Community Based Climate Change Community Based Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Reduction in AsiaAdaptation and Risk Reduction in Asia

Lessons and ChallengesLessons and Challenges

V. AnbumozhiAsian Development Bank Institutep

Climate Induced DisastersClimate Induced DisastersRegional distribution of disasters by origin 1991‐2005

Source: ISDR and CRED

Africa Americas Asia Europe OceaniaAsia is the Most Affected RegionAsia is the Most Affected Region

1900

Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania

1920

1940

dar Year

1960

Calend

1980

147 75 1693 103

2000

2010

Number of reported climate induced natural disasters from 1900 to 2010. Note the red numbers are the disasters in 2010 (Modified from EM-DAT)

Human Losses & Climate Induced DisastersHuman Losses & Climate Induced DisastersHuman Losses &  Climate Induced DisastersHuman Losses &  Climate Induced Disasters

5

6

All NaturalWater(M

illins)

4

d fatalities 

FloodChina

2

3

of recorde

d

DroughtBangladesh

FloodChina

Drought

1

Num

ber o Drought

India EQ, Japan & Russia

01900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Calendar year

Recorded number of fatalities of natural and climate induced disasters in the world from 1900 to 2010 (source: EM-DAT, Feb 2012)

Economic Losses of All disastersEconomic Losses of All disasters

Event nameEvent name Loss Loss US$ (billion)US$ (billion)

GDP GDP %% FatalitiesFatalities

The Great East Japan The Great East Japan EQEQ 200200--300300 44

15,373 15,373 (7731)(7731)

(6/16)(6/16)

Sichuan EQ China Sichuan EQ China (2008)(2008) 100100 22 69,00069,000

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina (2005)(2005) 125125 1.71.7 5,3365,336

Kobe EQ (1995)Kobe EQ (1995) 9595--147147 2.42.4 6,4376,437Kobe EQ (1995)Kobe EQ (1995) 9595 147147 2.42.4 6,4376,437

Ketsana Philippines Ketsana Philippines (2009)(2009) 1.091.09 2.72.7 747747

Sidr Bangladesh (2007)Sidr Bangladesh (2007) 1.71.7 2.82.8 3,3633,363

Nargis Myanmar (2008)Nargis Myanmar (2008) 11 8411 84 19 719 7 138 373 138 373 Commonality: Disproportionally Impacted the

P th Y d th Eld lNargis Myanmar (2008)Nargis Myanmar (2008) 11.8411.84 19.719.7 138,373 138,373

Efforts made have not been in vain…. 

Poor, the Young and the Elderly

Climate Change Impacts are unevenly g p ydistributed

22.5 million exposed per year

GDPcap US$31 267GDPcap. US$31,267

HDI =0.953

Mortality ratio = 1

16 million exposed 16 million exposed per year

GDP cap. US$5,137

HDI = 0.771

Mortality ratio = 17

Climate Risk Questions on solutionsClimate Risk Questions on solutions

VulnerabilityThe stronger the  ytyphoon, the less effective vulnerability ff yreduction is

Exposure

Stronger typhoons

How Asia can Adapt to Climate Change RisksHow Asia can Adapt to Climate Change Risks

List of some countermeasuresList of some countermeasures

b k

How Asia can Adapt to Climate Change RisksHow Asia can Adapt to Climate Change Risks

Levees  Embankments Cyclone shelters Early Warning Systems Awareness Hazard maps Building codes Afforestation  Land use planning Community help Self help Relocationp Governance (laws, rules, planning,  settlement 

budget allocation for mgt etc) Risk sharing (insurance….)

CommunityCommunityyy

I  th   t t  f Cli t    i k In the context of Climate  risk management, a community can be g , ydefined as people living in one 

hi l    h    geographical area, who are exposed to common risks due to exposed to common risks due to their location.

Why engage the community?Why engage the community?Why engage the community?Why engage the community?

Golden 24 hours…… More and more disasters occur in the  More and more disasters occur in the 

community and they are the one’s largely affectedaffected

While there are risks brought about by climate change, there are also  risks created by the community themselves

Engaging the community in adaptation  is the most effective and cost efficient way to combat most effective and cost efficient way to combat the risks and effects of climate change 

Asian Tsunami: 26 December 2004Asian Tsunami: 26 December 2004

11Source: http://www.esri.com

Tsunami: sudden and unexpected Tsunami: sudden and unexpected --ppregion unpreparedregion unprepared

No effective early warning system in place Most countries not part of early warning system  Most countries not part of early warning system 

Most affected countries, people and t   d  d    f th  governments unprepared and unaware of the 

nature of a tsunami Some, such as Sri Lanka and Thailand, had never 

experienced a strong tsunami in living – or even historical – memory

People went to inspect the exposed sea bed when sea water receded before coming back with the huge tsunami wave 12

Banda Aceh city, capital of  Aceh Province, Indonesia: before Tsunamibefore Tsunami

13http://digitalglobe.com/tsunami_gallery.html

Banda Aceh: after the tsunamih  i   6  d d    8  di l d  f    illi   l i  ceh province:  167,000 dead, over 800,000 displaced of 4 million population 

14guardian.co.uk

Asian Tsunami Asian Tsunami ‐‐ and Japan 2011: and Japan 2011: ppImpact and CostsImpact and Costs

Country Dead and Missing

Displaced Economic damage (in US $ g g ( $billions)‐ as % of GDP within parenthesis

Indonesia 167,540 811,000 4.5 (2.0%), , ( )Sri Lanka 35,322 519,063 1.5 (7.5%)India 16,269 647,599 1.0 (0.2%)Th il d ( )Thailand 8,212 n.a. 1.7 (1.0%)Other  555 34,700 1.0‐1.5Total 227 898 1 768 260 >10Total 227,898 1,768,260 >10

Japan 2011 ≈20,000 ≈500,000 200‐300 (≈3.5‐5%)

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Local community responses Local community responses ‐‐ followed by followed by national and international actionnational and international actionnational and international actionnational and international action

First, immediate and, time‐wise critical responses came from local communities

f In many cases outside assistance came after 24 hours, sometimes – as in remote Aceh in Indonesia, after several days.days.

National governments acted to address the urgent assistance issues, followed by the largest international assistance issues, followed by the largest international effort ever following a natural disaster It was probably unavoidable that international assistance on p y

such a large scale and simultaneously in several countries would take some time to organise

16

Emergency Relief and Assistance: Emergency Relief and Assistance: g yg yno second round disasterno second round disaster

Urgent medical aid, food, clean drinking water and temporary shelter was provided immediately by local communities

National governments, followed by international agencies followed up with emergency equipment and supplies, logistics, followed up with emergency equipment and supplies, logistics, clean up and delivery of assistanceThese efforts ensured that there were no serious secondary problems such as spread of diseases that often follow a climate induced disasters such as floods due to lack of medical care, clean water etc

17

Rehabilitation and Reconstruction: Rehabilitation and Reconstruction: challenges and progresschallenges and progress

Moving from emergency assistance to medium and longer term rehabilitation and medium and longer term rehabilitation and reconstruction posed more complex challenges:challenges: Financing Institutional arrangements for planning  coordination and  Institutional arrangements for planning, coordination and 

implementation Mode of delivery of assistancey ‘rebuild’ or ‘build back better’? No buildings near coast?

18

Financing Financing ––sourcessources

Massive international sympathy and large scale assistance from governments/institutional donors and private sources (often channelled through community based organization)channelled through community based organization) Direct assistance plus debt moratorium by Paris Club

Initial estimates suggested that international aid  Initial estimates suggested that international aid adequate for bulk of reconstruction India accepted assistance from multilateral institutions only  India accepted assistance from multilateral institutions only 

(≈ USD 550 million) Thailand refused external funding for rebuilding (but got 

substantial ‘technical’ assistance and donations from Thailand based foreign multinationals: ≈ USD 180 million)

19

Reconstruction fell behind targets: Reconstruction fell behind targets: gglimited capacity of institutionslimited capacity of institutions

Slow absorption and spending:  government as well as international assistance not utilised government as well as international assistance not utilised 

fully within stipulated periods

Institutions had limited capacity for planning and p y p gproject implementation

Many international agencies, including many NGOs, y g , g y ,affected by unexpected construction cost increases

20

Resilience and RecoveryResilience and RecoveryResilience and RecoveryResilience and Recovery

Communities coped with courage and resilience, markets and supply channels revived quicklypp y q y

Reconstruction activities facilitated broader recovery Reconstruction of key physical infrastructure – roads, y p y ,

bridges, communication facilities – helped revive local economies and provided livelihood support

D d fi h   i  (b   )  l d  i   Damaged fishery equipment (boats etc) replaced quite quickly, and tourists started to return to Thailand) ‐ delayed in Sri Lanka until conflict finished

Peace came to Aceh

21

Preparing for the FuturePreparing for the Future

High probability‐ high cost disasters require: long term planning, investment of resources, building up g p g g p

local, national and international institutions and coordination mechanisms

Af 2004 A i T i l i i l After 2004 Asian Tsunami early warning systems put in place, community awareness programmes launched, disaster‐preparedness emphasised.p p p

But government and community awareness of potential for similar disasters was starting to fade

March 2011 Japanese tragedy – reminded people again: be prepared!

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Climate Change Adaptation In Climate Change Adaptation In BangladeshBangladesh

Bangladesh -Community Responses

Communities are using various coping g p gmechanisms in reaction to cyclone damage. These households resort to coping strategies that include:strategies that include:

Borrowing funds Relying on relief distributions and changing Relying on relief distributions and changing

the normal diet Reducing the frequency and quality of Reducing the frequency and quality of

meals

Climate Risk Climate Risk ‐‐ InstitutionsInstitutions

Uniqueness/Strengths of Bangladesh in ClimateUniqueness/Strengths of Bangladesh in ClimateUniqueness/Strengths of Bangladesh in Climate Uniqueness/Strengths of Bangladesh in Climate Risk ManagementRisk Management

Risk management institutions down to Union level; Participatory approaches to risk assessment (community risk 

assessment,  

Cyclone Preparedness Program (CPP) along the coast  jointly operated by   Government and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society

42 000 volunteers may be mobilized within one hour 42,000 volunteers may be mobilized within one hour Food warning system Evacuation to multipurpose shelters (2,000 built; another 2,000 

being basuilt)being basuilt) Active roles of print and electronic media as well as the civil 

society; Quick response/involvement of NGOs  l d b ff d l f i i i d i Knowledge base affected people of coping crisis  and its 

management 

ICDPP as a CBDRM Model ICDPP as a CBDRM Model ‐‐ PhilippinesPhilippines

GOAL: Safe and resilient communities

Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation

ess

Community-managed implementation

Proc

Participatory Disaster Risk Management Planning

Building and training of Community Disaster Risk Management Organization

PP P

Participatory Disaster Risk Assessment

Participatory Disaster Risk Management Planning

C it S l tiCD

P

Community Organization/ Rapport Building

Community SelectionIC

FunctionsFunctions• Planning/Land-use ・ Disaster Response Plan• Build Resilient Infrastructures ・ Stockpiling

Pre-emptive

Build Resilient Infrastructures Stockpiling• Disaster Drills / Training ・ Disaster Agreement• Education / Public Awareness ・ Prepare funds

• Evacuate/Rescue/Shelter ・ Recover the remains / Burial• Maintain Peace & Public Order ・ Medical / Health /

SanitationResponse • Inspection of Damages ・ Supply of Daily Goods

• Disaster loss Certificate ・ Support for Resettlement

• Analyze former plan and measures ・ Vitalize Local Economy/Industry

• Redevelopment plan / Land-useReg lation/De eg lationReconstruction • Regulation/Deregulation

• Rehabilitate or Reconstruct Infrastructures

Lesson LearntLesson Learnt Climate risk and community based adaptation have to be viewed

as a part of regular existence, not as an external threat. As such,they need to be integrated into national development planningthey need to be integrated into national development planningand specific development initiatives

Despite growing international recognition of the need for climaterisk, most funding still flows into disaster relief. A clear, new focus

i / d i d d ll l lon prevention/preparedness is needed at all levels. DRR and Adaptation to Climate Change are often viewed as two

separate issues, each with their own set of specialists. Yetpractical reality demands an overall approach combiningpractical reality demands an overall approach, combining“mitigation (enhancing resilience), recovery and response”.Workers in humanitarian aid and development cooperation needto coordinate and harmonize their activities.o oo o

Human aspects not being much addressed in terms of planning,management, institutionalized

IssuesIssuesIssuesIssues

Lack of Legal basis Bottom line: A Request from a municipality/village should come

firstFinancial burden National Gov: Cost shall be reimbursed from the damaged areas g

using special financial measures for activities according to NGO Act; May consider to include “back-up costs” to be reimbursed

Supporting municipalities: Many communities do not ask for i b S i i i lifi dreimbursement; Some activities were not qualified.

Lack of coordination or matching among communities National Gov: Local autonomy is important so that cannot forcey p Local Gov: If there was a coordination, the actions should have

been quicker and more efficientLack of Continuityac o Co t u ty

Adapting to  Climate ChangeAdapting to  Climate Changep g gp g g

Climate

Information

Decision Making

CapacitInformation Capacity

Adaptation Regional

Cooperation for

Financefor

Integrated Approach

ADBI Initiative ‐ Adaptative Capacity p p yProgram

http://www.adbi.org/book/2012/12/01/4825.climate.change.asia.pacific.countries.adapt/

Many challenges remain!Many challenges remain!

We owe it to the victims of these tragedies that lessons are learned and steps are taken to minimise suffering in steps are taken to minimise suffering in 

future.f

Thank youThank you

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