Disaster risk reduction : a development concern

This document is an output from a project funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) for the benefit of developing countries. The views expressed are not necessarily those of DFID. Contents Contents i List of tables ii List of figures ii List of boxes ii Acronyms iii Acknowledgements iv Summary 1 1. Introduction: why worry about disasters? 7 Objectives of this Study 7 Global disaster trends 7 Why donors should be concerned 9 What donors can do 9 2. What makes a disaster? 11 Characteristics of a disaster 11 Disaster risk reduction 12 The diversity of hazards 12 Vulnerability and capacity, coping and adaptation 15 Resilience 16 Poverty and vulnerability: links and differences 16 'The disaster management cycle' 17 3. Why should disasters be a development concern? 19 3.1 Disasters hold back development 19 Disasters undermine efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals 19 Macroeconomic impacts of disasters 21 Reallocation of resources from development to emergency assistance 22 Disaster impact on communities and livelihoods 23 3.2 Disasters are rooted in development failures 25 Dominant development models and risk 25 Development can lead to disaster 26 Poorly planned attempts to reduce risk can make matters worse 29 Disaster responses can themselves exacerbate risk 30 3.3 'Disaster-proofing' development: what are the gains? 31 From 'vicious spirals' of failed development and disaster risk… 31 … to 'virtuous spirals' of risk reduction 32 Disaster risk reduction can help achieve the Millennium Development Goals 33 … and can be cost-effective 33 4. Why does development tend to overlook disaster risk? 36 4.1 Introduction 36 4.2 Incentive, institutional and funding structures 36 Political incentives and governance in disaster prone countries 36 Government-donor relations and moral hazard 37 Donors and multilateral agencies 38 NGOs 41 4.3 Lack of exposure to and information on disaster issues 41 4.4 Assumptions about the risk-reducing capacity of development 43 ii 5. Tools for better integrating disaster risk reduction into development 45 Introduction 45 Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) 45 UN Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAFs) 47 Country assistance plans 47 National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) 48 Partnership agreements with implementing agencies and governments 49 Programme and project appraisal guidelines 49 Early warning and information systems 49 Risk transfer mechanisms 51 International initiatives and policy forums 51 Risk reduction performance targets and indicators for donors 52 6. Conclusions and recommendations 53 6.1 Main conclusions 53 6.2 Recommendations 54 Core recommendation …