Natural Disaster and Disaster Risk Reduction Measures
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Material Information

Title:
Natural Disaster and Disaster Risk Reduction Measures
Creator:
Department for International Development
Disaster Risk Reduction Program, Florida International University (DRR/FIU)
Publisher:
ERM
Publication Date:
Copyright Date:
2005
Language:
English

Subjects

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

Notes

Summary:
The purpose of this report is to assess the economic costs of disaster, paying particular attention to the costs and benefits of approaches geared towards disaster risk reduction (DRR). The document proposes a typology for DRR measures: policy and planning; physical preventive measures; physical coping and adaptive measures; and community capacity building. Empirical evidence shows that there is an increase in donor-related activities in DRR, mainly as a result of two causes: 1) increase in the number of disasters (as a product of increasing vulnerabilities, climate change, and human development) and 2) growing awareness of the inextricable link between disasters, development, and poverty. The economic impact of disasters is particularly evident in developing countries, often affecting anywhere between 2 to 15 percent of GDP. While research has been done on the macro-economic impacts of disasters, mainly related to the cost of physical damage caused, value of lost output, and the effects of shifting government resources away from development objectives towards relief and recovery, the document notes the lack of analysis on the link between the costs/benefits of DRR measures and the economic costs of disaster. In addition, there is a lack of comparative analysis of countries that have implemented DRR strategies vis-à-vis the ones that have not. The report attempts to show that there are positive results related to the implementation of risk reduction initiatives. The document begins with a review of the literature regarding the economic aspects of disasters, followed by interviews with NGOs implementing DRR policy in developing country contexts, to get a preliminary understanding of the costs of disaster and the benefits of DRR. The next section addresses the potential benefits associated with DRR. The final section presents case studies of comprehensive DRR programs and their positive results. These include Bangladesh’s cyclone preparedness program, Cuba’s disaster risk management framework, and the development of earthquake engineering in industrialized nations. In order to improve research on the economics of disaster and the costs and benefits of DRR, the document calls for establishing core indicators to measure the performance of DRR measures. It also promotes analysis focused on determining which DRR measures also have significant development benefits outside of their role in reducing the likelihood of disaster. Efforts to disaster proof critical social and economic infrastructure, such as health, emergency, transportation, and telecommunications systems, fall into this category.
Subject:
General Disaster Risk Management
Citation/Reference:
(2005). Natural disaster and disaster risk reduction measures: a desk review of costs and benefits. United Kingdom Department of International Development (DFID).

Record Information

Source Institution:
Florida International University
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Disaster Risk Reduction