Integration of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in SAARC Region
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Date
January, 2014Author(s)
- Prof. R K Mall
- Prof. Santosh Kumar
Abstract
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is a concept and practice for reducing the disaster risks through systematic efforts by analyzing and managing the causal factors of disasters. It includes the measures adopted for reduced exposure to hazards and measures for lessening the vulnerability, management of land and the environment, and the improved preparedness for adverse events (UNISDR, 2009). Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), on the other hand, refers to the adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, in order to contain harm or exploit beneficial opportunities (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change-UNFCCC). Both DRR and CCA represent policy goals; the former is concerned with a widely known problem of disasters and the other with an emerging issue of climate change. While these concerns have different origins, they overlap a great deal through the common factor of weather and climate and the similar tools used to monitor, analyze and address their adverse consequences. It makes sense, therefore, to consider them and implement in a systematic and integrated manner. There has been very little information in public domain as to how the regional DRR and CCA are carried out in South Asia. Whether these are dealt separately or as embedded components of each other. Without such knowledge, it would however be difficult to develop an enabling environment and a roadmap for the practical integration of these two areas of practice, for reducing the adverse impacts of events which do not recognize the geographic and political boundaries. This study has therefore been carried out as a first step to shed light on the practices on the fronts of DRR and CCA. It will provide a snapshot on as to how DRR and CCA are undertaken and integrated, if at all, in the region. It does so by taking stock of past and the ongoing regional initiatives and by looking into the role of certain organizations in the implementation process. It will also discuss the key developments in the areas political thought processes and at the level of policy and institutional mechanism, which are considered to be instrumental in facilitating the integration of DRR and CCA agendas in the region. This study aims to operationalize the Thimphu Declaration on Climate Change by contributing to improve regional planning and programming for DRR and CCA, and highlights areas for cooperation among regional and sub-regional organizations. It also aims to support both national and regional stakeholders engaged in the field of DRR and CCA, such as governments, non-governments organizations, intergovernmental agencies research and technical organizations, U.N. agencies etc. for enhancing the regional planning, programmes and cooperation.
Citation
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Asia and Pacific, Thailand, SAARC Disaster Management Centre, New Delhi and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
Publisher
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Asia and Pacific, Thailand, SAARC Disaster Management Centre, New Delhi and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
Rights Holder
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Asia and Pacific, Thailand, SAARC Disaster Management Centre, New Delhi and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
URI
https://knowledgehub.pksf.org.bd/collections/RmxqSWtMejhLTEkrMmZKbFJtN1J5UT09