Permanent Link:

Material Information

Title:
Reducing Disaster Risk: a Challenge for Development
Creator:
Disaster Risk Reduction Program, Florida International University (DRR/FIU)
Publisher:
United Nations Development Programme, Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery
Publication Date:
Copyright Date:
2004
Language:
English

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Risk management ( lcsh )
Disaster response and recovery ( lcsh )
Genre:
non-fiction ( marcgt )

Notes

Summary:
This document highlights the main development factors that increase disaster risks, and the development choices that either reduce or compound them. It is primarily concerned with integrating disaster risk reduction (DRR) into strategies developed to move towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Reducing Disaster Risks (UNDP-BCPR) asserts that the process of development always has a significant impact (positive or negative) on disaster risk. While two countries may face similar natural hazards, their experiences of disaster may diverge quite remarkably as a result of their differing development choices. The authors stress that the challenge is anticipating disaster risks, and then working to manage and reduce such risks by incorporating their potential threat into development planning processes. The document introduces a novel Disaster Risk Index (DRI) measuring relative vulnerability to three critical natural hazards (earthquake, tropical cyclones and floods), and how development choices may exacerbate risk to these hazards. The document advocates for the integration of DRR efforts into development planning. The authors contend that development processes play a central role in the translation of physical exposure to natural hazards into disaster events. Empirical evidence shows that while only 11 percent of people exposed to natural hazards live in countries of low human development, they account for the majority of total recorded deaths (53%). The report makes it clear that disasters are not an inevitability, but rather the consequence of underdevelopment or unplanned development. The conclusions are groundbreaking in that they move away from a hazard-centered analysis of risk to one that addresses risk in terms of factors increasing vulnerability. The authors offer a number of good practices concerning the integration of DRR into ongoing development planning strategies. They contend that governments must play a central coordinating role if disaster risks are to be factored into development planning and successfully mitigated. They also emphasize the need to factor risk into disaster recovery and reconstruction if such efforts are to avoid reproducing the risks and vulnerabilities that led to disaster in the first place. The document also discusses the importance of taking into account the multifaceted nature of risk. This means investing in efforts to increase knowledge of hazards and vulnerabilities, particularly emerging threats like climate change, and thus incorporating climate risk management into development planning.
Subject:
General Risk Reduction
Citation/Reference:
(2004). Reducing disaster risks: a challenge for development. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Record Information

Source Institution:
Florida International University
Rights Management:
Refer to main document/publisher for use rights.

dpSobek Membership

Aggregations:
Disaster Risk Reduction