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

2Living with Risk: A global review of disaster reduction initiativestoxic waste leakage – exposure is the criticalfactor. That was the case in Bhopal, India, in1984, where material leaked to form a deadlycloud that killed and injured a huge number ofpeople – most of whom came from poor familiesallowed to settle around the chemical plant.The fatal consequences of this chemical releasewere directly related to modernization effortsintroduced as a complex and poorly managedindustrial production system into a societyunable to cope with it.A very important aspect of exposure to technologicalhazards is the fact that they are notexclusively confined to urban-industrial societies.Virtually every modern product andprocess is disseminated to most countries andsocial settings. Of 25 nations with operatingnuclear power stations, at least 14 are in developingcountries. Great oil spills and releases ofnuclear radiation are associated with the dominantenergy and transportation technologies.Chernobyl, Exxon Valdez, Minimata andBophal, are some well known examples oftechnological disasters.Biohazards and vulnerabilityHIV/AIDS can be considered a biologicalhazard. However, due to its enormous real andpotential impact on the human community, italso constitutes a major vulnerability factor tothe impact of other natural hazards. In particular,HIV/AIDS exacerbates vulnerability todrought conditions. Household size andincome diversification, which count as keystrategies to cope with droughts, are severelyaffected by HIV/AIDS, both by reducing theThe situation is very critical for Southern Africa, facing catastrophicconsequences of HIV/AIDS infection. With manycountries recording adult HIV infection rates of 25-30 percent, the 1990s have seen the deaths of thousands of skilledyoung people occupying middle-management positions in theprivate and public sectors. Precious opportunities to developsustainable local and technical capacities in disaster reductionhave been undermined by continuing HIV-related deaths.With its far-reaching effects that span all professions, socialsectors and communities in Southern Africa, HIV/AIDS willcontinue to constitute a major aspect of both household andnational vulnerability for the foreseeable future.labour force and diverting vital economicresources towards medication and treatments.Moreover, infected people living in cities, usuallyreturn to their home villages to die, reinforcingthe already higher vulnerability in ruralenvironments in most African countries.Trends in physical vulnerabilityNinety per cent of the global populationgrowth is taking place in least developed countries(LDCs). In these countries, exposure tohazards is already high through dense concentrationsof population in largely unsafe humansettlements. Vulnerability levels are also exacerbatedby socio-economic and environmentalconditions. In 1980, sub-Saharan Africa had apopulation of 385 million. This figure isexpected to at least double by 2005. Populationgrowth is outstripping food production thatrepresents 40 per cent of GDP in someinstances. But even this figure is precariousgiven less reliable rainfall patterns.The long term trends of demographic growthfor LDCs are creating environmental, as wellas political, refugees. As many as 10 millionpeople have emigrated during recent years butthere may eventually be even greater redistributionsof the African population in response tothe deteriorating food situation. Some of thisredistribution will likely concentrate evengreater numbers in hazardous areas.Due to the urban concentration of population,the greatest potential for disaster exists in thehundred most populous cities. Over threequartersof these are exposed to at least one naturalhazard. No less than seventy of these citiescan expect, on average, to experience a strongearthquake at least once every fifty years. Thegreatest concern is for the fifty fastest growingcities, all of which are located in developingcountries. Cities were often founded on accessiblelocations with inherent risks such ascoastlines, to facilitate transport or floodplainsbecause of their fertility and ample space forgrowth. Urbanization and increasing competitionfor land, results in the creation of unregulatedconstruction which spills over into highrisk areas, such as along hill sides, into lowlying areas, next to industries, or on floodplains.62