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Making cities resilient report 2012
UN/ISDR, 2012This report provides a snapshot of resilience building activities at the local level and identifies trends in the perceptions and approaches of local governments toward disaster risk reduction. It examines factors that enable urban disaster risk reduction activities, including how the global campaign Making Cities Resilient – “My City is Getting Ready!” founded by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) in conjunction with over twenty partners has helped improve local knowledge of disaster risk and support capacity building.
Knowledge Centre on Cities and Climate Change
This Knowledge Centre on Cities and Climate Change (in short: K4C) helps you to keep track of what is happening in the field of cities and climate change, by serving as a platform for sharing experiences and best practices, as well as facilitating exchange of innovative initiatives.
K4C provides you with access to hundreds of publications and reports and a world map provides you with an overview of cities, countries and regions for which good practice examples and documents are available. Moreover, through K4C you can get in touch directly with institutions and communities that are prom ...
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Climate Change and Price Volatility: Can We Count on the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve?
ADB, 2012On 12 July 2012, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three intergovernmental agreement establishing the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) entered into force. In this paper, lead author Roehlano Briones, a senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, assesses the effectiveness of APTERR as a mechanism for addressing food security in light of the rising challenges of climate change and price volatility. Using Riceflow, a model of the global rice economy, he studies the possible impacts of APTERR releases on the rice market by simu ...
Impact of climate change on children in Nepal : research report
Plan International, 2012This study assesses children and key stakeholders' perception of the impact of climate change on children's well-being and evaluates children's access to disaster risk management and climate change adaptation information. It also records the current adaptation practices and suggests ways to address some key climate change issues. The study addresses the existing dearth of research in demonstrating the best way to reduce the adverse effects of changing climate, particularly on the most marginalised and vulnerable people in South Asian countries, including Nepal. It is intended to policy makers ...
Building resilience to disasters in the Western Balkans and Turkey
WMO, 2012This brochure describes; (i) UNISDR and WMO's joint programme Building resilience to disasters in the Western Balkans and Turkey; (ii) its objectives, in line with the priorities set by the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 - Building resilience of nations and communities to disasters; (iii) the project activities, which focus on disaster risk reduction capacity building, knowledge management and disaster risk transfer and community based disaster management for UNISDR, and on risk assessment, meteorological and hydrological forecast, enabling climate risk management in decision-making, and ...
Republic of Rwanda: disaster high risk zones on floods and landslides
MIDIMAR, 2012This document identifies all areas prone to floods and landslides in Rwanda for effective prevention, mitigation and preparedness planning mechanisms. It is intended to: (i) identify and map all areas prone to floods and landslides; (ii) increase knowledge on areas at risk in the country for effective Disaster Risk Reduction in Rwanda; (iii) create scientifically driven explanations on the main causes of vulnerability caused by floods and landslides; and (iv) help the local community to understand the natural phenomena/hazards that they are exposed to and raise their awareness for disaster ris ...
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Green Accounting and Data Improvement for Water Resources
Winpenny James; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - UNESCO, 2012 (UNESCO Side publications series-No. 02)Water makes a critical contribution to all aspects of personal welfare and economic life. However, global water resources are coming under increasing pressure. It is widely recognized that over the next few decades global drivers such as climate change, population growth and improving living standards will increase pressure on the availability, quality and distribution of water resources. Managing the impacts of these drivers to maximize social and economic welfare will require intelligent policy and management responses at all levels of collection, production and distribution of water. The go ...
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Crop yield response to water
Steduto Pasquale; Hsiao Theodore C.; Fereres Elias; et al. - FAO, 2012 (FAO irrigation and drainage paper-No. 66)Food production and water use are inextricably linked. Water has always been the main factor limiting crop production in much of the world where rainfall is insufficient to meet crop demand. With the ever-increasing competition for finite water resources worldwide and the steadily rising demand for agricultural commodities, the call to improve the efficiency and productivity of water use for crop production, to ensure future food security and address the uncertainties associated with climate change, has never been more urgent.
Together we march: leveraging local funds through strategic alliances for disaster risk reduction
Rahman Mizanur; Islamic Relief Worldwide ; National Alliance for Risk Reduction and Response Initiatives (NARRI) - NARRI, 2012This document reports on a project titled 'A Disaster Resilient Future: Mobilising Communities and Institutions for Effective Risk Reduction', which aims to support and complement strategies that enable local communities to better prepare for, mitigate and respond adequately to natural hazards by enhancing their capacities to cope and respond, thereby increasing their resilience and reducing vulnerability. It describes the processes and learning in mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction and adaptation adopted by the three Union Disaster Management Committees supported under the project. It a ...
Feeding a thirsty world: challenges and opportunities for a water and food secure future
This report provides input into the discussions at the 2012 World Water Week in Stockholm and its special focus on water and food security. This report presents the latest thinking and new approaches to emerging and persistent challenges to achieve food security in the 21st century, including the use of early warning systems to bolster food security by reducing damages caused to agriculture by water scarcity and drought. It focuses on critical issues that have received less attention in the literature to date, such as: food waste, land acquisitions, gender aspects of agriculture, and early war ...
Flood Risk Management in the People's Republic of China: Learning to Live with Flood Risk
ADB, 2012This publication presents a shift in the People’s Republic of China from flood control depending on structural measures to integrated flood management using both structural and non-structural measures. The core of the new concept of integrated flood management is flood risk management. Flood risk management is based on an analysis of flood hazard, exposure to flood hazard, and vulnerability of people and property to danger. It is recommended that people learn to live with flood risks, gaining and promoting a clear understanding of flood risks, quantifying and modifying the flood hazard, regula ...
Community managed disaster risk reduction in high altitude regions: In Southasiadisasters.net issue no. 85, June 2012
AIDMI, 2012This document evaluates the design of the eight missions of India's National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which were created to advance India's development and define its approach to climate mitigation and adaptation: (i) National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture; (ii) National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency; (iii) National Mission for a Green India; (iv) National Mission on Sustainable Habitat; (v) National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem; (vi) National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change; (vii) National Solar Mission; and (viii) National Wate ...
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The connection between climate change and recent extreme weather events
What do we know about the connection between climate change and recent extreme weather events, such as the heat waves, drought, and fires? This fact sheet summarizes scientists' statements that climate change has already primed the pump for extreme weather events.
Perspectivas de investigación y acción frente al cambio climático en Latinoamérica
Briones Fernando; Red de Estudios Sociales en Prevención de Desastres en América (LA RED) - LA RED, 2012This report explores practical approaches to building urban resilience, focusing on tools and methodologies that can facilitate the use of risk information in public infrastructure investment and urban management decisions as integral elements of reducing disaster and climate risks. It demonstrates that risk-based methodology focused on building urban resilience can be implemented within a range of contexts, with risk assessments as crucial tools for decision-makers. It encourages national, local and city level governments to invest in geospatial risk information, as well as making risk inform ...
Mitigation of urban vulnerability through a spatial multicriteria approach: In Disaster Advance, Vol. 5 (3), July 2012
This study aims to address seismic risk management and how it is generally carried out through strategies aiming to reduce seismic vulnerability in buildings, to enhance structural features, and to reduce vulnerabilities in the whole urban system. It also addresses how resilience becomes strategic in preparing for post-emergency phases and how resilience is strategic to managing seismic risk and reducing urban vulnerability. It presents results from tests conducted in southern Italy which considered closeness to urban centers, map of seismic hazard, and seismic vulnerability of buildings.
Explaining extreme events of 2011 from a climate perspective
Peterson Thomas C.; Stott Peter A.; Herring Stephanie; et al. - U.S. Government printing office, 2012This report focuses on a way to foster the growth of explaining the causes of specific extreme disaster events in near-real time. It provides an assessment on causes of historical changes in temperature and precipitation extremes worldwide to provide a long-term perspective for the events discussed in 2011. It encourages the development of an objective criteria for defining extreme weather and climate events ahead of time, and applying predetermined methodologies to minimize risk. This report should help develop the means of communicating assessments of the extent to which natural and anthropo ...
Disaster risk reduction in Pakistan: the contribution of DEC member agencies, 2010-2012
This study reveals that while the Pakistani government has instituted a comprehensive disaster risk reduction (DRR) governance system, the system actually suffers from a lack of political commitment, funding, skilled human resources, and coordination and suffers from fragmentation, and overlapping and unclear mandates among government agencies horizontally and vertically. Issues addressed: (i) DRR governance; (ii) multi-hazard disaster risk analysis and early warning systems; (iii) DRR: prevention and mitigation; (iv) DRR: avoidance and response; (v) policy, advocating, and networking; (vi) co ...
In-depth study on the role of the United Nations contribution to the implementation of the HFA
von Oelreich Eva; United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) - United Nations, 2012This in-depth study on the United Nations contribution to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA) is one of a series undertaken within the Mid-Term Review of the HFA.
Horn of Africa Risk Transfer for Adaptation (HARITA) quarterly report: October 2011–December 2011
Swiss Re, 2012This report discusses the Horn of Africa Risk Transfer for Adaptation (HARITA) project, which is an integrated risk management framework to enable poor farmers in drought-prone areas of Ethiopia to strengthen their food and income security through a combination of improved resource management (risk reduction), insurance (risk transfer), and microcredit (prudent risk taking). It addresses the critical need to build rural resilience for climate change adaptation to address global poverty, focusing on farmers who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. It specifically demonstrates how cash-p ...
Disaster risk and poverty trends in Jordan, Syria, Yemen: key findings and policy recommendations
UN/ISDR, 2012This paper discusses a project in the Arab region aimed at enabling national and regional institutions to develop system wide capacities to monitor, archive and disseminate data on key hazards and vulnerabilities, and periodically assess emerging risk such as national poverty trends. It shows that systematically recording data on disaster loss represents a low cost, high impact strategy for visualizing risk patterns and trends over space and time. This paper focuses on the findings of national disaster loss databases in three of the project's pilot countries: Jordan, Syria, and Yemen.
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Crisis response and disaster resilience 2030: forging strategic action in an age of uncertainty
This progress report addresses the Strategic Foresight Initiative (SFI), which is a transformative, community-wide effort in the United States to create an enduring foresight capability intended to advance strategic planning and thinking about the future. SFI also seeks to prepare the community for emerging challenges and for the key opportunities presented by the world's changing environment. This report is concerned about a future which is highly uncertain, noting that the complexity of this uncertainty will test the ability of the emergency management community to execute its mission. It is ...
DRR in emergency response: learning needs assessment report
RedR, 2012This report attempts to map existing disaster risk reduction (DRR) resources and tools and to establish the essential components of a 5-day training workshop for humanitarian workers. It uses a learning needs assessment to map exercises in order to identify the existing DRR resources and an Internet survey which was completed by 146 respondents, and 20 semi-structured interviews, including donors, national NGOs, governments, and UN agencies.
Disaster risk reduction in school curricula: case studies from thirty countries
Selby David; Kagawa Fumiyo; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); et al. - UNESCO, 2012This publication captures key national experiences in the integration of disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the curriculum, identifying good practice, noting issues addressed or still lacking, and reviewing learning outcomes. The study researched DRR related curriculum development and integration, pedagogy, student assessment, teacher professional development and guidance, learning outcomes and policy development, planning and implementation aspects covering thirty countries.
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Annual disaster statistical review 2011: the numbers and trends
In 2011, 332 natural disasters1 were registered, less than the average annual disaster frequency observed from 2001 to 2010 (384). However, the human and economic impacts of the disasters in 2011 were massive. Natural disasters killed a total of 30 773 people and caused 244.7 million victims worldwide (see Figure 1). Economic damages from natural disasters were the highest ever registered, with an estimated US$ 366.1 billion [...]
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Tohoku research 1 (post-disaster recovery)
This research report is concerned with the purpose of disseminating experience and lessons learned from the East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (EJET) to help strengthen disaster resilience of disaster prone regions in Japan and the world. It focuses on different aspects of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and environmental management. Some issues addressed: (i) developing record of school experiences from the EJET; (ii) study on building school centered disaster resilient community, which includes a review of past DRR activities; (iii) building disaster resilient community through healthcare netwo ...
State of Arab cities 2012
UN-Habitat, 2012This report, the first report in the UN-Habitat series on the state of cities to focus on the Arab world, highlights issues of environmental and natural disasters, risk and vulnerability, within a collective picture of urban conditions and trends in each of four Arab regions - Maghreb, Mashreq, Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) and Southern Tier. It provides a discussion of the similarities, differences and linkages between these countries in the context of a larger Arab region.
Putting resilience at the heart of development: investing in prevention and resilient recovery
UNDP, 2012This brochure illustrates lessons and challenges learned from UNDP activities in disaster risk reduction (DRR), recovery and reconstruction. Its goal is to further the understanding of the role of UN agencies, including the UNDP, and the role of the international community in DRR. It also discusses the government of Japan's role as a strong partner with UNDP in DRR and provides other country examples. Issues addressed: (i) reducing the impact of disaster through prevention measures; (ii) emergency response and recovery from disasters; (iii) gender equality and the empowerment of women in disas ...
Evaluation of PreventionWeb and related UNISDR information services for disaster risk reduction, final report
This report presents the findings on the effectiveness and impact of PreventionWeb (PW) and other UNISDR information services, and their ability to meet current and evolving information needs of existing and new disaster risk reduction (DRR) stakeholders, of the external evaluation undertaken by ITAD.
The evaluation and corresponding report aim to answer the following key questions: Is PW reaching the right people? Is PW meeting their needs? Is PW providing the optimum user experience? What impact is PW having? How effective and efficient is the management of PW?
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Ending the everyday emergency: resilience and children in the Sahel
This report demonstrates that shortage of food is only part of the severe and life-threatening crisis facing children in the Sahel region of west Africa in 2012. It focuses in particular on the experience of children, and makes detailed recommendations around disaster risk reduction, nutrition, and social protection to build resilience. The report also addresses the urgent need for political ambition to change the international system and end the everyday emergencies.
Disaster risk reduction and young children : assessing needs at the community level
Hayden Jacqueline; Cologon Kathy; Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC); et al. - ARNEC, 2012This guidebook provides background information on Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), and sets out processes for assessing the capacity and needs at community levels to further identify future steps to improve ECD in DRR. Furthermore, it addresses the vulnerability faced by children and the efforts to mitigate underlying causes of these vulnerabilities. Beyond national and international, policy and political issues, DRR occurs within communities and at the programme level. DRR processes and activities have the potential to address the special needs of young chi ...
Climate change: is the UK preparing for flooding and water scarcity? : (Adaptation sub-committee progress report 2012)
CCC, 2012This progress report assesses how well the United Kingdom is preparing for climate change. According the report, four times as many properties are at risk of flooding in England without action on climate change. The report uses a set of national indicators to help assess adaptation progress on two of the largest risks to the English regions: flooding and droughts. The report analyses and provides advice to the government for its upcoming adaptation programme.
Climate change education for sustainable development in Small Island Developing States : report and recommendations
UNESCO, 2012This report summarizes the key outcomes of a three-day meeting which discussed and reflected on the challenges that climate change poses to education systems in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and on the role that education must play in adaptation to climate change. Acknowledging that SIDS are already confronted with the effects of climate change, including rising sea levels and changes in weather and climate extremes such as droughts, floods and tropical cyclones/hurricanes, it considers the need for them to reduce their vulnerability to climate change by strengthening their adaptive c ...
Bangladesh: a sustainable and disaster resilient future
This document addresses how people in disaster prone areas of Bangladesh are at risk to lose their lives, land, and livelihoods due to floods, cyclones, earthquakes and drought, and how sustainable development and effective risk reduction can help prevent these risks. It also discusses how disasters in Bangladesh hamper the country's long-term ability to effectively tackle poverty. The document acknowledges the growing awareness among citizens that disaster risk reduction (DRR) is necessary to assist vulnerable communities; and that there needs to be a coordinated effort to undertake intensive ...
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A risk management approach to decision making in the Caribbean
This knowledge brief addresses the Caribbean community's concern about the impacts of climate change and the importance of implementing a risk management approach in the region. It encourages Caribbean countries to begin a transformational approach by piloting projects in disaster risk reduction, coastal zone management, and national strategic and budgetary planning. The brief describes an implementation plan that promotes a culture of risk assessment and management in order to guide government decision makers through the perplexity of environmental, social and economic challenges that lie alo ...
Proceedings of the joint workshop: the role of hydrometeorological services in disaster risk management
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR); World Bank the; et al. - UN/ISDR, 2012This workshop report shares the best practices and experiences in the innovative and state-of-the-art hydrometeorological services and their use in disaster risk reduction mechanisms that are effectively protecting lives, livelihoods, and assets. The first part of the report focuses on best practices in hydro and weather hazard monitoring and early warning for extreme events. The second part focuses on investments strengthening weather and climate services for better disaster risk management that are being undertaken by countries with World Bank support.
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Disaster risk management in post-2015 policy frameworks: forging a more resilient future
This briefing paper considers what is needed to strengthen the management of disaster risk over the next two decades and strategies to embed disaster risk management in the international policy frameworks to achieve this. Key points: (i) a failure to include disaster risk management (DRM) in the international policy frameworks to be agreed in 2015 could undermine progress and squander investments; (ii) given the predicted wide-ranging impact of disasters by 2030, action is required to ensure that DRM is mainstreamed in these policy agreements and is supported by an international DRM mechanism; ...
UN system task team on the post-2015 UN development agenda: disaster risk resilience
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) - UN/ISDR, 2012This thematic think piece addresses the insufficient emphasis that disaster risk and resilience received in the original Millennium Development Goal agenda, despite the relationship between disasters and development. The think piece focuses on how reducing the risks of disasters for predictable events such as major severe weather impact conditions helps to protect both human and economic assets. Issues addressed: (i) disasters and disaster risk are a development challenge, in particular the challenge posed by climate change and weak governance; (ii) how science can inform effective decisions o ...
Strategies and on the ground options for climate change adaptation and disaster risk management in the Pacific
This report addresses the challenge to reach a consensus on the contours of an agenda that adequately identifies the development needs of present and future generations, and is capable of crystallizing these priorities in clear sustainable development goals that will help guide coherent policy action at the global, regional and national levels. Issues addressed: (i) growing environmental footprints; (ii) governance and accountability deficits; (iii) transformative change towards inclusive, people-centered sustainable development; (iv) environmental sustainability; and (v) inclusive economic de ...
Realizing the future we want for all: report to the Secretary-General
UNDP, 2012This report addresses the challenge to reach a consensus on the contours of an agenda that adequately identifies the development needs of present and future generations, and is capable of crystallizing these priorities in clear sustainable development goals that will help guide coherent policy action at the global, regional and national levels. Issues addressed: (i) growing environmental footprints; (ii) governance and accountability deficits; (iii) transformative change towards inclusive, people-centered sustainable development; (iv) environmental sustainability; and (v) inclusive economic de ...
Heat waves and climate change
A report about the current scientific understanding of the connection between climate change and the recent increase in extreme temperatures, as reported in peer-reviewed research articles published through May 2012. Issues addressed: (i) heat waves: the details; and (ii) heat waves and wild fires.
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Municipal ICT Capacity and its Impact on the Climate-Change Affected Urban Poor: the case of Mozambique
World Bank, 2012
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Safer Communities Through Disaster Risk Reduction (SC-DRR) in Development
The issue of climate change is set to increase the frequency of extreme weather events. Countries, therefore, are required to undertake adaptive measures to ameliorate the impact of such events; Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is an important element of such measures. This report, published by the United Nations Development Program and the Government of Indonesia, presents findings from the final evaluation of the Safer Communities through Disaster Risk Reduction (SC-DRR) project. The project aimed to improve safety in Indonesia by considering the ways in which DRR can be integrated into the cou ...
Thematic debate of the 66th session of the General Assembly on disaster risk reduction: President's summary
United Nations, 2012This document reports on the informal thematic debate on disaster risk reduction convened by the President of the 66th Session of the General Assembly to support and advance the dialogue already under way on how best to integrate the disaster risk reduction approach within the Rio+20 outcome. It summarizes the two interactive panel discussions on: (i) addressing urban risk through public investment; and (ii) increasing resilience to disasters through climate adaptation and risk reduction; as well as (iii) the side event on comprehensive action to sustainably reduce vulnerabilities.
The future we want: disaster resilience
United Nations, 2012This fact sheet is part of the press kit produced for Rio+20 conference. It presents an overview of the situation, key facts, success stories and proposals in order to include disaster resilience in a sustainable development framework. Demonstrating the major challenge posed by disaster risk to sustainable development through facts and numbers, it features good practices from the Philippines, South Africa, as well as the success of the Indian Ocean tsunami early warning systems following the recent Indonesian earthquake. Among the recommendations, it calls for: (i) reinforcing the importance o ...
The decade of Latin America and the Caribbean, a real opportunity
This book takes a unique look at the current economic and social development trends in Latin America and the Caribbean and the region’s challenges for the future, including those of climate change and 'natural' disaster mitigation. It calls on cities to integrate the management of the possible impacts of climate change as well as the obvious disaster risks into urban planning, and to prepare action plans focused on adaptation methods that include an analysis of the added dangers faced by the urban population, adequate land-use planning, effective water resource management, risk management, the ...
People displaced by natural hazard-induced disasters: global estimates 2011
This study presents global estimates for the number of people newly displaced in 2011 by disasters induced by both weather-related and geophysical hazards, and makes comparisons with findings from 2008, 2009 and 2010. It provides evidence of the scale and location of displacement associated with natural hazard-induced disasters, and is aimed to serve as a contribution to the knowledge required to inform policy and practice, as well as to prevent and prepare for future events.
The study observes that a relatively small number of large and mega-disasters have been responsible for ...
Improving the Assessment of Disaster Risks to Strengthen Financial Resilience: A Special Joint G20
GFDRR, 2012This report – Avoiding Future Famines: Strengthening the Ecological Basis of Food Security through
Sustainable Food Systems - has been a unique collaboration of 12 leading scientists and
experts involved in world food systems including marine and inland fisheries.
The institutions involved include the UN Environment Programme, the International Fund
for Agricultural Development, the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations,
the World Bank, the World Food Programme and the World Resources Institute. The report provides
detai ...
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Impacts of Disasters since the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit
UN/ISDR, 2012Here’s a look at the impact of disasters since the Earth Summit (1992-2012).
A Workbook on Planning for Urban Resilience in the Face of Disasters: Adapting Experiences from Vietnam’s Cities to Other Cities
This comprehensive work book provides tips on urban adaptation drawn from efforts to boost climate resilience in cities in Vietnam. It has been produced by the World Bank Group and is intended to assist policymakers in developing countries plan for anticipated impacts of climate change. The work book is designed to provide a user-friendly, step-by-step approach to national, provincial and local planning. It is argued that the potential impacts of natural disasters and climate change should be considered in nearly every aspect of urban planning and development.
Sustainable development: Perspective of the World Meteorological Organization
This position paper outlines how, through the Global Framework for Climate Services experts from various disciplines and regions will work together to develop science-based climate and environmental information tailored to end-users’ needs for the purpose of increasing agricultural productivity to improve food security and reduce hunger; Improving and optimizing management of water resources to provide sustainable access to freshwater for drinking, irrigation and household use; Reducing the risk of disasters and other climate hazards, the cost of which often burdens developing and least develo ...
Climate change, disaster risk, and the urban poor: cities building resilience for a changing world
Baker Judy L. - World Bank, 2012This study study examines the inter linkages between climate change, disaster risk, and the urban poor. This study calls on cities to take a lead role in proactively addressing the risks of climate change and natural hazards at the local level, with a focus on populations at highest risk. It suggests a number of actions that cities can take to build resilience, beginning with mainstreaming pro-poor risk reduction policies into urban planning and management.
East Japan earthquake and tsunami: lessons for the education sector
Shaw Rajib; Takeuchi Yukiko; Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University ; et al. - UNESCO, 2012This publication provides a compilation of lessons learned for the education sector from the 2011 East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster. It explores the benefits of education sector preparedness measures on disaster risk during and following the East Japan Earthquake. The study analyses the role that hard and soft components of disaster risk reduction (DRR) in education, or lack thereof, played during the disaster, including policy and planning, teaching and learning, and facilities and infrastructure. It was undertaken in order to build an evidence base for the importance of DRR in educa ...
Environmental extremes: disaster risk management - addressing climate change
This publication addresses climate change and disaster management issues in South Asia, and more particularly in India. It builds on the theme chosen by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) for the world environment day, "Safeguard the environment for disaster risk reduction," which reflects the pressing need for arresting environmental degradation and improving management of ecosystems and natural resources for achieving disaster risk reduction and adapting to climate risks. It is intended to be used as a reference for the local policy makers and planners, and in general for p ...
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Our Planet, Our Health, Our Future - Human health and the Rio Conventions : biological diversity, climate change and desertification
WHO, 2012The report, Our Planet, Our Health, Our Future
Human health and the Rio Conventions: biological diversity, climate change and desertification, reviews the scientific evidence for the linkages between health and biodiversity, climate change and desertification, the representation of health in the corresponding Rio Conventions, and the opportunities for more integrated and effective policy.
Acting today for tomorrow: a policy and practice note for climate and disaster resilient development in the pacific islands region
World Bank, 2012This Policy and Practice Note grows out of extensive consultations with countries, regional organizations, and donors and other development partners, and it is addressed primarily to high-level policymakers and decision makers within them. Its analysis and recommendations are meant to inform DRR and CCA planning across a range of institutions at all levels. Specifically, they are intended to inform the design and implementation of the joint Roadmap towards a Post 2015 Integrated Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, as well as preparation ...
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The State of the world's refugees 2012 - Chapter 7: Displacement, Climate Change, and Natural Disasters
UNHCR, 2012This chapter examines the international response to the displacement linked to climate change and natural disasters. It begins by describing the displacement challenges linked to the effects of climate change and natural disasters, and then describes a potential normative gap in the protection of people displaced across borders owing to these phenomena. It concludes that protection gaps need to be addressed by the international community, and that solidarity will be tested by the impacts of climate change.
Community disaster preparedness guide
This document contains practical information on preparing and recovery from the effects of disaster events which may affect the British Virgin Islands. It includes hazard-specific safety tips and information on personal, family, business and community preparedness and protection. It considers the following hazards: flood, hurricane, including tides and surge, earthquake and tsunami, extreme heat and drought, as well as climate change.
This document is a revision of the 2005 Community Disaster Preparedness Handbook with updated information, pictures and with more colour. Its pro ...
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Adaptation to climate change in semi-arid environments: experience and lessons from Mozambique
FAO, 2012 (Environment and Natural Resources Management-No. 19)Southern Africa and Mozambique are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The region is frequently exposed to droughts, floods, variable rainfall and heat, which are expected to worsen, and sensitivity to such exposure of the natural resource-based livelihood system is very high. The project area is remote and highly underdeveloped and the population is poor, food insecure, and not resilient to the impact of climate shocks. Due to water scarcity, not sufficient for humans and livestock except in a few communities along the Limpopo River, livelihood options are limited. Livelihoods ...
Disaster risk reduction : a global advocacy guide
IFRC, 2012This study provides an analysis of the current level of integration of DRR and CCA in the region, with an emphasis on the policy and institutional environment. The report outlines some of the barriers to integration and makes recommendations on how they can be addressed. The analysis presented includes seven PICs (Cook Islands, FSM, Fiji, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu).The countries analysed are typical in terms of the current low level of integration of DRR and CCA.This report also explores how and why the fields of DRR and CCA have developed in parallel globally as well as in the Pacific, ...
Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the Pacific : an institutional and policy analysis
Hay John E.; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR); et al. - UN/ISDR, 2012This study provides an analysis of the current level of integration of DRR and CCA in the region, with an emphasis on the policy and institutional environment. The report outlines some of the barriers to integration and makes recommendations on how they can be addressed. The analysis presented includes seven PICs (Cook Islands, FSM, Fiji, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu).The countries analysed are typical in terms of the current low level of integration of DRR and CCA.This report also explores how and why the fields of DRR and CCA have developed in parallel globally as well as in the Pacific, ...
Disaster law programme: summary plan 2012
IFRC, 2012This document covers the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Socieites' Disaster Law Programme, formerly known as the IDRL Programme. In addition to the IDRL Programme guidelines, the new programme will gradually expand the capacity of the movement to support governments on legal issues related to disaster risk reduction, shelter and other key domestic disaster management issues as was mandated by the 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent proceedings. The document elaborates on the new Disaster Law Programme's four areas of work: (i) cooperating wit ...
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Current knowledge on relevant methodologies and data requirements as well as lessons learned and gaps identified at different levels, in assessing the risk of loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change : technical paper
UNFCCC, 2012Drawing on existing relevant work and documents, this technical paper aims to provide an overview of existing methodologies and tools for assessing the risk of loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change. In particular, the paper assesses 18 selected approaches, methods and tools in terms of their data and information requirements, strengths, weaknesses, lessons learned, gaps at different levels and relevance for social and environmental impacts, as well as discussing capacity needs for applying risk assessment methods in developing countries. It also considers risk a ...
Tackling exposure: placing disaster risk management at the heart of national economic and fiscal policy
As a follow-up to a first paper A preliminary analysis of flood and storm disaster data in Viet Nam, this Quang Binh case study provides a more in-depth disaster profile of one particular province in Viet Nam, including specific temporal and spatial distribution patterns while using district aggregated data. It also looks deeper into the relationship between disasters and poverty through analysis of various indicators: number of deaths, impact on housing and agricultural produce, poverty rate and the percentage of poor households.
The first part of this paper examines the disas ...
Learning lessons: intense climate-related natural disasters in Asia and the Pacific
ADB, 2012This synthesis addresses the global increase in frequency of intense floods and storms in Asia and the Pacific amid the spectre of climate change, and points to the need for better mitigation and adaptation to natural disasters. It presents the lessons drawn from evaluations of information sourced from publicly available databases
Application of ICTs for climate change adaptation in the water sector : developing country experiences and emerging research priorities
As a follow-up to a first paper A preliminary analysis of flood and storm disaster data in Viet Nam, this Quang Binh case study provides a more in-depth disaster profile of one particular province in Viet Nam, including specific temporal and spatial distribution patterns while using district aggregated data. It also looks deeper into the relationship between disasters and poverty through analysis of various indicators: number of deaths, impact on housing and agricultural produce, poverty rate and the percentage of poor households.
The first part of this paper examines the disas ...
A preliminary analysis of disaster and poverty data in Quang Binh province, Viet Nam
As a follow-up to a first paper A preliminary analysis of flood and storm disaster data in Viet Nam, this Quang Binh case study provides a more in-depth disaster profile of one particular province in Viet Nam, including specific temporal and spatial distribution patterns while using district aggregated data. It also looks deeper into the relationship between disasters and poverty through analysis of various indicators: number of deaths, impact on housing and agricultural produce, poverty rate and the percentage of poor households.
The first part of this paper examines the disas ...
2009-2011 cluster review report for Viet Nam: United Nations Programme Coordination Group on Natural Disasters and Emergencies
United Nations, 2012This document reports on the implementation of the IASC cluster approach in Viet Nam as an outcome of the continuous review and discussion intended to improve the system and better address the needs and challenges in disaster preparedness and response operations in the country. It aims to summarise the main findings of the reviews undertaken in June 2010 and repeated in October 2011, and formulate clear recommendations for improvement of the cluster approach in Viet Nam. It provides an overview of cluster specific achievements, challenges and lessons learnt, besides discussing potential new cl ...
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JCOMM Meeting Report, 92. 3rd Meeting of the Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project (CIFDP) Steering Group
The Third Meeting of the Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project (CIFDP) Steering Group was opened by Co-Chairs of the Group, Drs Don Resio (University of North Florida) and Val Swail (Environment Canada), at 0830 hours on Monday 2 April 2012, in the conference room of the University of North Florida (UNF), Jacksonville, USA. All participants were warmly welcomed by Dr Mark E. Workman, Provost of the UNF, who expressed his satisfaction to hold this important meeting in the international era at UNF. Dr Workman emphasized the importance of the research and application of meteorology ...
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JCOMM Technical Report, 65. Stakeholders Workshop for JCOMM-CHy Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project
The Stakeholders Workshop for JCOMM-CHy Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project (CIFDP-BSW) was opened at 1000 hours in the conference room of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Dhaka, Bangladesh, at the kind invitation of BMD. Dr Arjumand Habib, Director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) and the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to WMO, welcomed all participants from national agencies and the Project Steering Group. In her opening remark, she emphasized the importance of this timely initiative of CIFDP to protect life and property in the coastal zon ...
JCOMM Technical Report, 64. Coastal inundation forecasting demonstration project - Implementation plan
Coastal disasters are a major threat to the people whose lives and livelihoods depend on safety and socio-economic development in low-lying, highly-populated coastal areas. They include storm surges and wind-induced waves associated with severe cyclones, and their combined effect with river flooding, leading to coastal inundation. Risk management for such coastal disasters represents a great challenge to scientists and policy makers in Meteorology, Hydrology, Oceanography, Emergency Management and Coastal Planning. In particular, recognizing this extreme vulnerability of coastal areas to storm ...
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A cost effective solution to reduce disaster losses in developing countries : hydro-meteorological services, early warning, and evacuation
In Europe, it can be estimated that hydro-meteorological information and early warning systems save several hundreds of lives per year, avoid between 460 million and 2.7 billion Euros of disaster asset losses per year, and produce between 3.4 and 34 billion of additional benefits per year through the optimization of economic production in weather-sensitive sectors (agriculture, energy, etc.). The potential for similar benefits in the developing world is not only proportional to population, but also to increased hazard risk due to climate and geography, as well as increased exposure to weather ...
How to make cities more resilient: a handbook for local government leaders
UN/ISDR, 2012This handbook provides mayors, governors, councillors and other local government leaders with a generic framework for risk reduction and points to good practices and tools that are already being applied in different cities for that purpose. It discusses why building disaster resilience is beneficial; what kind of strategies and actions are required; and how to go about the task. It offers practical guidance to understand and take action on the "Ten Essentials for Making Cities Resilient" as set out in the global campaign "Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready!".
Southern Africa disaster risk reduction plan, 2012-2014
Aligning with the priorities outlined in the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters, this plan responds to the need to develop a longer-term strategic approach that helps articulate funding and program priorities to allow for comprehensive disaster programming that reduces future humanitarian needs in the Southern Africa region. It presents the disaster risk reduction DRR activities selected for implementation in coordination with other USG agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), U.N. agencies, other donors, higher educati ...
Recommendations of the round table on women's added value civil protection
PPRD South, 2012This documents presents the recommendations elaborated during the Round Table on The Value Added of Women in Civil Protection organised with the support of Algerian Civil Protection in Algiers on 26 March 2012. The document includes Round Table participants’ suggestions and expectations on how gender issues may be better mainstreamed in the overall disaster management cycle, from disaster risk reduction to response and recovery.
One year later: lessons from recovery after the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake
Heritage Foundation, the, 2012This document presents the key lessons learned from a team of experts reassembled to evaluate Japan’s long-term efforts to recover from the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and to prepare for future catastrophes. Based on extensive literature and interviews with Japanese officials and experts, it identifies four critical areas that affect response to a catastrophe: (i) recovery and resiliency of critical infrastructure, (ii) environmental remediation, (iii) compensation and disaster assistance, and (iv) population resiliency. In each area, it makes key observations, determines findings, and deve ...
Ecosystem approach to disaster risk reduction
This book is intended to provide an overview of the concept of ecosystem approach to disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR), natural resource management and disaster linkages, incorporating Eco-DRR concepts in various phases of disaster management, including post disaster recovery in wide range of human and natural environmental settings. The case studies cover coastal, mountain and urban ecosystems and specific hydro-meteorological risks like floods, forest fire, epidemics and landslides.
DRR-CARIB, 1. Strengthening of Risk Assessment and Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems for Meteorological, Hydrological and Climate Hazards in the Caribbean : final report
During 2010–2011, WMO (including its Members and WMO RA IV), with support from regional and international partners, conducted a comprehensive assessment of the institutional and technical capacities and needs of the Caribbean region to support Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) and risk assessment. The outcomes of this assessment are presented in this Report. They provide the foundation for future capacity development projects and for the improvement of existing capacities, and a support for other projects and developments in the region.
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Uganda: NAPA project profile
UNFCCC, 2012This paper outlines 9 National Action Plan for Adaptation (NAPA) priority projects in Uganda: 1. Community Tree Growing Project 2. Land Degradation Management Project 3. Strengthening Meteorological Services 4. Community and Water Sanitation Project 5. Water for Production Project 6. Drought Adaptation Project 7. Vectors, Pests and Disease Control Project 8. Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and Natural Resources Management Project 9. Climate Change and Development Planning Project
Safari's encounter with coastal and marine hazards : UNISUNISDR Africa educational series, vol. 4, issue 1:
UN/ISDR, 2012This booklet targets primary school children to sensitize them to the causes, impacts and mitigation of coastal and marine hazards, such as cyclone, tsunami, storm surge and flood, as well as other natural hazards such as drought, oil spill, ‘red tide’ and ‘brown tide’, and city fire.
Drought contingency plans and planning in the Greater Horn of Africa : a desktop review of the effectiveness of drought contingency plans and planning in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia:
UN/ISDR, 2012This paper is a UNISDR contribution towards effective Drought Contingency Planning (DCP) for stakeholders and partners implementing drought risk reduction programmes in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA). It attempts to convert findings, concepts and guidelines into a guidance document from critical gaps to bridge general drought preparedness, contingency planning and early response.
The paper points out that although 'Drought Contingency Plan' and 'Drought Contingency Planning' are used interchangeably, they are not identical. With respect to this review a few conceptual and ope ...
Ethical principles on disaster risk reduction and people’s resilience
Prieur Michel; Council of Europe ; European and Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement (EUR-OPA) - Council of Europe, 2012This document deals with the ethical principles of the whole disaster cycle: from prevention to reconstruction via the emergency phase, irrespective of the duration of the disaster (sudden or progressive) or its context (simple or complex emergency). It concerns both natural and technological disasters. It is intended to deal both with the direct victims of disasters and with the other parties involved, such as public civil defence organisations, public servants of states affected by disasters and of assisting states, and humanitarian NGOs.
This document is the response of the ...
Toolkit for national platforms for disaster risk reduction in Africa
UN/ISDR, 2012This toolkit outlines actions, examples and resources available for those with the responsibility for invigorating their country’s national platform for disaster risk reduction (DRR) or participating in it. It is designed for those who have the responsibility to set up, maintain and sustain a national platform for DRR, or participants who organize and administer them.
Stakeholders may include: government officials, members of civil society and the NGO community, as well as representatives of international organizations, donors, private sector, and members of communities at risk ...
Disaster reduction in Africa: in ISDR Informs, special issue on drought risk reduction
UN/ISDR, 2012This special issue looks at drought risk reduction through the lens of the Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA), the global framework for disaster risk reduction. It features the excellent work being done throughout the African region and underscores the necessary holistic approach to achieve better resilience to drought in the future. This issue has been made possible by the financial contribution of ECHO.
Training package on natural hazards and early warning for training of trainers’ in Kenya
UN/ISDR, 2012The overall aim of the training package is to increase awareness on natural hazards and disaster risk reduction (DRR) to key stakeholders with knowledge on disaster management to empower the actors to support their organizations in developing disaster resilient programs and projects.
This training manual is for use in DRR training aimed at building the capacity of sub-national government officials, NGOs, academia and other actors responsible for delivering, implementing, planning, researching or coordinating programs/policies and projects by raising awareness on DRR issues. The ...
Managing water under uncertainty and risk: from the United Nations World Water Development Report 4 (WWDR4) - facts and figures
UNESCO, 2012This document gathers the main statistics and analysis from the UN world water development report 4 (WWDR4) related to water demand and its link to energy crisis, industry and human activities. It also provides facts and figures on water quality and related hazard risks, water management and capacity development, social and environmental benefits, and regional challenges and global governance and impacts.
Managing climate extremes and disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean: lessons from the IPCC SREX reports
This summary highlights the key findings of the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) report including an assessment of the science and the implications of this for society and sustainable development. It includes material directly taken from the SREX report, where the underlying source is clearly referenced, but it also presents synthesis messages that are the views of the authors of this summary and not necessarily those of the IPCC. It is intended to illuminate the SREX report’s vital findings for decision maker ...
Managing climate extremes and disasters in Asia: lessons from the IPCC SREX reports
This summary highlights the key findings of the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) report from
an Asian perspective, including an assessment of the science and the implications of this for society and sustainable development. It includes material directly taken from the SREX report, where the underlying source is clearly referenced, but it also presents synthesis messages that are the views of the authors of this summary and not necessarily those of the IPCC. It is intended to illuminate the SREX report’ ...
Managing climate extremes and disasters in Africa: lessons from the IPCC SREX reports
This summary highlights the key findings of the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) report from an African perspective, including an assessment of the science and the implications of this for society and sustainable development. It includes material directly taken from the SREX report, where the underlying source is clearly referenced, but it also presents synthesis messages that are the views of the authors of this summary and not necessarily those of the IPCC. It is intended to illuminate the SREX report’s vita ...
Building resilience and fostering growth in the horn of Africa
This paper addresses the crisis in the Horn of Africa in 2011 and the need to enable communities to withstand droughts and move forward by building resilience and fostering sustainable growth. It presents USAID's vision for change through: (i) key principles, such as early action in response to early warning, connecting humanitarian and development programmes, fostering women's empowerment, ensuring evidence-based decision making and supporting and strengthening local, national, and regional capacities; and (ii) a new way of doing business, which includes joint planning, joint focus on resilie ...
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Modeling the roles of heterogeneity, substitution, and inventories in the assessment of natural disaster economic costs
Based on an IO structure, the ARIO-inventory model simulates the economic consequences and responses to a natural disaster. It represents explicitly production bottlenecks, models a flexibility in production capacity in case of scarcity, and introduces inventories as an additional flexibility in the production system. Moreover, it takes into account the heterogeneity in goods and services within sectors, and the consequences on production bottlenecks and substitution possibilities. The model is applied to the landfall of hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. Sensitivity analyses show that results ar ...
Sustainable development 20 years on from the Earth Summit: progress, gaps and strategic guidelines for Latin America and the Caribbean
ECLAC, 2012This report describes the progress achieved in relation to sustainable development since 1992 and the gaps still remaining. It is divided into two parts: (i) of the main traits of development in Latin America and the Caribbean in the past 20 years, particularly those which touch upon economic, social and environmental aspects such as the reduction of exposure to disasters; and (ii) proposed guidelines for moving towards sustainable development in the region.
The guidelines recommend: (i) creating synergies among inclusion, social protection, human security, empowerment of peopl ...
Drought risk management: practitioner's perspectives from Africa and Asia
UNDP, 2012This report is one of the main outputs from UNDP DDC's activities of the Africa-Asia Drought Risk Management Peer Assistance Network (AADP), funded by the Government of Japan, in 2011. It reviews the current drought risk management (DRM) institutional and programmatic landscape in Africa and Asia and mapped out some of the main DRM capacity gaps and gap-filling opportunities, such as the value of indigenous knowledge, the economic impacts of drought and related political decision-making, risk assessment, early warning systems and awareness raising. It highlights important similarities in DRM i ...
Science Document: Best Practices on National Drought Management Policy
Natural catastrophes and man-made disasters in 2011: historic losses surface from record earthquakes and floods
Swiss Re, 2012This study reports on the worldwide economic losses from over 300 natural catastrophes and man-made disasters recorded in 2011 and the cost to the global insurance industry. It specifically analyses the catastrophes cost to society, the insured losses and the gap between insured and non-insured economic losses, which points to a widespread lack of insurance.
A special chapter on flooding in this edition of sigma reveals that flood loss potential can be just as high as that of earthquakes and storms. Analysing the floods in Thailand and their impact on the global manufacturing s ...
Earthquakes: guidelines on preparing, responding and recovering
IFRC, 2012This document was developed based on reviews of preparedness measures in areas at risk of earthquakes and reviews and evaluations of response and recovery operations following recent earthquakes. It is divided into three broad sections based on activities related to earthquakes: (i) preparing, (ii) responding and (iii) recovering. It also contains a section on cross-cutting issues. The first section identifies actions to reduce earthquake risks and enhance preparedness based on the five Priorities for Action outlined under the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), such as building codes establishm ...
Recovery status report: Southern Leyte Landslide
CDP, 2012This study focuses on the 2006 landslide tragedy in the Philippines, where an entire community, including its people, its productive assets, and its socio-cultural resources, was totally buried. It reports on the various levels of recovery that have been achieved among the provision of community services and facilities such as health, education, recreation, infrastructure, livelihood opportunities and psychosocial services; and identifies the limitations of the principle of "build back better" as well as those areas of concern in which the principle can best be applied.
It affi ...
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Comment fonctionne le système d'alerte tsunami ? (Interview avec François Schindelé): In lemonde.fr
2012En décembre 2004, un tsunami provoqué par un tremblement de terre au large de Sumatra avait tué environ 220 000 personnes. Mercredi 11 avril, un puissant séisme d'une magnitude de 8,6 sur l'échelle de Richter a frappé l'Indonésie. Les systèmes d'alerte ont immédiatement été mis en place dans l'océan Indien. François Schindelé, expert en aléa tsunami au Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et président du groupe intergouvernemental de coordination des systèmes d'alerte en Méditerranée et en Atlantique Nord revient sur le fonctionnement de ces dispositifs et leurs améliorations.
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Disaster risk reduction: Spending where it should count
This report examines the levels of donor investment in disaster risk reduction in the top 40 humanitarian recipients over the last 10 years, and compares and contrasts these totals with overall aid figures.
Questions are posed about the adequacy and equity of this funding, and whether it is being appropriately directed to meet needs. All this is in the context of a current model of year on year increase of humanitarian expenditure in the same countries, and a humanitarian system which is increasingly under pressure. The sustainability of this is questionable.
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