In a national, subregional and regional context, disaster risk reduction mainstreaming into development plans requires operationalizing disaster risk reduction principles and objectives across a range of sectors requiring collaboration among multiple stakeholders.
The key definitions that are used by the Gateway are:
Disaster Risk Reduction: The conceptual framework of elements considered with the possibilities to minimize vulnerabilities and disaster risks throughout a society, to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and preparedness) the adverse impacts of hazards, within the broad context of sustainable development. The disaster risk reduction framework is composed of the following fields of action. [1]
Development planning:The planning process in development areas does not usually include measures to reduce hazards, and as a consequence, natural disasters cause needless human suffering and economic losses. From the early stages, planners should assess natural hazards as they prepare investment projects and should promote ways of avoiding or mitigating damage caused by floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural catastrophic events. Adequate planning can minimize damage from these events’. [2]
Mainstreaming: The ultimate objective of mainstreaming risk reduction is to help ensure that risks emanating from natural hazards are factored into development policy and planning and considered as a matter of course in the design of all development projects and programmes in hazard-prone areas. Moreover, mainstreaming risk reduction should result in appropriate measures being taken to reduce disaster risk and ensure that development plans and programmes do not create new forms of vulnerability.
Mainstreaming efforts all share a similar concern to integrate disaster risk reduction into development decision-making, for example including risk reduction in donor policies and development financing, national development planning, poverty reduction strategies and also linking disaster risk reduction to the Millennium Development Goals. [3]
Pre-disaster central governments have a number of mechanisms available to them for mainstreaming DRR including:
•5 Year National plans, Annual Budgets, CCA’s and UNDAFs. Additional planning tools include Contingency Plans, Risk Assessments, Strategic Environmental Assessments, Cost Benefit Analysis
•Project planning tools include: Programme and Project Implementation Guidelines, Monitoring and Evaluation Guidelines, Environmental Impact Assessments(EIA)s
•Local Governments, with national support, can take more direct action through land-use planning. A range of planning tools are available including: Zoning, Building Standards and Building Codes, Watershed Management, Environmental Master Plans and Hazard Maps
•Awareness Raising Campaigns are also an important element of sensitizing populations to disasters and can involve strategic partnerships with local and international media groups (Reuters..)
•Post Disaster Planning Tools
Once a disaster strikes a different set of opportunities emerge. These include: (i) Flash appeals, (ii) DALA assessments, (iii) Recovery, and (iv) Reconstruction activities.
Analysis of mainstreaming DRR into development planning
Analytical work provided by ESCAP and Gateway partners.
You will find analysis of DRR polices and development plans, key development sectors (such as health and education) and important issues that need to be addressed in order to meaningfully mainstream DRR into development planning (such as gender and disability).
Mainstreaming DRR into the Education Sector
Mainstreaming DRR into the Environment Sector
Mainstreaming DRR into the Health Sector
Gender mainstreaming in DRR
Mainstreaming Indigenous Knowledge in DRR
Hazard Map a tool for mainstreaming DRR
Public Private Partnerships for DRR
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[1] Definition Disaster Risk Reduction: ISDR's publication 2002 "Living with Risk: a global review of disaster reduction initiatives", page 23
[2] Definition Development Planning: http://www.oas.org/dsd/publications/unit/oea66e/ch01.htm
[3] http://www.preventionweb.net/files/1066_toolsformainstreamingDRR.pdf
