Disaster Risk Reduction is elaborately defined in the three landmark agreements popularly known as the Post-2015 Global Frameworks:
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 was adopted at the Third UN World Conference in Sendai, Japan on March 18, 2015. It is the outcome of stakeholder consultations initiated in March 2012 and inter-governmentalnegotiations from July 2014 to March 2015 supported by the United Nations’ Office for Disaster Risk Reduction at the request of the UN General Assembly. The foreword to the Sendai Framework describes it as “the successor instrument” to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters.
The Sendai Framework for DRR (SFDRR or Sendai Framework), the first international agreement adopted within the context of the post-2015 development agenda, marks a definitive shift globally towards comprehensive disaster risk management aimed at disaster risk reduction and increasingdisaster resilience going far beyond disaster management. This approach calls for setting the overall goal as that of preventing new and reducing existing disaster risk through the implementation of integrated measures. The goal now is on DRR as the expected outcome, setting goals on preventing the creation of new risks, reducing the existing ones, and strengthening overall disaster resilience. In addition, the scope of DRR has been broadened significantly to focus on both natural and human-induced hazards including various environmental, technological and biological hazards and risks. The Sendai Framework acknowledges the interlinkages between climate change and disaster risks. Disasters that tend to be exacerbated by climate change are increasing in frequency and intensity.
As per the Sendai Framework, it is necessary to address existing challenges and prepare for future ones by focusing on monitoring, assessing, and understanding disaster risk and sharing relevant information. The framework notes that, to cope with disasters, it is “urgent and critical to anticipate, plan for and reduce disaster risk”. It requires the strengthening of disaster risk governance and coordination across various institutions and sectors. It requires the full and meaningful participation of relevant stakeholders at different levels. It is necessary to invest in the economic, social, health, cultural and educational resilience at all levels. It requires investments in research and the use of technology to enhance multi-hazard Early Warning Systems (EWS), preparedness, response, recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. The 17 SDGs are integrated— they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others; and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.
Sustainable Development and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) are closely interlinked. A single major disaster (i.e., rapid onset disaster like an earthquake, storm, tsunami or landslide) can undo hard-won development progress and set back development by years. A “stress” incident (i.e. a slow onset disaster like drought, sea level rise, and salinity intrusion into groundwater stocks) can also cause long term socio-economic harm. Climate change aggravates impacts from both natural hazards and human induced vulnerabilities by acting as a threat multiplier.
The Paris Agreement was adopted on 12 December 2015 at the Twenty-first session of the Conference of the Pares (COP21) to the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) held in Paris from 30 November to 13 December 2015. The agreement builds upon the UNFCC and brings together all nations into a common cause to combat climate change and adapt to its effectswith enhanced support to assist developing countries. The agreement aims at “holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels recognizing that this would significantlyreduce the risks and impacts of climate change”.
Climate change is now a global phenomenon. But it’s the people living in the high altitudes like Ladakh who will be the first victims of disasters induced by the climate change. Quality of life, security and economy are intricately woven with the climate of the region.The environment has been largely neglected in the course of Leh’s growth which has not only reduced the natural resources such as clean water and safe land available, but has increased vulnerability to natural disasters. While impacting the climate system is beyond the scope of local action, Leh must still focus on making its residents more environment– conscious, revitalise traditional systems and find new solutions to manage and protect natural resources and increase resilience against future disasters. Such actions will not only help Leh to adapt to the impacts of climate change, but will increase the happiness people feel when living in true harmony with nature.
Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council has come up with a very significant document in the form of “Leh Vision Document 2030”which lays special emphasis on the SDGs.“Resilience” is acknowledged both explicitly and implicitly in the Sustainable Development Goals targets. The vision set out in the SDGs is for people, planet, prosperity and peace. The “Leh Vision Document 2030” was formed to create a coherent, inclusive and actionable vision for the future of Leh. The main objective is to balance the short-term needs and long-term priorities from the perspective of environmental sustainability and mitigating natural and human made risks.
Before a disaster, to reduce the potential for human, material or environmental losses caused by hazards and to ensure that these losses are minimized when the disaster actually strikes, the following strategies may be helpful:
After a disaster, to achieve rapid and durable recovery, a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities of the officials and stakeholders is an absolutely necessity. The mechanismmay look like the following:
4. Social Inclusion in DRR:
The Disaster Management Act 2005 (Chapter 11, Section 61) prohibits all forms of discrimination based on sex, caste, community, religious in any activities related to disaster risk reduction, disaster relief or humanitarian assistance to the affected people. The preamble of National Policy of Disaster Management 2009 notes that the economically weaker and socially marginalized sections, women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes tend to suffer more during disasters. A community’s vulnerability to disaster depends on the social, cultural, economic and political environment.
The term social exclusion signifies all experiences of discrimination based on any attribute, caste, gender, differences in abilities, ethnicity, creed, religion, sexual orientation or any other attribute. Social exclusion is a process through which individuals or groups are wholly or partially excluded from fully participating in all aspects of life of the society in which they live, on the grounds of their social identitiessuch as age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture or language and/or physical, economic, social disadvantages.
Inclusive Disaster Risk Management is about equality of rights and opportunities, dignity of the individual, acknowledging diversity and contributing to resilience for everyone not leaving aside members of any community based on age, gender, disability or other.