Living with Risk. A global review of disaster reduction initiatives

y the conduct of monthly meetings during the
critical rainy season.
The ELMS has undertaken a number of projects
related to land use practices as well as the
conservation of environmental conditions
which can reduce both flood and droughtprone
conditions. ELMS has also been designated
as the coordinating authority within
SADC for all matters related to climate change,
which places it in the forefront of inter-agency
cooperation and collaboration to reduce the risk
of future hydro-meteorological hazards.
The SADC’s Health Sector works closely with
the WHO’s Inter-Country Office for Southern
Africa, having long recognized the public
health aspects of disasters. Programmes such
as the WHO-Southern Africa Malarial Control
Programme address the causative factors of hazards
in creating epidemics. The very close correlation
that exists between temperature, precipitation
and the incidence of malaria in specific locations
underlines the essential cooperation
between all of these various sectors relating to
water, climate, land, environment, health and
disaster risk management practices.
While not specifically a SADC institution, but
sharing a common interest in furthering multi-
Policy and public commitment: the foundation of disaster risk reduction
disciplinary collaboration, through expanded
information exchange, the Southern Africa
Research and Documentation Centre in Harare,
Zimbabwe has published many professional
papers and books that demonstrate both the
breadth and depth of related interests in the
region.
One of the most pressing challenges in implementing
progressive disaster risk management
laws and policies is the region’s pervasive
socio-economic and environmental vulnerabilities.
When they are combined with the
consequences of increased climate variability,
such as more intense drought events, as well
as cyclones and heavier rainfall, the urgency
to position disaster risk reduction becomes an
important development priority.
The disaster reduction challenge at the beginning
of the 21st century is to link creative and
coordinated strategies such as those outlined
above that can reduce the impact of future
uncertain risks, with ongoing development
efforts that can minimize prevailing vulnerabilities
and hardships. If risks remain
unchecked, they will accelerate an already spiralling
trend toward greater disaster-related
losses, human inequities, and weakened societies.
3
A Comparison of Rainfall and Malaria by Year in Zimbabwe
Source: Southern Africa Malaria Central Programme. WHO Country
and Inter-country office, Harare, Zimbabwe.
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