Together We Stand

[ 156 ] Thus the novelty of DRM-SD is that it prompts strategic inter- vention at the risk level, to continue to reduce multiple risks posed by SD challenges to levels manageable by people and planet through mitigation and adaptation. This approach will require us to take no-regret measures, while simultaneously intensifying efforts on more involved mitigation challenges that will require policy, finance and mindset changes. Application of DRM-SD The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction defines risk as ‘hazard x vulnerability/capacity = risk’. The overall concept underpinning any risk reduction project is the conviction that disaster prevention through mitigative measures will reduce the impact of hazard, while preparedness through adaptation and readiness will reduce the vulnerability of exposure units. At the same time use of age-old indigenous best practices, good governance, and poli- cies and practices that strengthen the capacity of communities will considerably reduce the risk. This reduced risk, if real- ized, will mostly result in more manageable disasters, causing reduced loss, damage and hardship. Keeping this in mind CGSS has been organizing a series of capacity-building programmes based on DRM-SD in order to create an enabling environment for humanitarian responses towards risk reduction and resilience-building project imple- mentation. Four such initiatives are described below: training for capacity-building; training followed by action; consultancy for strategy development for disaster management; and a project for community-based resilience-building. DRM-SD capacity-building In 2014, CGSS was awarded US$70,000 by the Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) Japan, based on its proposal on ‘Building Capacity for Reducing Loss and Damage Resulting from Slow and Rapid Onset Climatic Extremes through Risk Reduction and Proactive Adaptation Within the Broader Context of Sustainable Development’. The funding was for two years (2014-2016) in Malaysia, Viet Nam, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) and Cambodia. The highlights of the training curriculum involved: • Discussion of South-East Asian climate trend and scenario with a focus on climatic extremes • Definition of disaster management terms, risk equations, disaster trends, population, urbanization and DRM, Malaysia and DRM • DRM-SD cycle components — risk management (before the event) — prevention and preparedness • DRM-SD cycle — disaster management side (after the event) • Training with risk reduction project management tools involving logical framework analysis, system thinking using the Atkisson’s Pyramid approach, and the World Café for effective stakeholder discussion. T ogether W e S tand The DRM-SD model for risk reduction Source: CGSS-USM B e f o r e t h e e v e n t A f t e r t h e e v e n t R i s k m a n a g e m e n t D i s a s t e r m a n a g e m e n t Resilience enhancement M i t i g a t i o n S u s t a i n a b l e d e v e l o p m e n t R e s t o r a t i o n R e l i e f A d a p t a t i o n R e a d i n e s s R e c o v e r y P r e v e n t i o n P r e p a r e d n e s s R e s p o n s e D 1 D 2 D 3 D 4 R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 Risk reduction G o v e r n a n c e G o v e r n a n c e Sustainable development •Land-use planning •Technical measures •Modelling scenarios •Risk reduction integrated into recovery •Promote equality and sustainable practices •Training and capacity building •M&E, lessons learned and best practices •Rehabilitation Mitigation •Risk assessment and planning •Risk maps •V&A report •Resource planning and allocation •Stock assessment •Financing GOVERNANCE •Policy and praxis •Staffing and finance •Creating an enabling environment •‘Making it happen’ REALISED RISK (DISASTER) •Evacuation •Warning •Information •Instruction Restoration •Reconstruction •Strengthening of resilience •Restoring utilities •Transportation, schools, hospitals and other services •Finances Relief •Search and rescue •Damage assessment •Mobilising assistance •Provisional repair •All emergency management measures Readiness •Monitoring •Forecasting •Early warning •Scenario identification Adaptation •‘Win-win’ or ‘No regret’ •Process-based or discreet •Hard or soft •Insurance