Disaster Risk Reduction System Research Articles

Economic Benefits and Uses of Indigenous Seasonal Weather Forecasts in Zimbabwe

This study presents a seminal contribution regarding the economic value of indigenous seasonal weather forecasts in Zimbabwe. Many farmers (58%) use indigenous seasonal weather forecasts to make maize farming decisions such as selecting suitable varieties. The main indicators used for indigenous seasonal weather forecasts are flowering and fruition of specific trees. Based on travel cost analysis, which incorporates a multi-purpose visit scenario, the study establishes the economic importance of indigenous seasonal weather forecasts with a consumer surplus of US$1,044 per year among the 290 farmers using the forecasts. There is therefore a need to integrate indigenous weather forecasts into national seasonal weather forecasting and disaster risk reduction systems to complement modern seasonal weather forecasts. Co-production of seasonal weather forecasts with farmers is proposed in this regard. This further calls for the need to digitally document, visualize, and disseminate indigenous seasonal weather forecast indicators to a wider audience to increase their use.

Role of Governance in Developing Disaster Resiliency and Its Impact on Economic Sustainability

This study explores the role played by governance in developing disaster resiliency and its impact on economic sustainability in Greece. Descriptive research was undertaken, and data were collected from 180 local governance leaders in Western Macedonia, Greece, to gain a deeper understanding of the role of governance in developing disaster resiliency and economic sustainability. The study confirmed the hypothesis that the focus of governance in developing disaster resiliency positively affects economic sustainability. The ability of governance to develop disaster resiliency and economic sustainability is mostly through leadership, engaging civil society, and international cooperation. These roles played by governance are also influenced by different political, economic, cultural, and social aspects, which all have an impact on the risk governance systems that cut across levels of resource assurance, technical support, and disaster risk management. Governance may have a significant impact on the overall design of rules and systems, including legislation, different decision-making procedures, and policy-implementation mechanisms, via political leadership. In terms of economics, the primary responsibility of governance is to support disaster risk-reduction systems. Governance must encourage risk awareness on a national basis through intensive disaster risk research, technological development, disaster-reduction education, and emergency response skills practice.

Uticaj krivičnog prava na smanjenje rizika od katastrofa

The author discusses the importance of criminal justice protection in the Republic of Serbia in reducing the risk of disasters. The main assumption is that criminal law also has an impact on the valid application of disaster risk reduction rules, apropos, their prevention. The analysis begins with a theoretical determination of the character of the criminal response (subsidiarity, general and special prevention), then clarifying the meaning of certain terms that constitute a risk reduction system, that are part of the country's national security system (disasters, accidents, emergencies, calamities, etc). We will analyze crimes such as Aggravated larceny committed during a fire, flood, earthquake or other calamity, failure to take part in eliminating a general hazard, and for this area characteristic of crimes against the environment and general safety of people and property. Prescribing these crimes (in addition to the provisions of the Law on disaster risk reduction and emergency management), expands the possibilities of protection against injury or endangerment of goods "affected by disasters". These incriminations further "strengthen" citizens' obligations as subjects of a disaster risk reduction system. Given the importance of security culture in this area, we will examine the adequacy of existing criminal regulations and consider the possible need to change existing or introduce new incriminations. A review will also be given on the reasons for delegating jurisdiction over these occurrences.

The impact of crisis and disasters risk management in COVID-19 times: Insights and lessons learned from Saudi Arabia

All countries all over the world strive to fight the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and their governments are facing unprecedented strains and challenges. Since COVID-19 has engendered socioeconomic recession and the deterioration of health systems, Insights and lessons from some countries can illustrate various approaches designing their people-centric health and socioeconomic policies. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has implemented various measures and strategies to mitigate the spread of pandemic and to save the lives of people. Therefore, we investigate the role of the Saudi disaster risk reduction system (DRRS) to fight the virus outbreak and provide a safe environment for the well-being of its inhabitants. We use a qualitative case study methodology to document and analyze the crisis and disasters risk management framework within the hazard management process. The case study methodology is suitable in investigating a phenomenon in its real-life settings and contexts. Thus, we outline lessons learned from Saudi disaster risk management experience in combating COVID-19 pandemic. During COVID-19 disaster, we found that the Saudi disaster risk reduction system (DRRS) is structured into three main levels: strategic, operational and tactical. The strategic level represents the strategic planning division and runs audit and monitoring of overall decentralized units of crisis management at operational and tactical levels. The findings show that there are three policy implications: keep vigilance at the public national level, remaining flexible in a national management structure and good governance at local administration level. The application of disaster risk reduction framework in COVID-19 times requires the use of multi-level strategies to protect vulnerable peoples during the four stages of mitigation (readiness), preparedness, response (implementation) and recovery (post-COVID).

Caring for Labuhan Merapi Tradition, One of The Local Wisdom-Based Disaster Risk Reduction Efforts

Local wisdom is the result of the dialectic process between the individual and his environment. One of the local wisdom in Merapi Mountain, Indonesia is the traditional ceremony of Labuhan. This study is a qualitative descriptive study with literature review techniques. Based on the results of this study, it is known that the traditional ceremony of Labuhan Merapi is one of the local wisdom, tradition, culture, and traditional intelligence in the residents of the southern slope of Mount Merapi. Merapi's traditional ceremony is one of the traditional intelligence that can be managed in building a community-based disaster risk reduction system, especially at the disaster mitigation stage. Traditional intelligence is formed from the results of people's interaction with their physical environment over a long period of time. The formation of traditional intelligence allows people to know and read the signs of nature related to the eruption disaster of Mount Merapi.

SOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERY OF MUNICIPAL RISK REDUCTION OF SANTA CRUZ, LAGUNA

This study aimed to assess theeffectiveness of social services delivery on municipal risk reduction unitof Municipality of Santa Cruz, Laguna. It specifically sought to answer the questions: 1.) What is the level of social services delivery of municipal disaster risk reduction unit in terms of: a.) transparency, b.) accountability, c.) Participation, and d.) responsiveness? 2.) What is the level of effectiveness disaster risk reduction in terms of a.) preparedness, b.) mitigation, c.) disaster response? 3.) Do social services delivery such as the transparency, accountability, participation, and responsiveness have a significant effect with the disaster management in terms of preparedness, mitigation, and disaster response. The researcher employed the descriptive-correlational design in gathering and treating data the foregoing investigation. One hundred (100) residence from the selected Barangay in Santa Cruz, Laguna were the respondents in this study under purposive sampling technique. One set of questionnaire was issued to the actual respondents. To avoid guesswork and obtain reliable data and information,Likert -type of questions were provided. The average mean scores of 3.11, 3.14, 3.11, and 3.14 respectively, that obtained 3.13 implied that respondents belief onsocial services delivery such as the transparency, accountability, participation, and responsiveness was moderately high. While the disaster risk reduction system in social services delivery had an average mean scores of 3.23, 3.12, and 2.97 respectively, that obtained the average mean of 3.11, implied that the respondents belief on thedisaster management in terms of preparedness, mitigation, and disaster response was moderately high. The computed p-values of .069, and .743 showed that social services delivery has a significant effect to the preparedness and disaster response of the disaster risk reduction. However, the mitigation showed not significant. In some the disaster risk reduction manifested moderately high level of social services delivery with regards to transparency, accountability, participation and responsiveness. Relatively, the disaster management in social services delivery of municipal disaster risk reduction such as preparedness, mitigation, and disaster response were moderately high. The good governance practices registered significant relationship to the disaster risk reduction but there was some circumstance which not significant. Therefore, the hypothesis stating that the social services delivery has no significant effect to the disaster management was not supported.

Comparative social vulnerability assessment in Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal, India

Social vulnerability assessment is an important element for disaster risk reduction system. Social vulnerability depends on physical, social, economic, environmental factors, etc., which determine the susceptibility of community against the impact of hazards. Over the past two decades, social vulnerability has been measured by using different methodologies. The present work portrays a comparative assessment of social vulnerability methodologies in the Purba Medinipur district located in the eastern part of India. Different standardization techniques of data transformation like, Z score, maximum value, and min-max rescaling have been employed to compare and examine social vulnerability in the study area. The principal aim of this work is to analyze the results between the three methodologies adopted, and identify the vulnerable blocks in the district. The result shows that relationships between three methodologies are moderately strong to very strong and Sutahata block is identified as the most vulnerable block in the Purba Medinipur district.

Study of social vulnerability as an effort on disaster risk reduction (study on suburban communities in Yogyakarta, Indonesia)

A community-level social vulnerability assessment is an important on disaster risk reduction system. The methods to measure social vulnerability in this study used variables of education level, health level, income level and vulnerable groups. The study was conducted through a census of 365 rural community households in Bantul District, Yogyakarta Special Region. The research method was quantitative with scoring system on each influential variable. The results showed that between variables of vulnerability have relevance, where people with low income have a tendency level of low education. The results show that marginalized communities were at high vulnerability level, with the details were as follows: 35.1% of the community were at high social vulnerability (very vulnerable) and 56.4% of the community were people with moderate social vulnerability; people with low vulnerability was only 8.5%. The high number of vulnerable people in the periphery was because most of the population had low income and education level. The vulnerability distribution of each household in this study is further presented in maps to facilitate spatial analysis.

Disaster Risk Reduction and International Cultural Heritage Law: Moving Toward Cross-Fertilization

As the purpose of this panel is to explore the critical need for embedding international legal instruments within paradigms provided by disaster risk reduction (DRR), the area of international cultural heritage law could be a significant test-case in this regard. First, as experienced by several other branches of international law, it is possible to recognize an increasing attention paid by relevant specialized institutions, in this case the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to challenges posed by DRR, and finally permitting to: (1) integrate DRR concerns in the institutional and lawmaking agenda of this international organization, in order to inform and guide activities to be carried out by member states who face threats posed by disasters against their cultural heritage; and (2) provide an evolutionary and contextual interpretation of the existing commitments in this area in light of DRR paradigms. Second, a cross-fertilization phenomenon could also be recognized, as for the emerging recognition of cultural concerns in the same DRR system, through a process which has subsequently permitted UNESCO to additionally foster action in this area.

Questioning ‘integrated’ disaster risk reduction and ‘all of society’ engagement: can ‘preparedness pedagogy’ help?

This paper contributes to the conceptual and empirical development of ‘preparedness pedagogy’. Preparedness involves learning, thus disaster risk reduction (DRR) should be discussed more in the field of education, particularly its sub-discipline of public pedagogy. Disaster risk reduction education should have an element of a pedagogy in the interest of publicness, which is an experimental pedagogy in which citizens act in togetherness to develop their own preparedness. The paper pays attention to the two phrases utilised in the recent DRR discourse – ‘integrated’ DRR and ‘participation by all’ – and examines the case of Japan, applying whole-system thinking. It is suggested that ‘the mesosystem’ of the DRR system yields relationships and learning, and thus enables collaboration, change and ‘participation by all’. Preparedness pedagogy has a role to play in this. The mesosystem functions as the confluence between state-led and community-based DRR to truly integrate the system.

Ispitivanje uloge porodice u edukaciji dece o prirodnim katastrofama

Effective reduction of risks of natural disasters is only possible through the implementation of integrated education on natural disasters within the family, school and local community. Accordingly, the subject of quantitative research is the examination of the condition and influencing factors on the education of students on natural disasters within the family. In addition, the paper examines the level of students' motivation for education within the family, but also within the school, in order to more comprehensively review their attitudes in this respect. For the purposes of the research, a multi-point random sample was used and in the first step, using the list of all primary and secondary schools in Belgrade, 18 of them were selected randomly. In the second step, using the lists of classrooms in which classes were held, classrooms were selected and respondents who attended the classes were interviewed. With a high percentage of answers, 3548 students were interviewed in the above mentioned number of primary and secondary schools. The results of the survey show that 70.7% of the students pointed out that they were educated within the family, 57.4% would like to be educated about natural disasters, 18% would like to be educated within the family, and 51.9% within the school. Inferential statistical analyses show that education within the family is statistically significantly influenced by gender, age, father and mother education, grade and school achievement. The scientific and social importance of the research is reflected in the establishment of a representative empirical basis that can serve to decision-makers when establishing an integrated disaster risk reduction system through education.

China’s Approach to Disaster Risk Reduction: Human Security Challenges in a Time of Climate Change

Natural disasters strike at people’s lives across the world but hit underdeveloped countries and societies’ poorest hardest. Those living in the Asia-Pacific region are significantly more likely to experience natural disaster than those in any other part of the world. China is one of the most exposed to natural disasters, with a long history of devastating events and remains at high risk. China has undertaken major disaster risk reduction (DRR) reforms. Importantly, China is also increasingly committed to international cooperation over DRR within a Sendai Framework. Adopting a Human Security perspective, this article explains and critically evaluates China’s DRR reforms. It highlights China’s increased willingness to collaborate with international agencies over knowledge exchange and capacity building to improve its domestic DRR and contribute to the international DRR system. The study argues that China’s reforms are a work in progress, but demonstrating improvement. It argues that China’s expressed wish for closer international DRR cooperation is a new opportunity to mainstream China and it is incumbent on the international community and Chinese Government to build on emerging collaboration and grasp this long-overdue opportunity.

A community-based disaster risk reduction system in Wanzhou, China

A series of disaster risk reduction (DRR) programs were carried out in landslide-prone areas in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) to improve community resilience. The Wanzhou District in the TGR was selected as a case to introduce the community-based DRR (CBDRR) system. The system is community-based and government-led with the assistance of experts, police, Red Cross, etc. It involves risk investigation, education and training, landslide monitoring, information analysis, early warning system and emergency response. The landslide mechanism and element at risk were ascertained after detailed field investigation. Based on investigation, a characterized education and training to local residents was carried out. The local residents living on landslides carried out the community-based landslide monitoring. Some simple but effective monitoring methods were applied, such as steel piles, mosaic, convergence meters and smart phone, which are widely used in community-based landslide monitoring. To comprehensively understand the landslide and the data monitored by local residents, a real-time landslide monitoring system was established on several typical landslides. At last, a successful landslide emergency response was introduced to well explain the early warning system and emergency response. After carrying out the CBDRR for a decade, the landslide resilience has enhanced and the local residents are more relieved to live on landslides.

Land use planning for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation

PurposeThe Hyogo Framework for Action focussed disaster risk reduction (DRR) on land-use planning, with international agencies, research organisations and national governments recognising the importance of DRR through hazard informed land-use planning. This paper aims to examine the roles of planners in reducing hazard risk through settlement design, land-use plans and legislation, and identify shortcomings and constraints towards achieving Disaster Risk Reduction.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses community-based research from Australia, Thailand and Indonesia to discuss land-use planning in local governance frameworks following major disasters, including cyclone, flood and tsunami.FindingsThis paper shows that land-use planning systems are still primarily geared toward promoting and facilitating development and have not evolved sufficiently to take account of DRR and climate change.Social implicationsLand-use planning frameworks for hazard-resilient communities remain disconnected from the emergency management and disaster risk reduction systems. The goal to create disaster-resilient communities through the land-use planning systems requires a fundamental change to the way in which planning is conceptualised and practised. Social equity is also a huge issue where investment focuses on urban development.Originality/valueThe study contributes to an understanding of the opportunities and constraints for land-use planning to enhance climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction through legislation, policies, regional and local statutory planning schemes, enforceable planning and development controls and building codes.

Proposal for Development Cooperation to Enhance the Capacity on Disaster Emergency Response in Developing Countries : A Case Study of Curriculum Development in the People’s Republic of China

Although the importance of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) has been recognized internationally as exemplified by the UN World Conference on DRR, funding for emergency relief teams and relief supplies accounts for approximately 66% of the total amount paid for emergency management as a part of international cooperation. Stable economic development requires improvement of DRR and also the mitigation of damage. This paper: 1. Identifies the challenges for enhancing the capacity for emergency management in China; and 2. Examines methods of development cooperation that could help to resolve the above-mentioned challenges. The challenges in China have been brought to light through the Project “Japan-China Cooperation Plan of Earthquake First-Aid Capacity Training” to enhance capacity for earthquake emergency management under JICA’s Technical Cooperation. The timeline analysis for emergency management and after action review were used to assess the China’s emergency management framework and systems. The system and framework of China were also examined by comparing international systems and frameworks such as ISO22320, Japanese DRR system and the United States system. Based on this, curriculum and texts were developed for the National Earthquake Response Support Service (NERSS) to train the personnel engages in earthquake risk management in China. Guidance curricula were developed for the beginners and the intermediate user, which effectiveness was verified by instructional design.

Special Issue on Creating Community-Based Robust and Resilient Society

Special Issue on Creating Community-Based Robust and Resilient Society

Improving Risk Governance for Adapting to Climate Change: Case from Shanghai

Decision-making under changing climate has become uncertain and complex, which brings great challenges to traditional risk governance process. Coastal areas in China have been highly urbanized with increasing population and physical assets during the past decades. Based on a simplified risk governance framework, a case of Chinese coastal megacity is evaluated with key functions of risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. It finds that the case of "Comprehensive Coordination Centre" in Shanghai Fengxian District can play a positive role to improve effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability of risk governance in the Chinese context, especially a potential to reduce "organized irresponsibility" and "systematic risks". Adaptive and integrated risk governance can be improved from policy experiments and experience learnt from implementation. This paper concludes that the innovation in the existing disaster risk reduction system will promote the ability of adaptation to climate change in the long run.

Adoption of Geospatial Systems towards evolving Sustainable Himalayan Mountain Development

Abstract. Natural resources dependence of mountain communities, rapid social and developmental changes, disaster proneness and climate change are conceived as the critical factors regulating sustainable Himalayan mountain development. The Himalayan region posed by typical geographic settings, diverse physical and cultural diversity present a formidable challenge to collect and manage data, information and understands varied socio-ecological settings. Recent advances in earth observation, near real-time data, in-situ measurements and in combination of information and communication technology have transformed the way we collect, process, and generate information and how we use such information for societal benefits. Glacier dynamics, land cover changes, disaster risk reduction systems, food security and ecosystem conservation are a few thematic areas where geospatial information and knowledge have significantly contributed to informed decision making systems over the region. The emergence and adoption of near-real time systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), board-scale citizen science (crowd-sourcing), mobile services and mapping, and cloud computing have paved the way towards developing automated environmental monitoring systems, enhanced scientific understanding of geophysical and biophysical processes, coupled management of socio-ecological systems and community based adaptation models tailored to mountain specific environment. There are differentiated capacities among the ICIMOD regional member countries with regard to utilization of earth observation and geospatial technologies. The region can greatly benefit from a coordinated and collaborative approach to capture the opportunities offered by earth observation and geospatial technologies. The regional level data sharing, knowledge exchange, and Himalayan GEO supporting geospatial platforms, spatial data infrastructure, unique region specific satellite systems to address trans-boundary challenges would go a long way in evolving sustainable Himalayan livelihoods.

Multi scale Disaster Risk Reduction Systems Space and Community based Experiences over HKH Region

Abstract. An increasing trend in the recurrence of natural disasters and associated impacts due to Floods, Glacier Lake out bursts, landslides and forest fire is reported over Hindu Kush Himalyan (HKH) region. Climate change and anthropogenic coupled factors are identified as primary factors for such increased vulnerability. The large degree of poverty, lack of infrastructure, poor accessibility and uncertainties involved in understanding high altitude land surface and climate dynamics poses serious challenges in reducing disaster vulnerability and mitigating disaster impacts. In this context effective development of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) protocols and mechanisms have been realized as an urgent need. The paper presents the adoption and experiences of multi scale DRR systems across different Himalayan member countries ranging from community based indigenous early warning to space based emergency response and decision support systems. The Establishment of a Regional Flood Information System (HKH-HYCOS) over Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) and Indus river basins promoted the timely exchange of flood data and information for the reduction of flood vulnerability within and among the participating countries. Satellite based forest fire alert systems evoked significant response among diverse stakeholders to optimize fire incidence and control. Satellite rainfall estimation products, satellite altimetry based flood early warning systems, flood inundation modelling and products, model derived hydrology flow products from different global data-sharing networks constitutes diverse information to support multi scale DRR systems. Community-based Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) enabled by wireless technology established over the Singara and Jiadhal rivers in Assam also stands as one of the promising examples of minimizing flood risk. Disaster database and information system and decision support tools in Nepal serves as potential tool to support diverse stakeholders.