A global review of disaster reduction initiatives - Welcome to the ...

5Living with Risk: A global review of disaster reduction initiativesmental consideration also contribute to reducingdisaster impacts.While most regions try to strengthen regulations,there is also a shift towards deregulation,increased use of economic instruments andsubsidy reform, reliance on voluntary action bythe private sector and more NGO participation.National environmental policies thatencourage voluntary agreements as a tool toconserve natural engineering solutions willBangladesh Coastal Greenbelt Project: a project servingenvironment and disaster reductionUndertaken by the Department of Forest, under the Ministryof Environment and Forest, the project’s main objectivesare to:• Prevent loss of life and damage to property by cyclone,storms and associated tidal surges• Protect and improve the coastal environment throughincreased vegetation• Help alleviate poverty by generating income throughincreased tree cover and derived products• Increase forest resources• Increase coastal embankment stability• Establish industries based on forest plantation• Increase multiple use for land• Create popular awareness on sustainable forest management.From Bangladesh State of the Environment Report, 2001increase disaster resilience. Even though notbinding and in many cases restricting longtermplanning, they have some interestingpotential. Donations compensated by tax benefits,leases, covenants controlling land use,charitable deductions are examples of suchtools.Several countries and regions in the worldinclude natural disaster reduction in nationalenvironmental action plans.One of the ten programmes of the NationalEnvironmental Action Plan of Haiti deals withnatural disaster management; it is based on adecentralized and participatory planningapproach including NGOs, the private sectorand bilateral and multilateral donors.Jamaica gives very high priority to climatechange/sea level rise and natural and environmentaldisasters in the implementation of theSmall Islands Developing States (SIDS) Programmeof action.The Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to GlobalClimate Change (CPACC), funded by the GlobalEnvironment Facility (GEF) and executed bythe Organisation of American States (OAS), isone of the most important initiatives in copingwith global climate change in the Caribbean. Itsupports the development of a policy frameworkfor integrated planning and managementfor cost-effective response and adaptation tothe impacts of global climate change. It incorporatesspecific tools such as disaster contingencyplanning.In 1999, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) developed a Draft Plan of Actionaimed at helping SIDS countries meet thechallenges of economic change, environmentaldegradation and natural disasters. The programsfocus on agricultural trade, intensificationand diversification of agriculture, fisheries,sustainable management of land, waterand forestry resources, and environmental protectionand strengthening national institutions.The Plan would improve disaster preparednessby promoting measures to reduce the impact ofhurricanes and cyclones on agriculture andcoastal fisheries. The Plan would assist thecountries to assess their national meteorologicaland hydrological services and support earlywarning systems at national and regional levels.The South Pacific Regional Environment Programme(SPREP) has, for many years, incorporatedmany disaster-related activities intoits program as part of its mandate to managethe shared environment of the Pacific region.While these activities are spread throughoutSPREP’s programs, most have been part ofthe Regional Climate Change Work Programwhich emphasises the impact of extremeweather in the Pacific region and the relationshipsbetween climate change and naturaldisasters. SPREP is also implementing PIC-CAP which will focus on vulnerability assessmentand adaptation options.Another pertinent SPREP activity is a projecton Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the212