10 things you should know about disaster risk reduction

Humanitarian Practice Network

21 Oct 201504:16

Summary

TLDRDisaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is essential in managing the impact of disasters by addressing risks. The script outlines key facts, such as the massive economic and human toll of disasters, and explains that vulnerability, not hazards themselves, drives the devastation. DRR focuses on building resilience through education, infrastructure protection, and community involvement. It highlights the interconnectedness of disaster management, climate change, and urbanization, stressing that disaster risk is everyone's responsibility and requires collaboration across sectors to reduce future risks.

Takeaways

🌍 Disasters occur frequently, but while they can't always be prevented, their impact can be reduced through Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
💸 Between 2001 and 2010, disasters caused nearly a trillion dollars in damages and displaced 28 million people, equivalent to Australia's population.
💀 Over 1.1 million people died due to disasters during the decade, averaging about 300 deaths daily.
🌪️ There is no such thing as a 'natural disaster'; only natural or man-made hazards. The risk of a disaster depends on vulnerability and exposure to these hazards.
⚖️ Disasters reveal inequalities. Vulnerable populations, such as those in poorer countries, tend to suffer more severe impacts from disasters.
🏗️ DRR involves managing risks through hard interventions like infrastructure and soft interventions like education and training to build resilient communities.
🔄 Solutions to one disaster may sometimes cause new problems, such as irrigation for rice leading to increased mosquito-borne diseases like malaria.
👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 Local communities should be involved in disaster response and risk management, as they have valuable skills and knowledge essential for future resilience.
🔧 DRR promotes positive long-term change by making communities safer and more secure, which aids in other development goals.
🌡️ DRR is closely linked to climate change adaptation since changing weather patterns and resource conflicts increase the risks communities face.

Q & A

What is Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)?
-Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) involves minimizing the damage caused by natural and man-made hazards through managing and reducing risks, not just responding to disasters.
How much economic damage did disasters cause between 2001 and 2010?
-Disasters caused nearly one trillion dollars worth of damage from 2001 to 2010, which is more than the combined value of companies like Google, Walmart, and Toyota.
What is the difference between a natural hazard and a natural disaster?
-A natural hazard refers to natural events like floods, earthquakes, or tsunamis, while a natural disaster is the result of these hazards interacting with human vulnerability, such as poor infrastructure or lack of preparedness.
Why do disasters expose inequalities?
-Disasters expose inequalities because vulnerable populations, such as those in poorer countries, tend to suffer more severe impacts, including higher death tolls and greater economic losses.
What are some examples of hard and soft interventions in DRR?
-Hard interventions include building protective infrastructure like flood defenses, while soft interventions involve education, training, and awareness campaigns to help communities prepare for and manage risks.
How can addressing one disaster risk inadvertently create another?
-Addressing one disaster risk can lead to another by creating unintended consequences. For example, growing more rice to combat malnutrition may increase mosquito breeding due to irrigation, leading to more malaria cases.
Why is it important to involve local communities in disaster response?
-Involving local communities is important because they have valuable local knowledge and skills. Engaging them helps build resilience and ensures they are better prepared to handle future disasters.
How does DRR contribute to long-term development goals?
-DRR can create positive change by making communities safer and more secure, allowing them to focus on long-term development goals such as building infrastructure, hospitals, and training professionals.
What is the connection between DRR and climate change?
-DRR and climate change are linked because increasingly unpredictable weather patterns caused by climate change create new challenges, such as food insecurity and resource conflicts, making it harder for communities to adapt and reduce disaster risks.
Why is collaboration important in disaster risk reduction?
-Collaboration is crucial because organizations working together, including with civil society, can better address disaster risks and ensure their actions do not inadvertently increase vulnerabilities.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Disasters and the Role of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

Disasters occur frequently worldwide, and while they cannot always be prevented, their impact can be minimized through Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). This segment introduces DRR and explains its importance in mitigating the destruction caused by disasters.

💰 The Cost of Disasters (2001-2010)

From 2001 to 2010, disasters caused approximately one trillion dollars in damages, surpassing the value of major corporations like Google, Walmart, and Toyota combined. These events displaced 28 million people, roughly the population of Australia, and resulted in the loss of 1.1 million lives—an average of 300 deaths per day.

🌪️ No Such Thing as a 'Natural' Disaster

Contrary to popular belief, natural disasters don't exist—only natural and man-made hazards do. Events like floods, earthquakes, and conflicts are hazards, but the level of disaster depends on a population's vulnerability to these hazards. In essence, disaster risk equals hazard times vulnerability.

⚖️ Inequality Exposed by Disasters

Disasters tend to reveal existing inequalities. More vulnerable populations suffer the greatest impacts, especially in poorer countries where economic losses and death tolls are higher compared to wealthier nations. Within any society, the most excluded groups suffer the worst consequences.

🏗️ Managing Disasters Through Risk Management

Disaster management involves risk management with various tools. Hard interventions, such as building stronger infrastructure, and soft interventions, like education and training, are used to increase community resilience. These strategies help communities better cope with a wide range of threats.

🔄 Unintended Consequences of Disaster Solutions

Sometimes, solutions to one disaster can create new risks. For example, increasing rice production to combat malnutrition might lead to the spread of malaria, as standing water from irrigation becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

🤝 Local Involvement in Disaster Response

Effective disaster response requires the involvement of local communities. Locals possess valuable skills and knowledge that can aid in rebuilding and rescue efforts. Additionally, involving them in these efforts helps build their capacity to deal with future disasters.

🌱 Positive Change Through DRR

Disaster Risk Reduction can contribute to long-term positive change. By making communities safer and more secure, it becomes easier to focus on sustainable development goals, such as improving healthcare and education systems.

🌡️ DRR and Climate Change

DRR is closely linked to climate change, as increasingly unpredictable weather patterns create new challenges. These challenges include higher food prices and resource conflicts, making it harder for communities to adapt and respond to risks. Addressing climate change supports DRR efforts.

🏙️ Urbanization and Disaster Risk

With more people living in cities, urban populations are exposed to a greater variety of hazards, such as diseases, gang violence, and floods. DRR strategies must account for the unique risks faced by urban dwellers.

👥 Disaster Risk is Everyone's Responsibility

Disaster risk management is a collective responsibility. Development workers, aid responders, and organizations must consider disaster risk in their efforts. Collaboration across different sectors and with civil society groups is crucial to reducing disaster risks effectively.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

Disaster Risk Reduction refers to strategies and practices aimed at minimizing the damage caused by disasters. The video explains DRR as a proactive approach to managing risks, using tools like infrastructure protection and education to make communities more resilient. It emphasizes that while disasters cannot always be prevented, their impact can be mitigated through effective DRR.

💡Natural Hazards

Natural hazards are environmental events like floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis that have the potential to cause harm. The video makes the distinction between 'natural hazards' and 'natural disasters,' explaining that the hazard itself does not become a disaster unless it interacts with a vulnerable population.

💡Vulnerability

Vulnerability refers to the susceptibility of a population to harm from hazards. The video highlights that poorer, less resilient communities tend to suffer more from disasters, as their infrastructure and resources are often insufficient to withstand or recover from them. This concept is central to understanding why disasters have a disproportionate impact on different regions and people.

💡Resilience

Resilience is the capacity of a community to cope with, adapt to, and recover from disasters. In the video, DRR is framed as a way to build resilience by improving local knowledge and infrastructure. This helps communities not only survive but also bounce back more quickly after a disaster occurs.

💡Inequality

Inequality refers to the uneven distribution of risk and impact from disasters, often affecting poorer and marginalized populations more severely. The video stresses that disasters expose and exacerbate existing inequalities, as vulnerable groups tend to suffer the most during a crisis, both in terms of loss of life and economic damage.

💡Local Knowledge

Local knowledge encompasses the skills, practices, and understanding that communities have regarding their environment and how to deal with disasters. The video emphasizes the importance of involving local people in DRR efforts because they offer valuable insights and are often best positioned to implement effective solutions in their communities.

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns, which are increasingly linked to more frequent and intense natural hazards. The video discusses the connection between DRR and climate change, noting that helping communities adapt to climate change is essential to reducing disaster risks and ensuring long-term sustainability.

💡Urbanization

Urbanization is the increasing concentration of people in cities, which exposes them to a variety of hazards such as diseases, floods, and violence. The video points out that more people living in urban areas heightens their vulnerability to both natural and man-made risks, making urban resilience a key component of DRR.

💡Collaboration

Collaboration refers to the joint efforts of different organizations, governments, and communities in addressing disaster risks. The video highlights that no single entity can tackle disaster risk alone; cooperation and partnerships are crucial to ensuring that development and aid projects do not inadvertently increase people's exposure to hazards.

💡Hard and Soft Interventions

Hard interventions refer to physical measures like strengthening buildings and infrastructure, while soft interventions include education, training, and awareness-raising efforts. The video explains that DRR requires both types of interventions to effectively reduce the impact of disasters, with hard interventions providing protection and soft interventions fostering preparedness and resilience.

Highlights

Disasters caused nearly a trillion dollars worth of damage from 2001 to 2010, affecting millions of people and causing massive economic losses.

28 million people lost their homes due to disasters in this decade, which is the population equivalent of Australia.

Over 1.1 million lives were lost to disasters between 2001 and 2010, averaging 300 deaths per day.

There is no such thing as a 'natural disaster' – only natural or man-made hazards. The impact of these hazards is determined by human vulnerability.

Disaster risk equals hazard times vulnerability, highlighting how human exposure and susceptibility influence the extent of damage.

Disasters reveal societal inequalities, as poorer populations are more vulnerable and suffer greater losses during disasters.

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) involves managing risks through both hard interventions like infrastructure and soft interventions like education and training.

Addressing one disaster may inadvertently lead to another, as seen with rice irrigation increasing malaria risk due to standing water.

Community involvement is crucial for effective disaster response, leveraging local knowledge and empowering people to handle future crises.

DRR can drive positive social change, improving community safety and resilience while supporting long-term development goals like healthcare and education.

Caring about DRR is closely tied to climate change, as unpredictable weather patterns intensify risks and complicate efforts to adapt and recover.

As urbanization increases, more people live in cities, exposing them to various hazards such as diseases, gang violence, and floods.

Disaster risk management is everyone's responsibility, requiring collaboration across development and aid sectors to ensure safer outcomes.

The approach to disaster risk must account for changes in population dynamics, such as rural-to-urban migration and increasing urban density.

Collaboration between organizations, civil society groups, and local communities enhances DRR effectiveness and ensures comprehensive risk management.