scholarly journals Facilitating Sustainable Disaster Risk Reduction in Indigenous Communities: Reviving Indigenous Worldviews, Knowledge and Practices through Two-Way Partnering

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 855
Author(s):  
Tahir Ali ◽  
Petra Topaz Buergelt ◽  
Douglas Paton ◽  
James Arnold Smith ◽  
Elaine Lawurrpa Maypilama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Indigenous People ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Indigenous Research ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Community Members

The Sendai Framework of Action 2015–2030 calls for holistic Indigenous disaster risk reduction (DRR) research. Responding to this call, we synergized a holistic philosophical framework (comprising ecological systems theory, symbolic interactionism, and intersectionality) and social constructionist grounded theory and ethnography within a critical Indigenous research paradigm as a methodology for exploring how diverse individual and contextual factors influence DRR in a remote Indigenous community called Galiwinku, in the Northern Territory of Australia. Working together, Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers collected stories in local languages using conversations and yarning circles with 20 community members, as well as participant observations. The stories were interpreted and analysed using social constructivist grounded theory analysis techniques. The findings were dialogued with over 50 community members. The findings deeply resonated with the community members, validating the trustworthiness and relevance of the findings. The grounded theory that emerged identified two themes. First, local Indigenous knowledge and practices strengthen Indigenous people and reduce the risks posed by natural hazards. More specifically, deep reciprocal relationships with country and ecological knowledge, strong kinship relations, Elder’s wisdom and authority, women and men sharing power, and faith in a supreme power/God and Indigenous-led community organizations enable DRR. Second, colonizing practices weaken Indigenous people and increase the risks from natural hazards. Therefore, colonization, the imposition of Western culture, the government application of top-down approaches, infiltration in Indigenous governance systems, the use of fly-in/fly-out workers, scarcity of employment, restrictions on technical and higher education opportunities, and overcrowded housing that is culturally and climatically unsuitable undermine the DRR capability. Based on the findings, we propose a Community-Based DRR theory which proposes that facilitating sustainable Indigenous DRR in Australian Indigenous communities requires Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners to genuinely work together in two-directional and complementary ways.

scholarly journals Indigenous knowledges of forest and biodiversity management: how the watchfulness of Māori complements and contributes to disaster risk reduction

2021 ◽  
pp. 117718012110387
Author(s):  
Simon Lambert ◽  
Melanie Mark-Shadbolt
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Indigenous Knowledges

The United Nations Sendai Framework 2015-30 for disaster risk reduction (DRR) reaffirms the role of Indigenous Knowledges (IK) as complementing and contributing to more effective DRR. This hard won space for IK comes as Indigenous communities voluntarily contribute to the local management of disasters, including wildfire and threats to biodiversity in forest ecosystems. The effectiveness of Indigenous practices in addressing hazards is based on traditional knowledges and empirical observations that inform active roles in environmental management. However, it is still not clear how IK complements and contributes to DRR. This article analyses interviews with elders, researchers, and community members and identifies how mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) on forests and biodiversity is embodied to inform Indigenous watchfulness as a tactical approach in contributing to more effective DRR strategies.

scholarly journals Innovative practices for the promotion of local/indigenous knowledge for disaster risk reduction management in Sudur Paschim Province, Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kabi Prasad Pokhrel ◽  
Shambhu Prasad Khatiwada ◽  
Narayan Prasad Paudel ◽  
Keshav Raj Dhakal ◽  
Chhabilal Chidi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Educational Policy ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Disaster Risk

This study is an attempt to point out the variety of natural hazards, such as landslides, droughts, soil erosion, earthquakes, lightening and floods in Sudur Paschim province of Nepal which are exacerbated by environmental degradation processes such as deforestation, desertification, biodiversity loss, soil crisp and watershed degradation. The study was  carried out using participatory approach and process for collecting information, established methods and techniques to identify the hazard prone area with type and intensity  and multi criteria evaluation method to prioritize replicable actions with   location -specific innovative practices and their  legitimization  for integrating local and indigenous knowledge into  science and technology through educational policy and assessment to incorporate local and indigenous knowledge as live science in disaster and climate change education. Findings of the study reveal that varieties of natural hazards in combination with social factors such as poverty, conflict and inequality and these events and processes result in frequent disasters. When threatened by a hazard, indigenous communities respond by making use of all this knowledge and practices, which has evolved over generations, and continue to adapt to future changes. However, these traditional, often faith-based, beliefs and practices are embedded in their day-today lives are key to their resilience in the face of natural hazards. Many communities are concerned that this knowledge might be lost as the elderly die without transferring it to younger members of the community due to lack of proper educational policy and strategic development plans and have not properly addressed natural hazards and socio-economic vulnerability by coping local/indigenous knowledge into practices. Indigenous and traditional knowledge is a precious national resource that can support the process of disaster prevention, preparedness and response in cost-effective disaster risk reduction. Asa suggestive measures, ,findings of the study forwarded  some policy issues in the context of disaster risk reduction local practices and their need to integrate mainstreaming educational programs with producing tools for integrating local and indigenous knowledge with science; and develop information, education and communication that promote local/ indigenous knowledge for the multi hazard risk reduction and climate change adaptation in mostly vulnerable locations of Sudur Paschim Province, Nepal. 

Multiple-hazards and their interactions in urban low-to-middle income countries: a case study from Nairobi

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce D. Malamud ◽  
Emmah Mwangi ◽  
Joel Gill ◽  
Ekbal Hussain ◽  
Faith Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Natural Hazard ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Soil Subsidence ◽  
Ground Collapse

<p>Global policy frameworks, such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, increasingly advocate for multi-hazard approaches across different spatial scales. However, management approaches on the ground are still informed by siloed approaches based on one single natural hazard (e.g. flood, earthquake, snowstorm). However, locations are rarely subjected to a single natural hazard but rather prone to more than one. These different hazards and their interactions (e.g. one natural hazard triggering or increasing the probability of one or more natural hazards), together with exposure and vulnerability, shape the disaster landscape of a given region and associated disaster impact.  Here, as part of the UK GCRF funded research grant “Tomorrow’s Cities” we first map out the single natural hazardscape for Nairobi using evidence collected through peer-reviewed literature, grey literature, social media and newspapers. We find the following hazard groups and hazard types present in Nairobi: (i) geophysical (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides), (ii) hydrological (floods and droughts), (iii) shallow earth processes (regional subsidence, ground collapse, soil subsidence, ground heave), (iv) atmospheric hazards (storm, hail, lightning, extreme heat, extreme cold), (v) biophysical (urban fires), and vi) space hazards (geomatic storms, and impact events). The breadth of single natural hazards that can potentially impact Nairobi is much larger than normally considered by individual hazard managers that work in Nairobi. We then use a global hazard matrix to identify possible hazard interactions, focusing on the following interaction mechanisms: (i) hazard triggering secondary hazard, (ii) hazards amplifying the possibility of the secondary hazard occurring.  We identify 67 possible interactions, as well as some of the interaction cascade typologies that are typical for Nairobi (e.g. a storm triggers and increases the probability of a flood which in turn increases the probability of a flood). Our results indicate a breadth of natural hazards and their interactions in Nairobi, and emphasise a need for a multi-hazard approach to disaster risk reduction.</p>

scholarly journals Assessing the interaction between mountain forests and natural hazards at Nevados de Chillán, Chile, and its implications for Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Casteller ◽  
Thomas Häfelfinger ◽  
Erika Cortés Donoso ◽  
Karen Podvin ◽  
Dominik Kulakowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Snow Avalanches ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
Risk Reduction Measure

Abstract. Gravitational natural hazards such as snow avalanches, rockfalls, shallow landslides and volcanic activity represent a risk factor for mountain communities around the world. In particular where documentary records about these processes are rare, decisions on risk management and land-use planning have to be based on a variety of other sources including vegetation and tree-ring data and natural hazard process models. We used a combination of these methods in order to evaluate dynamics of snow avalanches and other natural hazards at Valle de las Trancas, in the Biobío Region in Chile. Along this valley, natural hazards threaten not only the local human population, but also the numerous tourists attracted by outdoor recreational activities. Given the regional scarcity of documentary records, tree-ring methods were applied in order to reconstruct the local history of snow avalanches and debris flow events, which are the more important weather-related processes at respective tracks. A recent version of the model Rapid Mass MovementS (RAMMS), that includes influences of forest structure, was used to calculate different avalanche parameters such as runout distances and maximum pressures, taking into consideration the presence/absence of forest along the tracks as well as different modelled return periods. Our results show that local Nothofagus broadleaved forests contribute to a reduction of avalanche runout distances as well as impact pressures on present infrastructure, thus constituting a valuable ecosystem disaster risk reduction measure that can substitute or complement other traditional measures such as sheds.

scholarly journals Assessing the interaction between mountain forests and snow avalanches at Nevados de Chillán, Chile and its implications for ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1173-1186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Casteller ◽  
Thomas Häfelfinger ◽  
Erika Cortés Donoso ◽  
Karen Podvin ◽  
Dominik Kulakowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Snow Avalanches ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
Risk Reduction Measure

Abstract. Gravitational natural hazards such as snow avalanches, rockfalls, shallow landslides and volcanic activity represent a risk to mountain communities around the world. In particular, where documentary records about these processes are rare, decisions on risk management and land-use planning have to be based on a variety of other sources including vegetation, tree-ring data and natural hazard process models. We used a combination of these methods in order to evaluate dynamics of natural hazards with a focus on snow avalanches at Valle Las Trancas, in the Biobío region in Chile. Along this valley, natural hazards threaten not only the local human population, but also the numerous tourists attracted by outdoor recreational activities. Given the regional scarcity of documentary records, tree-ring methods were applied in order to reconstruct the local history of snow avalanches and debris flow events, which are the most important weather-related processes at respective tracks. A recent version of the model Rapid Mass MovementS (RAMMS), which includes influences of forest structure, was used to calculate different avalanche parameters such as runout distances and maximum pressures, taking into consideration the presence or absence of forest along the tracks as well as different modeled return periods. Our results show that local Nothofagus broadleaf forests contribute to a reduction of avalanche runout distances as well as impact pressure on present infrastructure, thus constituting a valuable ecosystem disaster risk reduction measure that can substitute or complement other traditional measures such as snow sheds.

scholarly journals Regional Interaction Frameworks to Support Multi-Hazard Approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction (With an Application to Guatemala)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel C. Gill ◽  
Bruce D. Malamud ◽  
Edy Manolo Barillas ◽  
Alex Guerra Noriega
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Matrix Form ◽  
Spatial Extent ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Regional Interaction

Abstract. Here we present an interdisciplinary approach to developing comprehensive, systematic and evidenced regional interaction frameworks to support multi-hazard approaches to disaster risk reduction. We apply this approach in Guatemala, developing regional interaction frameworks for national and sub-national (Southern Highlands) spatial extents. The regional interaction frameworks are constructed and populated using five evidence types: (i) publications and reports (internationally accessible) (93 peer-review and 76 grey literature sources); (ii) publications and reports (locally accessible civil protection bulletins) (267 bulletins from 11 June 2010 to 15 October 2010); (iii) field observations; (iv) stakeholder interviews (19 semi-structured interviews) (v) stakeholder workshop results (16 participants). These five evidence types were synthesised to determine an appropriate natural hazards classification scheme for Guatemala, with 6 natural hazard groups, 19 hazard types, and 37 hazard sub-types. For a national spatial extent in Guatemala, we proceed to construct and populate a regional interaction framework (matrix form), identifying 50 possible interactions between 19 hazard types. For a sub-national spatial extent (Southern Highlands of Guatemala), we construct and populate a regional interaction framework (matrix form), identifying 114 possible interactions between 33 hazard sub-types relevant in the Southern Highlands. We also use this evidence to explore networks of multi-hazard interactions and anthropogenic processes that can trigger natural hazards. We present this information through accessible visualisations to improve understanding of multi-hazard interactions in Guatemala. We believe that our regional interaction frameworks approach to multi-hazards is scalable, working at global to local scales with differing resolutions of information. Our approach can be replicated in other geographical settings, with regional interaction frameworks helping to enhance cross-institutional dialogue on hazard interactions, and their likelihood and potential impacts.

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