line agencies, Local Government Body
(LGD) and community people, and also to ensure their proper
functioning to mitigate sufferings of the people, the Government
has formulated a set of mechanisms for Council and Committees
from national down to the grass-root levels. For the mechanisms
to be best operative, the Standing orders on Disaster (SOD) acts
as a guidebook.
 The high powered National Disaster Management Council
(NDMC) and In-Ministerial Disaster Management Co-ordination
Committee (IMDMCC), developed as effective bodies to promote
and coordinate risk-reduction, preparedness activities and
mitigation measures, meet twice and four times a year
respectively.
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 USA

 FEMA: Federal Government response to natural and man – made

disasters
 Executive Order 12127 in 1979
 October 4, 2006: signed into law the Post-Katrina Emergency
Reform Act to significantly reorganize FEMA, provided it
substantial new authority to remedy gaps that became apparent in
the response to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 and included
more robust preparedness mission for FEMA.
 The National Response Framework (NRF) presents the guiding
principles that enable all response partners to prepare for and
provide a unified national response to disasters and emergencies.
It establishes a comprehensive, national, all-hazards approach to
domestic incident response effective March 22, 2008. Defines the
principles, roles, and structures that organize how to respond as a
nation. The National Response Framework:
 describes how communities, tribes, states, the federal government,
private-sectors, and nongovernmental partners work together to
coordinate national response;
 describes specific authorities and best practices for managing incidents
 builds upon the NIMS which provides a consistent template for
managing incidents.

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 Global challenges for the future

• Increase wider understanding and awareness of

disaster risk as an essential tool for sustainable
development
• Recognize disaster risk reduction primarily as a
combination of national and local responsibilities
• Raise awareness of existing misdirected development
practices that may actually increase disaster risks
• Political commitment and understanding by public and
private policy makers and local community leaders
• Promotion and support of policies and actions in
developing countries by the international community

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Section 4: DRR linkages with Climate Change

The Earth’s climate is very likely to

change over the decades to come,
owing to increases in concentrations
of atmospheric greenhouse gases
caused by human activity, with likely
increases in temperatures, sea levels,
and extreme weather events (heavy
rainfalls, droughts, etc.)

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Global Mean Temperature

2004:
+0.44°C

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Linkages between disaster risk reduction & climate change

 Both are development issues and share the same

ultimate objective: building sustainable resilient
societies
 Face similar complexities & challenges, rely on same
type of measures and policies
 Concern all sectors and human activities
 Two-way needs: disaster reduction is an option for
adapting to climate change and a tool to select
adaptation strategies that can bring quick wins to
speed up adaptation and reduce its costs
 Mitigation of CC also contributes greatly to reducing
risk and vulnerability to natural and technological
disasters

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Examples of disaster reduction tools for climate change adaptation

Disaster risk reduction applications

 Environmental management
 Financial and economic tool (insurance)
 Social aspects and safety nets
 Protection of critical facilities
 Structural measures (engineering)
 Application of science and technology
 Early warning
 Identify successful disaster risk reduction practices & „what not to
do!‟
 Institutional development: policy development & integration,
legislation and organisational development
 Integrate disaster reduction into development planning processes
 Lessons learnt from community development: grassroots coping
strategies, local knowledge development and training
 Education: risk perception/risk awareness/values, attitudes and
behaviour

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 Common challenges for disaster risk and climate change
communities

SIMILAR CHALLENGES
•Decreasing vulnerability
•Integration in sustainable development planning
•Poverty reduction
•Improving education/information/public awareness
•Comprehensive response
•Participatory processes
•Improving institutional capacity and efficiency

Disaster risk Climate

reduction Climatic hazards and risks change
INCREASING ADAPTIVE CAPACITY INCLUDING OUTSIDE EXPERIENCED COPING RANGE

WIN WIN MEASURES

•Early warning systems, climate information, El Niño
•Disaster data, socio-economic impacts of disasters
•Risk and vulnerability assessments
•Financial and economic tools: insurance
•Structural and physical measures
•Hazard control measures, flood & drought management, coastal zone
management
•Land use planning, urban risk and environmental management 32
 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

 Intergovernmental body of Climate Change is the leading

body for the assessment of climate change, established by
the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to provide the
world with a clear scientific view on the current state of
climate change and its potential environmental and socio-
economic consequences.
 Scientific body that reviews and assesses the most recent
scientific, technical and socio-economic information produced
worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change.
 Does not conduct any research nor does it monitor climate
related data or parameters. Thousands of scientists from all
over the world contribute to the work of the IPCC on a
voluntary basis. Review is an essential part of the IPCC
process, to ensure an objective and complete assessment of
current information.
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United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
 Over a decade ago, most countries joined an international treaty
-- the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) -- to begin to consider what can be done to reduce
global warming and to cope with whatever temperature increases
are inevitable.
 The Convention on Climate Change sets an overall framework for
intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by
climate change. It recognizes that the climate system is a shared
resource whose stability can be affected by industrial and other
emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The
Convention enjoys near universal membership, with 192
countries having ratified.
Under the Convention, governments:
 gather and share information on greenhouse gas emissions, national
policies and best practices
 launch national strategies for addressing greenhouse gas emissions
and adapting to expected impacts, including the provision of financial
and technological support to developing countries
 cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of climate change
 The Convention entered into force on 21 March 1994.
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 Kyoto Protocol
 International agreement linked to the UNFCC. The major feature of the
Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized
countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions .These amount to an average of five per cent against
1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.
 The major distinction between the Protocol and the Convention is that
while the Convention encouraged industrialised countries to stabilize
GHG emissions, the Protocol commits them to do so.
 Recognizing that developed countries are principally responsible for
the current high levels of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a result
of more than 150 years of industrial activity, the Protocol places a
heavier burden on developed nations under the principle of “common
but differentiated responsibilities.”
 The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December
1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. 184 Parties of the
Convention have ratified its Protocol to date. The detailed rules for the
implementation of the Protocol were adopted at COP 7 in Marrakesh in
2001, and are called the “Marrakesh Accords.”

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 Bali Road Map and Bali Action Plan

 After the 2007 United Nations Climate Change

Conference on the island Bali in Indonesia in
December, 2007 the participating nations adopted the
Bali Road Map as a two-year process to finalizing a
binding agreement in 2009 in Denmark.

36