International Perspectives on Disaster Management and linkages with Climate Change (with certain country experiences)

Aseem AndrewsSenior Specialist, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India

Presentation Plan

Section 1: International Perspectives

- 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

Section 2: Approaches and paradigm shift internationally

- From Reactive to proactive approach- Linear model to DRR Framework- Economic and other impacts

Section 4: DRR linkages with Climate Change

Section 3: Country experiences

- China- Brazil- Bangladesh- USA

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What this presentation is and what it is not…

This presentation is a purely academic presentation giving conceptual information on International Disaster Management perspectives

This presentation explores academic and conceptual linkages between Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and climate change (CC)

This presentation further encapsulates factual details of important related frameworks, processes, and conventions agreed to by nations for DRR and CC.

This presentation does not speculate on contentious issues within the domain of current climate change dialogue.

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Disaster Reduction: An agenda in Progress internationally

1989: IDNDR 1990-1999 – promotion of disaster reduction, technical and scientific buy-in

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: IATF/DR, 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

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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, locust infestations, and other disasters of natural origin.UN GA Resolution: 44/236 (22nd December 1989)

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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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To reduce societal vulnerability and therewith 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.

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

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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

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ISDR

Contribution / Value Added:

1. Advocacy 2003 World Disaster Reduction Campaign

Living with Risk UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction Periodicals: ISDR Highlights (bimonthly), ISDR

Informs Africa/Latin America & the Caribbean 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

Warning3. Information Management

Monitoring, review and assessment of disaster reduction initiatives

Yokohama review process Information clearing house 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, Africa, Small Island Developing States and means of implementation

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Global Platform

Resolution of the GA calling upon adoption by governments of the Hyogo Framework and recognizes 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 particular poignancy coming almost 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

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Africa Regional Strategy

Unique regional strategy adopted for natural disaster reduction for the African continent. The aim of the Strategy is to contribute to the attainment of sustainable development and poverty eradication by facilitating the integration of disaster risk reduction into development.

The Strategy’s objectives are to:(1) Increase political commitment to disaster risk reduction;(2) improve identification and assessment of disaster risks;(3) enhance knowledge management for disaster risk reduction;(4) increase public awareness of disaster risk reduction;(5) Improve governance of disaster risk reduction institutions; and(6) Integrate of disaster risk reduction in emergency response management.

Stakeholders: AU/NEPAD, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the Africa Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction1, national governments, major groups (mainly civil society bodies and the private sector) and international development partners.

Programme of Action, reviewed at several forums May/June 2004: a Meeting of Experts to discuss the Strategy, an African Regional Consultations on the 2005 World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR), and the Second Meeting of the Africa Working Group on disaster risk reduction.

Strategy adopted by African ministers at the 10th Meeting of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) from 26-30 June 2004 and submitted to the AU Assembly Summit, where the Strategy was positively received by Heads of State at the 3rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 6-8 July 2004, with a call to develop a Programme of Action for its implementation. 18

Section 2: Disaster Management Cycle

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Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction

CONTEXTSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

• Social-cultural• Political•Economic•Ecosystems

RISK FACTORS- Vulnerability

•Social•Economic•Physical•Environmental

- Hazards•Geological •Hydrometeological•Biological•Environmental•Technological

DISASTERIMPACTS

APPLICATION OFRISK REDUCTION MEASURES•Environmental management •Land use planning•Protection of critical facilities

- Structural Measures•Application science & technology•Financial and economic toolsEARLY WARNINGPREPAREDNESS

Hazard analysis

+ monitoring

Vulnerability/capabilities analysis

AWARENESSfor change in behaviour

KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT•Education, training•Research•Information•Networking

PUBLIC COMMITMENT•Institutional framework •Policy development•Legislation and codes•Community actions

RISK ASSESSMENT

RESPONSE

RECOVERY

ISDR global review of disaster reduction, 200220

Impact of Disasters

Disaster impacts

0

1

2

3

1970-79 1980-89 1990-99

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

Dead Affected population

in million in million

Dea

d

Aff

ecte

d p

op

ula

tio

n0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

1970-79 1980-89 1990-99

0100200300400500600700800

Number of disasters Economic losses

in million

Economic losses related to number of disasters

Eco

nom

ic lo

sses

Num

ber

of d

isas

ters

Less people die from disasters, but increased number of disasters, economic losses and 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

27,010(1.36%)

87,414(4.41%)

520,418(26.25%)

1,347,504(67.98%)

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600

High Income

Upper Middle Income

Lower Middle Income

Low Income

Inco

me

Cla

ss

Number of People Killed ('000s)

Drought Earthquake Epidemic Flood Slide Volcano Wind storm Others

Source: ADRC, OFDA/CRED 22

Disaster Progression Distribution of Disasters

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Section 3: China

Government initiated measures aimed at disaster preparedness and response under the State apparatus.

The DRR in China includes pre-disaster decentralized management with separate fields and departments, the in-disaster integrated emergency management, and the post-disaster different-level cooperation between the central government and the local governments.

Chinese disaster risk management system depends mainly on the central management, with the mutual cooperation between the central government and the local governments.

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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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Case of Hurricane Katrina

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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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Some areas are projected to become wetter, others drier

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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 a no-regret

option for adapting to climate change and a tool to select adaptation strategies that can bring quick wins to hasten 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 Land use planning 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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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

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

INCREASING ADAPTIVE CAPACITY INCLUDING OUTSIDE EXPERIENCED COPING RANGE

Climatic hazards and risks

Disaster risk reduction

Climate change

Common challenges for disaster risk and climate change communities

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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.

The Bali Road Map includes the Bali Action Plan (BAP) that was adopted by Decision 1/CP.13 of the COP-13. It also includes the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) negotiations and their 2009 deadline, the launch of the Adaptation Fund, the scope and content of the Article 9 review of the Kyoto Protocol, as well as decisions on technology transfer and on reducing emissions from deforestation

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Copenhagen, 7 – 18, December , 2009

World leaders had called for a comprehensive, ambitious and fair international climate change deal to be clinched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 15) in Copenhagen, 7-18 December 2009

Participants at the Copenhagen meeting had to come up with "a series of clear decisions" in order to have a treaty within six months after the conference ends. It will be designed to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol (to prevent climate changes and global warming), which expires in 2012. A deadline for a legally binding document

To keep the process on the line there was and is an urgent need for a new climate protocol.

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Beyond Copenhagen

There will be further climate negotiations through the year within the UN climate process and almost certainly in forums like the G20 too.

One potential way forward is for Mexico, as hosts of COP16 (the next full summit) in 2010, to work on a potential treaty and tackle the outstanding issues and building consensus around strong action.

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"More effective prevention strategies would save not "More effective prevention strategies would save not only tens of billions of dollars, but save tens of only tens of billions of dollars, but save tens of thousands of lives. Funds currently spent on thousands of lives. Funds currently spent on intervention and relief could be devoted to enhancing intervention and relief could be devoted to enhancing equitable and sustainable development instead, which equitable and sustainable development instead, which would further reduce the risk for war and disaster. would further reduce the risk for war and disaster. Building a culture of prevention is not easy. While the Building a culture of prevention is not easy. While the costs of prevention have to be paid in the present, its costs of prevention have to be paid in the present, its benefits lie in a distant future. Moreover, the benefits benefits lie in a distant future. Moreover, the benefits are not tangible; they are the disasters that did NOT are not tangible; they are the disasters that did NOT happen."happen."

Kofi AnnanKofi AnnanUN Secretary-GeneralUN Secretary-General

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