Tools to improve the management of transboundary river basins for disaster risk reduction

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 698-707
Author(s):  
Anna Rubert ◽  
Philip Beetlestone
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Stakeholder Participation ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Transboundary River Basins ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
International River

This paper firstly presents a brief overview of the complex environment of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region in the context of disaster risk reduction (DRR), analyzing characteristics of the major hazards and actors involved. Secondly, it argues that the SADC Water Division and International River Basin Organizations (RBOs) in Southern Africa can play a crucial role in DRR in the water sector, providing a platform where agreements on data and information sharing are reached, best practices are exchanged, policies harmonized, new collaboration mechanisms are discussed, and coordinated interventions are decided upon. Moreover, RBOs can facilitate the adoption of basin-wide Integrated Water Resource Management plans, building on the pillars of economic efficiency, social equity and environmental sustainability with the result of reducing hazards and increasing resilience. RBOs can represent the shared interests of riparian states from a basin perspective to other international actors. To achieve these goals, RBOs in Southern Africa face significant challenges: broadening stakeholder participation, gaining buy-in from Member States on their representation and facilitation of specific matters. Possible approaches to overcome these challenges will be suggested in this paper.

Glacier monitoring, capacity building and related cryospheric research in Central Asia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Hoelzle ◽  
Martina Barandun ◽  
Tomas Saks ◽  
Erlan Azisov ◽  
Abror Gafurov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Tien Shan ◽  
Water Runoff ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Climate Services

<p>Climate change is a major challenge for humanity and the related global implications will influence and threaten future economies and livelihood of coming generations, especially in developing countries. Central Asia is one of the regions mostly vulnerable to climate change considering its hydrological constraints. Tien Shan and Pamir, are among the largest mountain systems of the world, and play a significant role in serving water to the arid and continental region. Future water resources in Central Asia depend strongly on the cryosphere, particularly on snow, glaciers and permafrost. These cryospheric components store enormous amounts of fresh water and under the ongoing climate warming, expected changes will play an important role for future water availability in the region. Recent research clearly points out that a) for current climate conditions, water release by the cryosphere, particularly glaciers, is fundamental to keep runoff sufficient during the dry summer months and b) at the end of this century the water contribution of glaciers will be drastically reduced. Certain catchments are expected to completely dry-out. This setting creates a complex set of future challenges in the domains of water management, energy production, irrigation, agriculture, environment, disaster risk reduction, security and public health and potential political tension and conflicts between the countries cannot be excluded.</p><p>Notably, climate change also poses challenges in the field of climate services, as the lack of reliable data and commitment of the governments to fully integrate their observatory systems inhibits the sustainable adaptation and development of the region. At this point, the project CICADA (Cryospheric Climate Services for improved Adaptations) is currently contributing to the improvement of the Cryospheric Climate Services in the Central Asian countries by installing modern monitoring infrastructure, by training local students and researchers and by using the collected in situ measurements in combination with remote sensing and modelling to provide climate scenarios and services for water runoff and natural hazards. This is a prerequisite to allow early planning and adaptation measures within the water resource management and disaster risk reduction sectors.</p>

scholarly journals Sustainable Environmental Development and Disaster Risk Reduction in the Context of Islamic Republic of Pakistan

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-55
Author(s):  
Muhammad Rashid
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Millennium Development Goals ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Community Impacts ◽  
Environmental Development

Abstract:Introduction: Disasters are the catastrophic events which affects human lives, infrastructure and economy at significant scale. Pakistan is vulnerable to disasters due to its climate change and geography. Climate change causes much more complications and disasters. So, there should be focus on climate change adaptations to reduce disaster risks. If country spends 1 dollar on DRR it saves 5 to 7 dollars to be spent on same population if disaster strike. So, development for disaster risk reduction is much more important. Making the communities resilient and reduces vulnerability environmental sustainability is very important. After the Millennium Development Goals recommendations, Pakistan is also trying to gain environmental sustainability but more in papers instead of practically. So, the need is to make sure practical implementations of these plans and efforts. The objective of this study was to overview the sustainable environmental development and disaster risk reduction in the context of Pakistan.Methodology: This is the descriptive cross-sectional review study.Conclusion: As Pakistan is vulnerable for natural disasters due to its geography and climate change like floods, landslides, droughts and Tsunamis. These impact communities according to vulnerability level of the community. Impacts of these disasters on communities can be reduced by reducing their vulnerability and increasing their resilience level.

scholarly journals Synergies across the natural resources management fields in Southern Africa: Disaster Risk Reduction and One Health

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Bocchino ◽  
Richard Burroughs
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
One Health ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Natural Resources Management ◽  
Resources Management

For various reasons, Southern Africa may be considered the playground as well as the thinking tank for many theories and practices in the natural resources management field. History has contributed to reshape conservation practices through colonial times, and recent wars have led to the relocation of people from their homelands and the appropriation by people of previously protected areas due to socio-economic pressures. Contemporary practices stemming from sustainable development have not yielded the expected results in resolving critical socio-economic stresses that impact on environmental health. Furthermore, human health has deteriorated in remote rural areas due to the failures of governance systems and the perpetration of non-participatory models for natural resources management, especially conservation. This paper seeks to explore how two relatively new approaches, Disaster Risk Reduction and One Health, can together tap into the theoretical and practical gaps left by previous paradigms in order to instill a sustainable development approach that can benefit both people and natural resources in remote and poor rural areas.

scholarly journals Guiding Documents for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Health Care System of Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (230) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suraj Rijal ◽  
Sunil Adhikari ◽  
Ashis Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Management Plans

The incidence of disaster events has increased over the years. Nepal is vulnerable to various kinds of natural disasters especially earthquakes and floods and infectious disease outbreaks like Dengue and Covid-19 pneumonia. So, it is important to review and know our existing disaster risk reduction and management plans, rules, and regulations of our country to improve disaster risk management for resilience and enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better: in recovery rehabilitation and reconstruction.” Nepal has sufficient guiding documents to guide disaster management.

Data Communication for Efficient Water Resource Management Among Multiple Stakeholders – A Case Study in the Bago River Basin, Myanmar –

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naruhiko Shirai ◽  
Seemanta Sharma Bhagabati ◽  
Akira Kodaka ◽  
Naohiko Kohtake ◽  
Akiyuki Kawasaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Data Sharing ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Data Communication ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Multiple Stakeholders ◽  
Cross Sectional

Cross-sectional communication for data sharing among multiple stakeholders involved in disaster responses is one of the fundamental non-structural measures that directly influence the performance of disaster risk reduction. Taking the event of the 2008 Cyclone Nargis as the watershed experience, Myanmar has been developing a nationwide disaster risk reduction scheme. Transition from the past structure of a vertically divided administration to cross-sectional interaction is underway, making use of lessons learned from past disaster events, yet many challenges remain in communications among stakeholders. To address the issue, this research proposes a communication scheme for data sharing among multiple stakeholders to complement the current scheme for better decision making of the stakeholders during both normal times and emergencies. The proposed scheme is evaluated by the stakeholders, and it is shown that the benefits would include not only the strengthening of the current scheme for decision making but also a contribution to the design of long-term plans in areas such as agriculture, irrigation, and disaster preparedness. This research anticipates further development of the scheme by employing more concrete needs of the stakeholders by reiterating contextual inquiries as well as by physically modeling a database taking case scenarios into account for its design.

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