Living with Risk. A global review of disaster reduction initiatives

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Understanding the nature of hazards Risk awareness and assessment 2 Understanding the nature of natural hazards involves a consideration of almost every physical phenomenon on the planet. The slow movements in the earth’s mantle – the convection cells that drive the movement of continents and the manufacture of ocean floors – are the starting point and also the sticking point. They lift mountains and shape landscapes. They also build volcanoes and trigger potentially catastrophic earthquakes. Like those other invisible movements that take place on a vast scale through the atmospheric medium – the carbon cycle and the water cycle and the nitrogen cycle – volcanoes and earthquakes, along with technological advancements, provide the bedrock of strong nations, rich industries and great cities. They do, of course, have the potential to destroy them. This is also what happens with technological hazards and environmental degradation. While most natural hazards may be inevitable, disasters are not. By seeking to understand and to anticipate future hazards by study of the past and monitoring of present situations, a community or public authority is poised to minimize the risk of a disaster. It is a measure of people’s wisdom and a society’s values if a community is able to learn from the experiences of others, rather than to suffer its own. There is a wealth of knowledge about the nature and consequences of different hazards, expected frequency, magnitude and potential geographical impacts, but many fewer examples of lessons learned from them. Hazards are increasingly dynamic and with highly varying potential impacts. Due to changing environments, many countries and regional organisations call for a greater knowledge of hazard characteristics. Such knowledge requires additional, more focussed research on hazards and a greater understanding of their nature, effects and history. A wide range of geophysical, meteorological, hydrological, environmental, technological, biological and even socio-political hazards, alone or in complex interaction, can threaten living and sustainable development. Hazards have often been divided into natural, humaninduced technological and increasingly negative effects of environmental degradation is being added to this list. While natural hazards can be divided into three broad categories -hydrometeorological, geological and biological- the variety, geographical coverage and types of impacts are huge. Forest fires, for example, are recognised as a natural hazard but are often referred to as environmental, along with pest infestation and desertification. In order to distinguish between different hazard types, many institutions have developed hazard catalogues. A table has been prepared by ISDR to summarise the current thinking (see next page). The strong compound relation between different types of natural hazards may give the impression that attempts to catalogue them are fatuous. At what stage does a landslide, recognised as a geological hazard, becomes a mudflow, which is often classified as a hydrological hazard? In the same vein, primary hazards often give rise to a myriad of related potential collateral or secondary hazards. In many cases, these cause greater threat to a community than do the primary hazards. Tropical cyclones can trigger other hazards, in particular storm surges, flash foods and landslides. Often the most serious impact of a tropical cyclone comes from the associated coastal and river floods. Similarly, damages related to earthquakes are often caused by landslides, fires, tsunamis, and floods. All communities – urban or rural – are vulnerable to most hazards. However, different regions will be more prone to certain types of hazards than others. Floods and windstorms are the hazards that most frequently lead to disasters in Asia, the Pacific, Europe and North America, while it is droughts and epidemics that are reported in African countries. In contrast, Pacific and Caribbean islands are most vulnerable to the effects of tropical cyclones. El Niño events, floods, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes affect in greater degree the Andean and Meso-American countries. Even within a specific region, such as the Pacific, the frequency and intensity of specific hazards varies from one country to another. Hydrometeorological hazards are most common and floods alone account for two-thirds of people affected by natural hazards. In the same way, different levels of income groups are more or less vulnerable to certain types of haz- 43
2 Living with Risk: A global review of disaster reduction initiatives Hazard classification HAZARD potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon and/or human activity, which may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation. NATURAL HAZARDS Natural processes or phenomena occurring in the biosphere that may constitute a damaging event. Natural hazards can be classified by origin in: geological, hydrometeorological or biological. ORIGIN Geological hazards Natural earth processes or phenomena in the biosphere, which include geological, neotectonic, geophysical, geomorphological, geotechnical and hydrogeological nature. Hydrometeorological hazards Natural processes or phenomena of atmospheric, hydrological or oceanographic nature. Biological hazards Processes of organic origin or those conveyed by biological vectors, including exposure to pathogenic micro-organisms, toxins and bioactive substances PHENOMENA / EXAMPLES • Earthquakes, tsunamis; • Volcanic activity and emissions; • Mass movements i.e.: landslides, rockslides, rockfall, liquefaction, submarine slides; • Subsidence, surface collapse, geological fault activity. • Floods, debris and mud flows; • Tropical cyclones, storm surges, thunder/hailstorms, rain and wind storms, blizzards and other severe storms; • Drought, desertification, wildland fires, heat waves, sand or dust storms; • Permafrost, snow avalanches. Outbreaks of epidemic diseases, plant or animal contagion, and extensive infestations. TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARDS Danger originating from technological or industrial accidents, dangerous procedures, infrastructure failures or certain human activities, which may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation. Sometimes referred to as anthropogenic hazards. Some examples: industrial pollution, nuclear activities and radioactivity, toxic wastes, dam failures; transport, industrial or technological accidents (explosions, fires, spills) ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION Processes induced by human behaviour and activities (sometimes combined with natural hazards), that damage the natural resource base or adversely alter natural processes or ecosystems. Potential effects are varied and may contribute to an increase in vulnerability and the frequency and intensity of natural hazards. Some examples: land degradation, deforestation, desertification, wildland fires, loss of biodiversity, land, water and air pollution, climate change, sea level rise, ozone depletion. 44 NOTES: 1. Hazards can be single, sequential or combined in their origins and effects. 2. Some hazards may have natural or human-induced origin, i.e. wildland fires and desertification, in such a case they may be classified as hydrometerological hazard or refered to environmental degradation.
Page 1 and 2: D Living with Risk A global review
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Acknowledgements
Page 5 and 6: Bastien Affeltranger, France Tom Al
Page 7 and 8: Introduction This is a preliminary
Page 9 and 10: A more vulnerable world The trend s
Page 11 and 12: Journey to a safer world This revie
Page 13 and 14: Eruption of Mount Agung, Bali, Indo
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Page 43 and 44: Photo: J. Jenkins/PAHO
Page 45: World Map of Natural Hazards Source
Page 83 and 84: Community scale model to identify h
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Photo: University of Costa Rica
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Riskland- a fun way to learn how to
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A selection of disaster reduction a
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development of Africa, deserves att
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ment. Therefore organizational fram
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(NSA) and the System for Environmen
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Selected application of disaster re
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patory approaches: empowering local
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een highlighted and additional asse
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Ways to achieve a safer built envir
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ture. The following cases demonstra
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carry out these guidelines. For the
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intended to build institutional str
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The PRECLIF Project for the Local P
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It is because these factors, compou
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Combined investment in economic dev
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mitigation, recovery and reconstruc
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uilding public and individual asset
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early warning reducing the conseque
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organization-specific requirements.
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The success of the WMO programmes i
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orological services can provide by
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Criteria to measure the effectivene
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Chapter 6 Related international com
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Related international commitments a
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These joined the long standing Rams
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The Clean Development Mechanism (CD
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and production, soil conservation,
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Division for the Advancement of Wom
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ECLAC secretariat headquarters Casi
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The UNDP Drylands Development Centr
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The foundation of UNICEF action lie
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Specialized agencies Food and Agric
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World Health Organization (WHO) WHO
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international scientific voice on c
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Disaster Mitigation and Relief Oper
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an International Training Centre fo
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the United Nations Secretary-Genera
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Chapter 7 Challenges for the future
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Challenges for the future 7 Challen
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improved disaster risk reduction. T
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Building performance targets In ord
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Challenges for the future 7 Methodo
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Annexes 1. Terminology: Basic terms
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a3 UNEP/DEPI UNEP/DEWA UNESCO UNFCC
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“In recent years the world has wi
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