Disaster risk reduction
Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is a term used for reducing and preventing the effects of a disaster. This includes projects such as building secure houses in earthquake areas, implementing early warning systems for tsunamis and managing food resources to avoid famine. DRR is founded on the belief that whilst disasters are inevitable, death and suffering from them is not and humans can take action to ensure this.
It is now widely accepted, though not scientifically proven, that climate change has a direct impact on the prevalence and seriousness of disasters. Higher rainfall, changing temperatures and rising sea levels will probably make disasters more frequent in the future. Adaptation to climate change and DRR both seek to achieve sustainability and reduce vulnerability. Subsequently there are growing efforts to closely link DRR and climate change adaptation, both in policy and practice.
- Total disaster risk management handbook
-
This handbook's central theme is the development and application of a system for managing any hazards which appear to threaten a continually habitable and secure society. Directly relating to Thailand, the suggestions presented are applicable to any region or nation at risk of natural or man-made disasters.
The Hyogo Framework for Action and other initiatives
DRR has been high on the international agenda since the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. Prompted by the devastation that followed and widespread recognition for the need to install early warning systems, 168 Governments met at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Japan in January 2005. More...
Challenges
Additional challenges to the implementation of DRR include the economic investment which many developing countries struggle to afford. There are also problems associated with securing insurance in such high risk areas. More...
Community-based DRR
Local communities are perhaps the most important actor of all in DRR. They are the ones directly affected, who retain local knowledge vital to managing risk and are often responsible for carrying out early warning tasks. More...Mainstreaming DRR
Like climate change adaptation, DRR is far more effective when mainstreamed within larger development projects and policies. This has been increasingly recognised since the 1990s. Before this, disasters were frequently viewed as spontaneous and unpredictable events. More...
Education and DRR
Education is extremely important for increasing the capacity of people to deal with and reduce the risk of disasters and so forms a key element of the Hyogo Framework for Action. Both adult and child education has shown its merits in teaching preventative methods. More...
