Paving the Way for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure - UN CC:Learn

PART IChapter 4: A ‘No-Regrets’ Risk-Based Approach to Climate Proofing Public InfrastructureA ‘No-Regrets’ Risk-Based Approachto Climate Proofing PublicInfrastructure: Improved Nationaland Subnational Planning forResilience and Sustainable GrowthPaul B. Siegel4Motivation, objective, approachMotivationThe heavy rains and flooding in El Salvador in November 2009 destroyed lives, homes and infrastructure.According to a post-disaster needs assessment, Hurricane Ida inflicted $239 million in damages and losses,equivalent to about 1.1 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) (See UNOCHA, 2010). This figurereflects around $135 million in damages to assets and almost $104 million of losses due to reductions ineconomic activity, including production losses and higher service costs. Damage to public infrastructurewas estimated at over $100 million.Hurricane Ida demonstrated El Salvador’s high vulnerability to natural hazards. El Salvador is one of thehighest ranked countries in the world in terms of population and GDP at risk from natural hazards (Dilleyet al., 2005). It is exposed to a wide range of hazards, including hydro-meteorological hazards such ashurricanes, droughts and floods, and geological hazards including earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides.1 Some of the worse damages and losses occur when hydro-meteorological and geological hazardsinteract (e.g. landslides caused by heavy rains). According to the 2009 Global Assessment on Disaster RiskReduction (UNISDR, 2009), El Salvador is classified as a ‘High Risk Class’ country from multiple hazards.Concerns about natural disasters in El Salvador are further exacerbated by forecasts of greater frequencyand severity of different natural hazards, and increased vulnerability associated with climate change.Independent consultant, Dr. PaulB. Siegel prepared this reportfor the UNDP Environment andEnergy Group EnvironmentalFinance Discussion Paper Series,UNDP Climate Change Strategy:Climate Change and InfrastructureDevelopment, 17 May 2010.There is scientific consensus that the world is experiencing climate change and an increase in thefrequency and severity of natural disasters (Stern, 2008; UNDP, 2008; UNISDR, 2009d; World Bank, 2009).Latin America, in particular, is expected to suffer from climate change and increasing natural disasters(UNDP, 2008; De la Torre et al., 2009; EU, 2009; World Bank, 2009b). While specific climate scenarios andimpacts are uncertain, experts agree that climate change implies more frequent and severe weatherrelatedevents for El Salvador (SNET, 2008; World Bank, 2008; Mansilla, 2009). Even small changes in climatepatterns and weather extremes can result in significant damages to existing infrastructure and shouldinfluence the design of new infrastructure (Feethem, 2010). Many Salvadorans face even greater risksrelated to natural disasters and infrastructure in the present, and the near and more distant future.1Hydro-meteorological hazards includetropical cyclones (also known ashurricanes and typhoons), thunderstorms,hailstorms, tornados, blizzards, heavysnowfall, avalanches, coastal stormsurges, floods including flash floods,drought, heat waves and cold spells.Geological hazards include internal earthprocesses, such as earthquakes, volcanicactivity and emissions, and relatedgeophysical processes such as massmovements, landslides, rockslides, surfacecollapses, and debris or mud flows.Hydro-meteorological conditions also canbe a factor in geological hazards such aslandslides, rockslides, surface collapses,and debris and mud flows (UNISDR, 2009).Paving the Way for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Conference Proceedings 17