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State of social media technologies for disaster preparedness in Asia Pacific region
This report aims to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the implications of social media analysis tools for disaster preparedness, focusing on the Asia Pacific region. The research it is based on follows a technology-in-practice approach, that is, it examines users’ practices enacted in their interaction with technological features and functions (e.g., message broadcasting on Twitter, visual analytical tools on ThinkUp) in different situations. Specifically, this research aims to solicit data from humanitarian organizations’ self-reported opinions and usage of social media and relat ...
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Available online: http://preventionweb.net/go/45445
Published by: Nanyang Technological University (NTU) ; 2015
This report aims to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the implications of social media analysis tools for disaster preparedness, focusing on the Asia Pacific region. The research it is based on follows a technology-in-practice approach, that is, it examines users’ practices enacted in their interaction with technological features and functions (e.g., message broadcasting on Twitter, visual analytical tools on ThinkUp) in different situations. Specifically, this research aims to solicit data from humanitarian organizations’ self-reported opinions and usage of social media and related analysis tools, which helps answer the practical question of whether and in what ways organizations’ information behaviour (i.e., communicating on social media, monitoring and assessing information via analysis tools) leads to disaster preparedness and resilience building.
As a result, findings of this research are useful and relevant to multiple stakeholders involved in disaster preparedness. In particular, humanitarian organizations will benefit from this research in gaining knowledge about whether and how to use new technologies such as social media and related analysis tools in their existing programs of disaster preparedness and community engagement. As well, community members can benefit from the findings of this research by knowing whether and how to utilize social media in building up resources with humanitarian organizations for short-term disaster preparedness and long-term community resilience.Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free)Tags: Disaster Risk Management (DRM) ; Information management ; Region II - Asia ; Region V - South-West Pacific
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Disaster microinsurance: an innovation for transformation: In Southasiadisasters.net issue no. 133, July 2015
The Policy Brief is primarily aimed at a human rights audience, and intends to both inform human rights policymakers and provide guidance on how international human rights law, institutions and mechanisms might contribute to more effective, just and sustainable policy responses (at the international and national levels) to climate change and crossborder displacement.
It reflects primary and secondary research; the outcome of a meeting during the 25th session of the Human Rights Council (the Council) on the ‘human rights implications of displacement in the context of disasters’ o ...
Disaster microinsurance: an innovation for transformation: In Southasiadisasters.net issue no. 133, July 2015
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Available online: http://preventionweb.net/go/45457
Published by: AIDMI ; 2015
The Policy Brief is primarily aimed at a human rights audience, and intends to both inform human rights policymakers and provide guidance on how international human rights law, institutions and mechanisms might contribute to more effective, just and sustainable policy responses (at the international and national levels) to climate change and crossborder displacement.
It reflects primary and secondary research; the outcome of a meeting during the 25th session of the Human Rights Council (the Council) on the ‘human rights implications of displacement in the context of disasters’ organised by the URG, the Nansen Initiative on Disaster-Induced Cross-Border Displacement (the Nansen Initiative) and the Governments of Costa Rica, Norway and Switzerland; and a range of interviews with state delegates, and other stakeholders, dealing with human rights, climate change and displacement.
Part I describes past progress, driven by the international human rights community, to establish and leverage the relationship between human rights and climate change, and explains key contemporary debates as well as challenges to further progress. Part II looks at the particular case of cross-border displacement in the context of climate change and disasters, which has often been raised as an issue of concern in the Council but has never been grasped in a meaningful way. Part III offers ideas and recommendations for future action.Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free)Tags: Disaster Risk Management (DRM) ; Disaster Risk Financing, Disaster risk transfer ; Social aspects ; India
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The (mis) allocation of public spending in a low income country : Evidence from disaster risk reduction spending in Bangladesh
This paper focuses on the regional allocation of public spending for disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Bangladesh.
The objective is to identify all of the directly observable determinants’ of publicly allocated and realized spending at the local government (sub-district) level. The Heckman two stage selection model is used with detailed public finance and other data from 483 sub-districts (upazilas) across the country. It is found that government does not respond to the sub-district’s risk exposure as a factor affecting the DRR financing mechanism. The DRR regional allocations do ...
The (mis) allocation of public spending in a low income country: Evidence from disaster risk reduction spending in Bangladesh
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Available online: http://www.eldis.org/go/display&type=Document&id=73258
Published by: Victoria University of Wellington ; 2015
This paper focuses on the regional allocation of public spending for disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Bangladesh.
The objective is to identify all of the directly observable determinants’ of publicly allocated and realized spending at the local government (sub-district) level. The Heckman two stage selection model is used with detailed public finance and other data from 483 sub-districts (upazilas) across the country. It is found that government does not respond to the sub-district’s risk exposure as a factor affecting the DRR financing mechanism. The DRR regional allocations do not seem to be determined by risk and exposure, only weakly by vulnerability, nor even by more transparent political economy motivations.Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free)Tags: Poverty and Poverty reduction ; Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) ; Climate change ; Bangladesh
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Climate finance and water security: Synthesis report
This synthesis report summarises research on how climate finance has been spent so far, and whether or not it has been spent on improving people’s water security.
The report highlights that the global community has committed to mobilise US $100 billion every year, from 2020 onwards. The study aims to identify the type and scale of national and subnational programmes and projects that have been funded by climate finance and how they relate to local water security. Findings are summarised from three case studies in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Zambia.
There is a brief d ...
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Available online: http://www.eldis.org/go/display&type=Document&id=73268
Published by: Oxford Policy Management ; 2015
This synthesis report summarises research on how climate finance has been spent so far, and whether or not it has been spent on improving people’s water security.
The report highlights that the global community has committed to mobilise US $100 billion every year, from 2020 onwards. The study aims to identify the type and scale of national and subnational programmes and projects that have been funded by climate finance and how they relate to local water security. Findings are summarised from three case studies in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Zambia.
There is a brief description of the definitions and methodology; a description of the water security, climate change trends and expected impacts for each country; a comparative summary of climate policy and finance trends across all countries based on previous findings from each case study; a summary of the main conclusions; and a provision of key recommendations.Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free)Tags: Climate policies ; Water accessibility ; Bangladesh ; Ethiopia ; Zambia
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Case study: Nepal’s agriculture, climate change and food security
Grist N. - Evidence on Demand, 2015This brief is a country case study of Nepal produced alongside the DFID Topic Guide on Climate Change, Food Security and Agriculture. It highlights how climate change affects the situation of food security and agriculture in Nepal. The aim is to provide country offices with specific guidance on activities, barriers and opportunities for integrating climate change and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) approaches within the national context.
Available online: http://www.eldis.org/go/display&type=Document&id=73240
Published by: Evidence on Demand ; 2015
This brief is a country case study of Nepal produced alongside the DFID Topic Guide on Climate Change, Food Security and Agriculture. It highlights how climate change affects the situation of food security and agriculture in Nepal. The aim is to provide country offices with specific guidance on activities, barriers and opportunities for integrating climate change and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) approaches within the national context.
Language(s): English
Tags: Agroclimatology ; Nepal
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Adaptation strategies after cyclone in southwest coastal Bangladesh, pro poor policy choices: In American Journal of Rural Development, Vol. 3, No. 2
This research paper explores the ‘atlas of the locally adopted strategies’ to cope with adverse effects of cyclone Aila in southwest coastal Bangladesh. Particularly, this research has explored the community level practices in agriculture, housing, water resources, communication and employment generations. An empirical survey was undertaken with 145 respondents by using semi-structured interviews with selected social groups and their households’ assistants. Besides face-to-face interviews, this survey applied group level qualitative assessment methods i.e. FGD (focus group discussion), Social ...
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Local level planning to cope with heat waves in India: In Southasiadisasters.net, issue no. 132, June 2015
This issue of Southasiadisasters.net focuses on the theme of the 'Risk of Heat Waves and Climate Change in India'. It tries to highlight the phenomena of heat waves from the perspectives of various stakeholders ranging from the local authorities to the vulnerable communities such as street vendors, construction workers, children and the elderly. The Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan has been highlighted as a policy level intervention worth emulating in other Indian cities. Similarly, an anthropological perspective to heat wave planning is also posited.
This issue's contents includes: ( ...
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Nepal earthquake 2015 : post disaster needs assessment
Nepal - Government, 2015The report presents a comprehensive post disaster needs assessment exercise, launched simultaneously with response and relief efforts at the request of the Government of Nepal, with the objective to estimate damages and losses caused by the earthquake and to help identify recovery needs as well as strategy required for its implementation. The assessment exercise was led by the National Planning Commission (NPC) with assistance of more than 250 national and international experts who worked round the clock to produce this assessment covering 23 sectors in less than one month.
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Flood risk assessment report 2015
The report identifies 606 riverine flood risk category-1 and 1,770 risk category-2 prone Union Councils of Pakistan using the hi-tech and low-cost analytical tools and capabilities of the Alhasan Systems, a development company. This national level exercise is followed by a detailed profile of Union Council Haibat of District Kashmore, Sindh to exhibit what is achievable at such scale for not only enhanced damage/needs assessments, but also long-term disaster risk management and development exercises.
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The institutionalisation of climate policy in India: designing a development-focused, co-benefits based approach
This paper examines climate policy in India, its coordination, design and implementation.
It looks at three periods: pre-2007; 2007–2009 and 2010-mid-2014 and several key themes are identified: First, the formation of climate institutions have frequently been driven by international negotiations, even while filtered through domestic context. Second, once established, institutions tend not to be stable or long-lasting. Third, while various efforts at knowledge generation have been attempted, they do not add up to a mechanism for sustained and consistent strategic thinking on clim ...
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25 April 2015 Gorkha Earthquake disaster risk reduction situation report
PreventionWeb ; United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) - UN/ISDR, 2015This disaster risk reduction situation report explains the drivers of disaster risk in Nepal and draws attention to the efforts that have been undertaken to reduce these risks. Within these efforts special attention is paid to the economics of DRR, insurance and risk transfer, critical infrastructure, cultural heritage, and health and health facilities. The report provides important resources related to disaster risk reduction in Nepal, the thematic area of cultural heritage, and the risk concepts of hazard, exposure and vulnerability.
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Protected areas as tools for disaster risk reduction : a handbook for practitioners
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) ; Ministry of the Environment, Japan - gov - IUCN, 2015This handbook explains what protected areas can and cannot contribute to DRR strategies. In this handbook protected areas are explained as a buffer against coastal erosion and flood risks, which provide ecosystem goods and services on which people rely for their livelihood.
The handbook describes how protected areas can be integrated into national DRR strategies to the mutual advantage of both and it looks at how to combine natural and engineering solutions in DRR.
The main text is supplemented by case studies drawing on the experience of the Ministry of Environme ...
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Overview of natural disasters and their impacts in Asia and the Pacific, 1970 - 2014
The paper provides a review of natural disasters and their impacts in Asia and the Pacific by disaster type, sub region and level of development. The first section looks at the occurrence of natural disaster events. This is followed by an analysis of fatalities and economic loss in sections two and three respectively. The short-term consequences of natural disasters on the economy are also mentioned. The final section briefly discusses aspects regarding exposure and vulnerability of countries in Asia and the Pacific.
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Country profile: Nepal - disaster management institution and system in Nepal
The report provides an overview of the disaster risk reduction and management in Nepal, a country under threat of multiple natural hazards: earthquakes, floods, landslides, fires, storms, the epidemics, and others. It presents background information on the country, its disaster profile, its legal and institutional framework, the country's achievements in regards to the Hyogo Framework for Action, and looks at the challenges and future steps in the area of disaster management in Nepal.
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Community resilience framework : lessons from the field
Swiss NGO DRR Platform, 2015The report presents the main findings from case studies about resilience assessments that were carried out in five countries through workshops: El Salvador, Bolivia, Haiti, Palestine, and Cambodia. It capitalizes on local knowledge and experience and provides important insights not only on how those most at risk build resilience, but also on how they struggle to overcome the barriers that are imposed on them by their natural, socio-political and economic environments. It highlights the range of expertise and commitment for promoting resilience through disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate ...
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