Linking climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction

Climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) have similar aims and mutual benefits. However, to date the climate change and disaster risk management communities1 have operated largely in isolation from each other û for a number of reasons. This situation must change as a matter of urgency. Adaptation and DRR policy makers, experts and practitioners must communicate and collaborate with each other effectively to ensure a comprehensive risk management approach to development at local, national and international levels of government. This could result in the following benefits: 1 Reduction of climate-related losses through more widespread implementation of DRR measures linked with adaptation. 2 More efficient use of financial, human and natural resources. 3 Increased effectiveness and sustainability of both adaptation and DRR approaches. Closer collaboration on these issues is particularly critical as governments negotiate on the adaptation pillar of the post-2012 framework under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). DRR must be a key component of the post-2012 framework if an effective, sustainable approach to adaptation is to be achieved. The recommendations within this report are focused on improving communication and collaboration between the climate change adaptation and disaster risk management communities. Some are elevant to both communities, while others are more specifically directed at one or the other.

Flood damage real-time estimation model based on remote sensing and GIS

Based on discussing the advantages and short-comings of flood monitoring by using different kinds of remote sensing information derived from different sensors and platforms (satellite, airplane, and ground etc.), the possibility and advantage of the application of integrated remote sensing information in flood monitoring were firstly analyzed in this paper. A special geographical information system (GIS), flood analysis damage information system, FLOODIS, was designed to manage and process information for flood damage analysis then. Lastly, three flood damage models based on remote sensing and GIS were introduced, and the real-time flood damage estimation model, FLOODREM, was developed and preliminary applied to estimate the loss of 1991 flood in Jiang-Huai River Basin, eastern China. The results show that remote sensing and GIS could play important roles in flood control planning and decision-making, and FLOODREM model can be reasonably used to real-time estimate flood damage

Development of a GIS-based decision support system for Indian cities affected by cyclones

The paper describes the various steps involved in developing such a tool. This includes data acquisition, field verification, development of the GIS databases, development of the cyclone risk assessment methodology and the software tool itself. Acquisition of data related to hazard, topography, building inventory and historical damage is one of the major challenges of the project. Use of topographic and bathymetric maps, satellite imagery, GIS and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in the data acquisition and field verification process is discussed broadly. The processing and analysis of the data, using GIS and image processing tools, for generation of Digital Terrain Models (DTM) and land use classification are also discussed. The rudimentary methodology related to cyclone and storm surge modeling and the development of vulnerability functions is also discussed in the paper

Developing decision support systems for mitigating natural hazards risks through relocation

This paper explains the need for integrating decisions for mitigating natural hazards risk with other socio-economic factors based on the fact that some mitigation measures can reduce the risk of natural hazards, but they might introduce new risks for communities. Relocation is among these mitigation alternatives, which has a high potential for creating new risks especially impoverishment and social destruction risks. While planners and decision-makers would like to consider all possible impacts, they are constrained by financial and time issues. In such conditions decision support systems can help planners make better decisions. The process of developing a decision support system using multi-criteria valuation technique and GIS and non-GIS based development tools for relocation and regrouping of rural settlements exposed and affected by natural disasters has been illustrated. The experience shows that such systems can improve the quality and speed of decision making process significantly

Centro de Operaciones de Emergencia COE

El Centro de Operaciones de Emergencia (COE) consiste en una planta física diseñada para recoger la información y realizar el análisis de una emergencia. Es en este lugar donde se tomarán decisiones ejecutivas relacionadas con las políticas a seguir en una situación de emergencia coordinando recursos y atención a la situación de emergencia. Este documento menciona la importancia de un COE, las ventajas de una ubicación centralizada, las funciones y características del personal del COE, conceptos básicos de la configuración del COE, cómo debe ser el flujo de información (mensajes y formularios) y otros aspectos informativos

Community emergency preparedness : A manual for managers and policy-makers

This manual is designed to assist those concerned with preparing for emergencies at the local level. It explain what emergency preparedness is and how to achieve it in an effective, appropriate way. It is intended principally for: local organizations and managers responsible for emergency planning (e.g. health sector administrators, directors of public works organizations, hospital administrators, and head of volunteer organizations), and national and international officials involved in emergency management. National civil protection bodies, emergency management organizations, and sectoral departments, such as public health authorities, are resposible for ensuring the safety and security of a nation's people, resources, and environment in the face of hazards. It is at the community level, however, that the full effects of emergencies are felt, and it is there that definitive achievements in emergency preparedness can be made. It is difficult for national and international emergency organizations to form and effective working relationship with a community that is unaware of its hazards and unprepared for emergencies. The term "emergency" in this manual is used in the broadest possible sense. One person's emergency may be another's were incident, and disasters cause problems above and beyond smaller emergencies. Nevertheless, the processes of emergency preparedness can be used to develop systems and programmes for coping with every scale of adverse events. Similarly, the same preparedness processes can be used for enhancing the safety of a building, a community, or an entire country. This manual explains the processes of policy development, vulnerability assessment, emergency planning, training and education, and monitoring and evaluation for use in a wide range of emergency management applications