Governance of Risk, Hazards and Disasters

Abstract

When response to disasters is efficiently organised, adaptive capacity of the affected community is improved, and together they can create opportunities which lead to development (Dore and Etkin, 2003; Pelling, 2003; Thompson, 1995). Therefore, disaster governance requires the State and civil administration bodies to be among the first responders, who play the key role in organising and providing humanitarian assistance to the affected community (Drabek, 1985; Drabek and McEntire, 2003). One of the major characteristics of an efficient disaster response lies in institutionalisation of government response mechanisms with a focus on socio-economic needs of the community affected. Furthermore, an efficient disaster response also implies the capability of these government response mechanisms to address vulnerabilities in order to build a resilient community (Drabek, 1985; Blaikie et al., 1994; Blaikie et al., 1997; O’Brien et al., 2006). According to Tierney (2012), key factors that have an impact on disaster governance are social inequalities, socio-demographic trends, societal transitions, economic organisations and State-civil society relationships. Therefore it becomes extremely important that response and recovery mechanisms to disasters, especially while rebuilding communities, are community-centric. Disaster governance is a rather recent scientific concept nested in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), risk governance and environmental governance (Tierney, 2012). Another term that is more often used interchangeably in disaster discourse is disaster risk governance (Tierney, 2012; UNISDR, 2014; Cutter, 2016). Although there is no singular universally accepted term and definition for disaster governance, nevertheless both the terms refer to the common understanding of DRR and disaster management activities influenced by legislation, planning and regulation at a societal level. Thus, disaster governance includes institutional mechanisms for DRR, planning and regulation of disaster risks in addition to initiatives facilitating stakeholder and community participation and collective decision making. One of the primary aims of disaster governance is to improve capacities and preparedness of local communities, which make them resilient, adaptive and capable of recovery from the losses of disasters (Djalante, Holley and Thomalla, 2011). Therefore, disaster governance becomes the mandate of the government which is not limited 191to organising and institutionalising response mechanisms to disasters. It includes activities to empower communities socio-economically, through planning, legislation, coordination and regulation, to withstand the effects of disasters and ensure no obstruction of development. (Less)