Session 2: Linking disasters, development and environment

Transcription

1 Session 2: Linking disasters, development and environment

2 In Session 2 you will learn to Understand that environmental conditions, ecosystems, livelihoods, disaster risks and climate risks are all closely related

3 Outline of Session 2 1. Disaster and development linkages 2. Disaster and environment linkages

4 Part 1. Ecosystem management Climate change adaptation ECOSYSTEM- BASED DRR Disaster risk reduction Source: adapted from Sudmeier-Rieux & Ash, 2009

5 Linking sustainable development and DRR Ecosystems Source: RICS (2009)

6 Environmental causes and consequences of disasters Adapted from UNEP/UNISDR (2008)

7 BUT Example: Overview of disaster impacts from in India No of disaster events 431 No of people killed 143,039 Average people killed per year 4,614 No of people affected 1,521,726,127 Average affected per year 49,087,940 Economic damage (US$ x 1,000) 48,063,830 Economic damage per year (USD$ x 1,000) 1,550,446 Source: EM-DAT CRED

8 Development, livelihoods, disasters Disasters disrupt livelihoods For example, in Sri Lanka due to Tsunami (2004); Agricultural lands in the affected areas became severely saline Wells polluted by salinity and seepage 12,000 damaged; around 50,000 abandoned Invasive plant species spread to the coastal environment, damaging agriculture and forested areas Shifted sand affected lagoon depths and in some cases affected river courses Thousands of small home-gardens, which provide a significant part of the household's nutritional needs to farmers and fishermen, damaged Source: Rizvi/IUCN

9 Part 2. Environment and Disaster linkages 1. Environment as a cause of disaster 2. Environment as a consequence of disaster 3. Environment as a component of disaster risk reduction

10 Adapted from UNEP/UNISDR (2008)

11 Climate change and extreme events: increased risk Higher frequency, magnitude and location of extreme weather events, such as storms, floods and droughts Climate stress on ecosystems: weakening ability to deliver goods and services, and protect against hazard impacts Climate stress on communities: exacerbating existing vulnerabilities S. Ahmed/IRIN

12 Adapted from UNEP/UNISDR (2008)

13 Ecosystem degradation increased vulnerability to disasters Haiti - high rates of deforestation: increased susceptibility to floods and landslides. US - canalisation, drainage and settlement of Mississippi wetlands and degradation of barrier islands: aggravated the high damage caused by 2005 Hurricane Katrina Pakistan - removal of vegetation and road construction: increased landslide susceptibility following the 2005 earthquake NASA

14 Adapted from UNEP/UNISDR (2008)

15 Ecosystem degradation: reduced socio-economic resilience Poor communities most affected Livelihoods depend on natural resources and ecosystem services. Most vulnerable and least resilient to disasters Environmental degradation is a driver of poverty Myanmar: Pre-existing degradation of coastal vegetation constrained livelihood recovery following 2005 cyclone Nargis IRIN

16 Development, poverty, disasters Poverty, vulnerability and disasters are linked - it is most often the poorest that are worst affected and suffer most. Being poor often means marginalisation or exclusion from social protection mechanisms and risk reduction instruments. Over 90% of all people killed by disasters from were low income or lower-middle income people. Source: Rizvi/IUCN

17 Adapted from UNEP/UNISDR (2008)

18 Women, disasters and environment Often more exposed and vulnerable to hazards Highly dependent on natural resources Providers of food, water and fuel for the family D.Gough/IRIN Have unique knowledge on natural resource management Agents of change for using ecosystems for risk reduction M.Deghati/IRIN