Institutional foundations of disaster risk reduction policy

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica De Majo ◽  
Jan Olsson
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Institutional Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Practices ◽  
National Governments ◽  
Institutional Foundations

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore and elaborate on how institutional conditions work to the advantage and disadvantage of disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies on different levels in two countries.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative case study design is used to study empirically two countries with very different traditions when it comes to political-administrative institutions: Argentina and Sweden.FindingsAs expected, the institutional foundations of DRR policy in Sweden are shown to be more consistent and stable than in Argentina. However, this difference is of less importance when considering the crucial role of local practices. National institutional foundations can function as support – but is not a necessary condition – for building disaster preparedness on the ground. The authors argue that national governments cannot do without institutionalized praxis-based preparedness, which is vital for both effective emergency management and learning.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the disaster research debate by elaborating on institutional arrangements that can facilitate or hinder DRR strategies in a multi-level context. The main argument is that institutional practices on the ground are important to compensate for insufficient national institutions, either because they are weak or too distant from practical DRR. The authors also elaborate on how institutional practices can function as a source for learning and for building legitimate practical authority from the bottom up.

A status quo analysis of disaster risk reduction policy and legislation in Cameroon

foresight ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 362-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.E.A. Ashu ◽  
Dewald Van Niekerk
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Institutions ◽  
The Status

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the status quo of disaster risk reduction (DRR) policy and legislation in Cameroon. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative method, this paper examines historical data from sectoral administrative reports, plans, declarations, commitments and speeches, texts and peer-reviewed journals on disaster and risk management in Cameroon for the period 1967-2017. Empirical data from ten selected government sectors were used to analyze the status quo, together with quantitative data collected by using four instruments (i.e. HFA Priority 1 & 4, USAID Toolkit, GOAL Resilience Score and the Checklist on Law and DRR). Findings Findings show that Cameroon largely still practices disaster response through the Department of Civil Protection. Transparency and accountability are the sine qua non of the state, but the lack thereof causes improper implementation of DRR within development institutions. DRR is seen as an ad hoc activity, with the result that there is not effective institutional capacity for implementation. The need to develop a new national DRR framework is evident. Originality/value Analyzing the status quo of DRR in Cameroon could assist with the review and reevaluation of a new DRR framework within the Cameroonian territory.

Linking disaster risk reduction, climate change and development

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Lisa F. Schipper ◽  
Frank Thomalla ◽  
Gregor Vulturius ◽  
Marion Davis ◽  
Karlee Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Political Action ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Climate Risks ◽  
Emerging Risk ◽  
Or Practice ◽  
Future Work

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to advance the dialogue between the disaster risk reduction (DRR) and adaptation community by investigating their differences, similarities and potential synergies. The paper examines how DRR and adaptation can inform development to tackle the underlying drivers of disaster risk. Design/methodology/approach Based on a risk-based approach to the management of climate variability and change, the paper draws from a critical review of the literature on DRR and adaptation. The study finds that known and emerging risk from disasters continues to increase dramatically in many parts of the world, and that climate change is a key driver behind it. The authors also find that underlying causes of social vulnerability are still not adequately addressed in policy or practice. Linking DRR and adaptation is also complicated by different purposes and perspectives, fragmented knowledge, institutions and policy and poor stakeholder coordination. Findings The author’s analysis suggests that future work in DRR and adaptation should put a much greater emphasis on reducing vulnerability to environmental hazards, if there is truly a desire to tackle the underlying drivers of disaster and climate risks. Originality/value This will require coherent political action on DRR and adaptation aimed at addressing faulty development processes that are the main causes of growing vulnerability. The study concludes with a first look on the new Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and how it aims to connect with adaptation and development.

scholarly journals Mapping built environment professionals’ educational needs to international policy frameworks for disaster risk reduction – community stakeholder perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 368-384
Author(s):  
Srinath Perera ◽  
Onaopepo Adeniyi ◽  
Solomon Olusola Babatunde ◽  
Kanchana Ginige
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Educational Needs ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
International Policy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Core ◽  
Policy Frameworks

Purpose Disaster risk reduction is prominent in the international policy agenda, and the year 2015 brought together three international policy frameworks that contribute to disaster risk reduction (i.e. the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Climate Change Agreement – COP21). However, there is a dearth of effort at identifying and aligning the specific educational needs of built environment professionals with the three policy frameworks. This is needed to facilitate the incorporation of the contents of the policy frameworks into built environment professionals’ training. Therefore, this study aims to map the educational needs of built environment professionals with the core areas of the three international policy frameworks. Design/methodology/approach This study utilized CADRE (Collaborative Action towards Disaster Resilience Education) research project outcomes alongside the earlier mentioned three international policy frameworks. A comprehensive desk review was done to map the educational needs identified in the CADRE project with the core priority areas of the three policy frameworks. Findings The study revealed the educational needs that are significant towards an effective implementation of the core priority areas of the three international policy frameworks. Practical implications This study would be beneficial to the built environment professionals involved in disaster risk reduction. They will be aware of the specific knowledge areas that would aid the successful implementation of the aforementioned three international policy frameworks. Originality/value The outcomes of the study would be beneficial to higher education providers in disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. It has identified the knowledge and competency gaps needed to be bridged in the curricula to meet the demands created by the international policy frameworks.

scholarly journals From disaster relief to disaster risk reduction: a consideration of the evolving international relief mechanism

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dewald Van Niekerk
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Relief ◽  
Development Assistance ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Development Aid ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Gradual Shift ◽  
International Policies

Disaster risk reduction is an ever-growing concept and finds its application within various disciplines. This article investigates the development of disaster risk reduction and some of the most important aspects which shaped it. The early years of international disaster relief are discussed and it is shown how a change in this system was necessitated by a variety of factors and international disasters, which exposed its weakness. The article argues that disaster relief and development aid were inextricably linked and it is this linkage which provided a catalyst for questioning the manner in which relief, and development assistance, were provided. The later emphasis on disaster preparedness and management is discussed, and international policies and mechanisms, which contributed to a gradual shift in focus towards disaster risk reduction, enjoy attention. The article concludes that solutions to disaster risks lie within a rigorous trans- disciplinary focus.

A normative model for integrating organisations for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation within SADC member states

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Livhuwani David Nemakonde ◽  
Dewald Van Niekerk
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Normative Model ◽  
Member States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face

Purpose Research has demonstrated that governance of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) have evolved largely in isolation from each other – through different conceptual and institutional frameworks, response strategies and plans, at both international, national and subnational levels. As a result, the management of disaster risk through DRR and CCA is highly fragmented. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the set of actors and their location in government that create and shape governance in DRR and CCA integration within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states. Design/methodology/approach The study draws upon a range of data collection techniques including a comprehensive literature review relating to DRR and CCA in general and in the SADC member states, face-to-face interviews and an online survey. A mixed method research design was applied to the study with a total of 35 respondents from Botswana, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe participating in the face-to-face interviews and an online survey. Findings The analysis shows that DRR and CCA are carried out by different departments, agencies and/or ministries in all but three SADC member states, namely, Mozambique, Mauritius and the Seychelles. Participants were able to highlight the different ways in which integration should unfold. In light of this, the paper proposes a normative model to integrate government organisations for DRR and CCA within SADC member states. Originality/value The implementation of the model has the potential to accelerate the integration of organisations for DRR and CCA, with the resultant improvement in the implementation of risk reduction strategies and efficient use of resources.

Active Learning and Disaster Risk Reduction

2018 ◽  
pp. 166-189
Author(s):  
LaMesha Lashal Craft
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Media Technology ◽  
Resilient Communities ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
Social Media Technology

The author provides a robust discussion of an ethnographic case study to facilitate creative thinking about how to use communications and social media technology to build resilience and improve citizen disaster preparedness through a “Be Ready” trivia campaign. This research can inform strategies to achieve several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction's Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR). Future research directions include a new community resilience index that measures citizens' use of communications and social media technology. Implications for social change include raising the level of public awareness and facilitating a means to improve personal responsibility for disaster preparedness through low cost education programs. This could improve efforts by government and non-government organizations to improve disaster risk reduction; increase access to information and communication technology; increase disaster emergency planning and response; and build resilient communities.

A neglected issue: informal settlements, urban development, and disaster risk reduction in Latin America and the Caribbean

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 731-745
Author(s):  
Vicente Sandoval ◽  
Juan Pablo Sarmiento
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Risk Governance ◽  
Disaster Resilience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
New Urban Agenda

PurposeThis paper introduces the state of informal settlements in Latin America and the Caribbean, and it explores potential relationships between informal settlements and national policies on urban development and disaster risk reduction, especially on how risk governance and disaster resilience are conceived and practiced by governments.Design/methodology/approach17 Habitat III National Reports issued during the preparatory process toward the New Urban Agenda in 2016 are analyzed using statistics and qualitative methods. Some quantitative variables, such as access to drinking water and sewerage in the region, are combined with qualitative data from references to the Sendai Framework and national urban policies in the mentioned reports. Countries in the study include Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.FindingsResults show that the situation of informal settlements in the region is complex and presents two different realities that coexist: one group of countries in which provision of basic urban services poses great challenges for a significant proportion of the urban population, while the other group in which urban informality and precariousness persists despite better statistics. Risk governance and disaster resilience principles are scarcely articulated in existing urban development discourses in the region.Originality/valueThe preparatory process toward the New Urban Agenda allowed to conduct an original updated cross-country analysis and to identify cross-cutting issues on informality, risk reduction, and urban development in the region.

Relocalisation for degrowth and disaster risk reduction

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 877-891
Author(s):  
Oluwadunsin Moromoke Ajulo ◽  
Jason von Meding ◽  
Patrick Tang
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Economic System ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Wealth Distribution ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Vulnerability Reduction ◽  
Local Initiatives

PurposeVulnerability is understood as susceptibility to hazards born out of the complex interaction within the system scales. The current global economic system focuses on persistent growth and a top-down approach to wealth distribution, which not only puts a strain on the Earth's resources but also on communities by increasing vulnerability. Localised economy, on the other hand, uses a bottom-up approach to wealth distribution, whereby local resources are harnessed for sustainability of the local economy. Localising economies facilitate degrowth by shifting our focus to the quality of economies and the redefinition of growth and prosperity. The purpose of this study is to highlight the potentials of localisation and degrowth for vulnerability reduction.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the authors conducted a case study of the Lyttelton community in New Zealand, their local initiatives and how these efforts have been used to build capacities and reduce vulnerabilities in the community. Data were sourced from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were sourced through observation of the day-to-day running of the community and interviews with community members, while secondary data were sourced from existing literature on the community and related concepts.FindingsLyttelton community provides a good example of a community where bottom-up initiatives are particularly felt, and there is very limited dependence on the conventional economic system to solve their problems. The study shows that degrowth initiatives within the community have gained momentum because initiators see the value in their coming together as a community and doing what is right for themselves and the environment. Furthermore, localisation fosters innovation, personal growth and development and care for the environment.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the existing knowledge by discussing some local initiatives that serve an underlying purpose for degrowth based on a study carried out in Lyttelton, New Zealand. The study findings established that there is need for more focus on sensitisation about the risks of growth mania and the potential for degrowth in bringing about actual prosperity, for saving the environment and disaster risk reduction. Also, the encouragement of local production and existing institutions like the timebank, which give members access to the needed resources and skills contribute to vulnerability reduction.

Promoting School’s Recovery and Resilience after the Chi-Chi earthquake

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 609-627
Author(s):  
Jieh-Jiuh Wang
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Management ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Reconstruction Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Framework ◽  
Before And After ◽  
School Reconstruction

PurposeIn the current study, the researchers tracked the steps that were taken (in the past 20 years after the occurrence of the 921 earthquake) to enhance the safety of students and teachers on campus by rebuilding the schools according to higher standards. Additionally, the researchers analyzed the process of school reconstruction in Taiwan after the Chi-Chi earthquake, as well as the resilience of the rebuilt schools.Design/methodology/approachThis paper collected extensive relevant literature to serve as a basis for data analysis. Subsequently, they examined the conditions of selected schools before and after they were affected by the earthquake, as well as the reconstruction process of these schools. The purposive sampling method was also adopted to assemble a unique and representative sample.FindingsThis study concluded a new disaster risk reduction education system in Taiwan, from safe learning facilities, school disaster management and risk reduction and resilience education perspectives. It encouraged school and community collaboration regarding establishing a comprehensive disaster management framework.Originality/valueThe paper kept tracks of how schools recovered and restored after the 921 earthquake based on global disaster management trends and local disaster risk reduction education. It also highlighted the major changes within the school resilience system and the importance of disaster risk reduction education in Taiwan.

Disaster Risk Reduction in Schools: The Relationship of Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Preparedness from Elementary School Students in School-Based Disaster Preparedness in the Mentawai Islands, Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 581-586
Author(s):  
Sujarwo ◽  
Noorhamdani ◽  
Mukhamad Fathoni
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
School Students ◽  
Mentawai Islands ◽  
Knowledge And Attitudes ◽  
School Based ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Mentawai Island

AbstractIntroductionLocated in the Sunda Megathrust zone, Mentawai Island is known as the epicenter of an active earthquake that has the potential to cause a tsunami. Students would be one of the most vulnerable groups during the disaster.ProblemThe low-level of School-Based Disaster Preparedness/Sekolah Siaga Bencana (SSB) of students’ preparedness in disaster risk reduction (DRR) can lead to increased vulnerability of students in facing disaster threats, especially a tsunami.MethodsThe study employed observational, correlative analytics with a cross-sectional approach. The sample includes 109 students from fifth and sixth grade in three elementary schools in Sipora, Mentawai Island district.ResultsThere was a significant influence between knowledge and attitude towards the preparedness of SSB students in DRR in Sipora, Mentawai Islands district.Conclusions:Knowledge and attitudes are key factors that must be taken into account in efforts to increase student preparedness to reduce the risk of a tsunami disaster.Sujarwo, Noorhamdani, Fathoni M. Disaster risk reduction in schools: the relationship of knowledge and attitudes towards preparedness from elementary school students in school-based disaster preparedness in the Mentawai Islands, Indonesia. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(6):581–586.

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