Real Risk

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HE EARTHQUAKE THAT

struck off the coast of Indonesia

on the 26 December 2004 unleashed a wave of unprece-

dented proportions. The scale of international response

to the disastrous impacts of this tsunami was also unprece-

dented. In the days, weeks and months that followed, the

international community endeavoured to meet the unique chal-

lenges posed by the catastrophe with new and innovative

approaches.

The Indian Ocean tsunami prompted new mechanisms for coor-

dination among UN agencies, international financial institutions

and non-governmental organizations. Development agencies were

involved earlier in the recovery process – perhaps earlier than ever

before. New protocols for facilitating early recovery are rapidly

maturing. In drawing the linkages between disaster risk and devel-

opment, the recovery process included concerted efforts to ‘build

back better’ and created opportunities to advance sustainable

development and even to help achieve the Millennium

Development Goals. In addition, the coincidence of the post-

tsunami phase with the World Conference on Disaster Reduction

and agreement on the Hyogo Framework for Action in January

2005, assured that disaster risk reduction was a part of the recov-

ery agenda. This new approach to recovery and commitment to

build back better was also marked by unprecedented attention to

environmental issues.

Awareness of the environmental dimensions of disasters is by no

means new. The physical environment is the source of all natural

hazards. While some hazards are the unavoidable consequences

of bio-geophysical processes, others are directly or indirectly

affected by human-induced environmental change. The evidence

that climate change is associated with changing patterns of hydro-

meteorological hazards is no longer seriously disputed. Similarly,

it is well established that land use and land cover change play signif-

icant roles in floods, landslides and droughts. Intact coastal

ecosystems provide valuable, if not total protection from many

coastal hazards. These are among the many crucial services

provided by healthy ecosystems. In addition, the correlation

between degraded ecosystems, poverty and vulnerability to natural

disasters is well documented and the prevention dividends of envi-

ronmental management include strengthened community resilience

and reduced vulnerability to disasters.

Environmental factors in building

risk-resilient communities

Glenn Dolcemascolo, PhD, Technical Adviser, United Nations Environment Programme,

Division of Environmental Policy Implementation/Disaster Management Branch

Environmental impacts of the Asian tsunami in the Maldives

Image: UNEP Asian Tsunami Disaster Task Force