After the Tsunami:

New Impetus for Disaster Reduction?

Background

Sálvano Briceño

Sálvano Briceño was appointed the Director

of the Secretariat of the International Strategy f

or Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) in June 2001.

His career has focused on the management of

environmental and sustainable development pro

grammes at the United Nations, the World Con

servation Union and the Government of Venez

uela.

Prior to joining UN/ISDR, Mr. Briceño was the Coordinator o

f the BIOTRADE and GHG Emissions Trading Initiatives of t

he UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), G

eneva. Before that, he was Deputy Executive Secretary of the

UN Convention to Combat Desertification secretariat (1996-1

999), following several years as the Coordinator of Intergover

nmental and Institutional Support of the UN Framework Conv

ention on Climate Change. Further UN experience includes fi

ve years with UNEP's Caribbean Environment Programme at

Kingston, Jamaica, where he collaborated closely with the Pa

n-Caribbean Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Programm

e (1987-1991).

Earlier in his career, Mr. Briceño worked on e

nvironmental education programmes of the W

orld Conservation Union (IUCN) and coordina

ted a worldwide network of experts (1985-198

7).

Mr. Briceño received a Doctorate in Administr

ative Law from the University of Paris II (Pant

héon-Sorbonne) in 1975 and a Master's in Pub

lic Administration from Harvard University in

1984.

Background of the Talk

Recently, disasters like tsunamis, hurricanes,

earthquakes killed many lives. Countries have

made so many efforts to deal with these disasters.

Most experts agree that for every dollar spent on

disaster reduction, seven to ten dollars are saved in

emergency relief and reconstruction. But floods,

earthquakes and tsunamis continue to take a

devastating toll on countries across the globe.

What measures can be taken to reduce the impact of

natural disasters? What concrete measures came out

of the recent Conference on Disaster Reduction in Ja

pan? How can the same storm system cause massive

floods in Haiti, while relatively little damage is done

to the neighbouring Dominican Republic? These are

some of the questions explored in this edition of Wor

ld Chronicle with Sálvano Briceño, Director of the In

ter-Agency Secretariat of the International Strategy f

or Disaster Reduction.

Words and Expressions

impetus

a force that moves something along

e.g. The present conflict may provide fresh impetus for peace talk.

misnomer

an incorrect or unsuitable name

e.g. Herbal `tea' is something of a misnomer because these drinks contain no tea at all.

vulnerability

the state of being vulnerable or exposed; Something that is vulnerable can be easily harmed or affected by something bad.

e.g. they show great anxieties about the country's vulnerability to invasion.

marshal

If you marshal people or things, you gather them together and arrange them for a particular purpose. e.g. Richard was marshalling the doctors and nurses, showing them where to go.

plug

If you plug a hole, you block it with something. e.g. Crews are working to plug a major oil leak.

analogy

an inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in others

e.g. It is not always reliable to argue by analogy.

suffocation

the condition of being deprived of oxygen (as by having breathing stopped)

e.g. Many of the victims died of suffocation.

exemplary

worthy of imitation; being or serving as an illustration of a type

e.g. Underpinning this success has been an exemplary record of innovation.

degradation

You use degradation to refer to a situation, condition, or experience which you consider shameful and disgusting, especially one which involves poverty or immorality. e.g. They were sickened by the scenes of misery and degradation they found.

retrofit

To retrofit a machine or a building means to put new parts or new equipment in it after it has been in use for some time, especially to improve its safety or make it work better. e.g. Much of this business involves retrofitting existing planes.

seismograph

A seismograph is an instrument for recording and measuring the strength of earthquakes.

e.g. Who invent the first seismograph in the world?

mitigate

lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

e.g. The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.

prone

To be prone to something, usually something bad, means to have a tendency to be affected by it or to do it. e.g. For all her experience, she was still prone to nerves.

antennae

aerial; An antenna is a device that sends and receives television or radio signals.

e.g. You should fix the television antenna before receiving programs.

recede

pull back or move away or backward

e.g. As the tide receded we were able to look for shells.

evacuate

move out of an unsafe location into safety; move people from their homes or country

e.g. The children were evacuated to the country when the city was being bombed.

horrendous

horrific; causing fear or dread or terror

e.g. He described it as the most horrendous experience of his life.

cyclone

A cyclone is a violent tropical storm in which the air goes round and round.

e.g. The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.

solidarity

a union of interests or purposes or sympathies among members of a group

e.g. Supporters want to march tomorrow to show solidarity with their leaders.

deforestation

the state of being clear of trees; the removal of trees

e.g. the ecological crisis of deforestation.

engulf

engross (oneself) fully; flow over or cover completely

e.g. A seven-year-old boy was found dead after a landslide engulfed a block of flats.