IPCC_Managing Risks of Extreme Events.pdf - Climate Access

Managing the Risks from Climate Extremes at the Local LevelChapter 5In order to develop preparedness measures for disaster risk managementand climate adaptation, the vast contextual differences of localitieswill have to be considered. They include differences in populationcharacteristics that influence vulnerability, differences in settlementpatterns ranging from urban to rural, differences in administrative unitsfrom municipalities to provincial governments, and differences withindeveloping and developed country contexts. Given the wide disparities,it is clear that single solutions for disaster risk management are notpossible. For example, there are differences between urban and ruralcommunities in terms of disaster and climate change vulnerability anddisaster risk and adaptation options. Given the rapid pace of urbanizationand diffusion of communication and transportation networks into distantareas, the sharp distinction between urban and rural is less visible inmany areas. In its place is a continuum with local places exhibitingboth rural and urban characteristics with a mix of vulnerabilities andjurisdictional issues that are neither totally urban nor rural (McGregoret al., 2006; Aragon-Durand, 2007).Scalar considerations must also be emphasized in planning. Efforts toforge greater and more equitable capacity at the local scale have to besupported by policies at the national level to increase the ability of localinstitutions and communities to cope with present and future risks fromclimate-sensitive hazards. To effectively reduce vulnerabilities to hazardsassociated with climate change, coordination across different levels andsectors is required, in addition to the involvement of a broad range ofstakeholders beginning at the local level (UNISDR, 2004; DFID, 2006;Tearfund., 2006; Devereux and Coll-Black, 2007; Davies, 2009). The largerglobal context within which a locality is situated affects outcomes. It ispossible that the history of resource exploitation, globalization, and theprocesses of development as currently practiced may be increasing, ratherthan reducing disaster vulnerability at the local level (see Chapter 2).Those choosing strategies for reducing disaster risk and adapting toclimate change, especially in developing countries, need to take theseprocesses into account (UNISDR, 2009).These contextual factors are critical to planning for climate extremes.They suggest the need for strengthening coordination between climatechange adaptation and disaster risk management locally that will in turnimprove the implementation of plans (Mitchell and van Aalst, 2008).Such coordination is also needed in order to avoid any negative impactsacross different sectors or scales that could potentially result fromfragmented adaptation and development plans. This is evident in theimplementation of some of the adaptation strategies, such as largescaleagriculture, irrigation, and hydroelectric development, that maybenefit large groups or the national interests but may also harm local,indigenous, and poor populations (Kates, 2000; Rojas Blanco, 2006).Some sources believe that it is essential that any new disaster riskreduction or climate change adaptation strategies must be built onstrengthening local actors and enhancing their livelihoods (Osman-Elasha,2006a). Moreover, a key aspect of planning for adaptation at the locallevel is the identification of the differentiated social impacts of climatechange based on gender, age, disability, ethnicity, geographical location,livelihood, and migrant status (Tanner and Mitchell, 2008). EmphasisFAQ 5.1 | Why is the local context importantin climate change adaptation anddisaster risk management?In the context of this report, the local refers to a range ofplaces (community, city, province, region, state), managementstructures, institutions, social groupings, conditions, and setsof experiences and knowledge that exist at a scale below thenational level. It also includes the set of institutions (publicand private) that maintain and protect social relations as wellas those that have some administrative control over spaceand resources. The definition of the local influences the contextfor disaster risk management, the experience of disasters, andconditions, actions, and adaptation to climate changes. Localis important because locals respond and experience disastersat first hand, they retain local and traditional knowledgevaluable for disaster reduction and adaptation plans, andlastly they implement adaptation plans.needs to be given to identifying the adaptation measures that serve themost vulnerable groups, address their urgent needs, and increase theirresilience. This often means using a more coordinated and integratedmanagement approach with the involvement of diverse stakeholdergroups (Sperling and Szekely, 2005), which may assist in avoidingmaladaptation across sectors or scales and provide for win-win solutions.5.2. How Local Places Currently Copewith Disaster RiskLocal people everywhere have developed skills, knowledge, andmanagement systems that enable them to interact with their environment.Often these interactions are beneficial and provide the livelihoods thatpeople living in local places depend on. At the same time communitieshave developed ways of responding to disruptive environmental events.These coping mechanisms include measures that seek to modifythe impacts of disruptive events, modify some of the attributes orenvironmental aspects of the events themselves, and/or actions to shareor reduce the disaster risk burdens (Burton et al., 1993). By the sametoken, some actions taken at local levels (e.g., deforestation and coralmining) may also increase disaster risks. It is important to acknowledgethat while climate change may alter the magnitude and/or frequency ofsome climatic extremes (see Chapter 3), other environmental, social,political, or economic processes (many of them also global in scale) areaffecting the abilities of communities to cope with disaster risks andclimate-sensitive hazards (Wisner et al., 2004; Adger and Brown, 2009).Accordingly, disaster losses have increased significantly in recent decades(UNDP, 2004; UNISDR, 2004). These social, economic, and politicalprocesses are complex and deep seated and present major obstacles toreducing disaster risk, and may constrain efforts to reduce community298