Disaster Risk Management by Communities and Local Governments

This study refers to disaster risk management at the local level. The topic was selected by the members of the Natural Disasters Network of the Regional Policy Dialogue, and was presented during its 3rd Meeting, on March 6 and 7, 2003. The goal of this document is to achieve a better knowledge of the best practices and benefits that disaster risk management represents for Latin America and the Caribbean. Included are comparative case studies of the Philippines, Colombia, Guatemala and Switzerland. Also discussed are strengths and weaknesses of local organizations in decentralized systems and financial services for disaster risk management.Disasters, Financial Risk, Decentralization, Civil Society, Environment, disaster risk management

Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment in Mauritania: Reflections on Data Quality, Spatial Scales, Aggregation and Visualizations

International audienceMauritania is vulnerable to climate change due to its location along the Sahel, the desert climate of the Sahara, and its socioeconomic characteristics. To support the identification of climate change adaptation measures in Brakna and Assaba in Mauritania, a spatial assessment of vulnerability to climate change targeting the livelihood sectors of agriculture and pastoralism was carried out. Based on the identification of relevant drivers of climate change vulnerability in a broad consultation process among national and local stakeholders, a variety of geospatial indicators were identified and integrated in the assessments based on a standardized vulnerability assessment approach. In this paper, we provide a reflection on the methodology applied and identify lessons to be learnt on data quality, spatial scales, aggregation and visualizations. The primary conclusion is that users of the assessment results and stakeholders need to be engaged in the entire assessment process in order to reflect local characteristics more fully, and to ensure that the results are reflected in informed decision-making

Spatial-Explicit Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments Based on Impact Chains. Findings from a Case Study in Burundi

Climate change vulnerability assessments are an essential instrument to identify regions most vulnerable to adverse impacts of climate change and to determine appropriate adaptation measures. Vulnerability assessments directly support countries in developing adaptation plans and in identifying possible measures to reduce adverse consequences of changing climate conditions. Against this background, this paper describes a vulnerability assessment using an integrated and participatory approach that builds on standardized working steps of previously developed ‘Vulnerability Sourcebook’ guidelines. The backbone of this approach is impact chains as a conceptual model of cause–effect relationships as well as a structured selection of indicators according to the three main components of vulnerability, namely exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. We illustrate our approach by reporting the results of a vulnerability assessment conducted in Burundi focusing on climate change impacts on water and soil resources. Our work covers two analysis scales: a national assessment with the aim to identify climate change ‘hotspot regions’ through vulnerability mapping; and a local assessment aiming at identifying local-specific drivers of vulnerability and appropriate adaptation measures. Referring to this vulnerability assessment in Burundi, we discuss the potentials and constraints of the approach. We stress the need to involve stakeholders in every step of the assessment and to communicate limitations and uncertainties of the applied methods, indicators and maps in order to increase the comprehension of the approach and the acceptance of the results by different stakeholders. The study proved the practical usability of the approach at the national level by the selection of three particularly vulnerable areas. The results at a local scale supported the identification of adaption measures through intensive engagement of local rural populations

Disaster Risk Management by Communities and Local Governments

This study refers to disaster risk management at the local level. The topic was selected by the members of the Natural Disasters Network of the Regional Policy Dialogue, and was presented during its 3rd Meeting, on March 6 and 7, 2003. The goal of this document is to achieve a better knowledge of the best practices and benefits that disaster risk management represents for Latin America and the Caribbean. Included are comparative case studies of the Philippines, Colombia, Guatemala and Switzerland. Also discussed are strengths and weaknesses of local organizations in decentralized systems and financial services for disaster risk management

Gestión de riesgo de desastres por comunidades y gobiernos locales

El presente documento forma parte de una serie de estudios comisionados por la Red. El estudio se refiere a la gestión del riesgo de desastres a nivel local. El tema fue seleccionado por los miembros de la Red

Climate change vulnerability assessment in Mauritania: reflections on data quality, spatial scales, aggregation and visualizations. GI_Forum|GI_Forum 2016, Volume 1 – open:spatial:interfaces|

Mauritania is vulnerable to climate change due to its location along the Sahel, the desert climate of the Sahara, and its socio-economic characteristics. To support the identification of climate change adaptation measures in Brakna and Assaba in Mauritania, a spatial assessment of vulnerability to climate change targeting the livelihood sectors of agriculture and pastoralism was carried out. Based on the identification of relevant drivers of climate change vulnerability in a broad consultation process among national and local stakeholders, a variety of geospatial indicators were identified and integrated in the assessments based on a standardized vulnerability assessment approach. In this paper, we provide a reflection on the methodology applied and identify lessons to be learnt on data quality, spatial scales, aggregation and visualizations. The primary conclusion is that users of the assessment results and stakeholders need to be engaged in the entire assessment process in order to reflect local characteristics more fully, and to ensure that the results are reflected in informed decision-making

Climate change vulnerability assessment in Mauritania: reflections on data quality, spatial scales, aggregation and visualizations. GI_Forum|GI_Forum 2016, Volume 1 – open:spatial:interfaces|

Mauritania is vulnerable to climate change due to its location along the Sahel, the desert climate of the Sahara, and its socio-economic characteristics. To support the identification of climate change adaptation measures in Brakna and Assaba in Mauritania, a spatial assessment of vulnerability to climate change targeting the livelihood sectors of agriculture and pastoralism was carried out. Based on the identification of relevant drivers of climate change vulnerability in a broad consultation process among national and local stakeholders, a variety of geospatial indicators were identified and integrated in the assessments based on a standardized vulnerability assessment approach. In this paper, we provide a reflection on the methodology applied and identify lessons to be learnt on data quality, spatial scales, aggregation and visualizations. The primary conclusion is that users of the assessment results and stakeholders need to be engaged in the entire assessment process in order to reflect local characteristics more fully, and to ensure that the results are reflected in informed decision-making

Gestión de riesgo de desastres por comunidades y gobiernos locales

El presente documento forma parte de una serie de estudios comisionados por la Red. El estudio se refiere a la gestión del riesgo de desastres a nivel local. El tema fue seleccionado por los miembros de la Red.Desastres naturales, Gestión de Riesgo Risk Management

Manejo integral de riesgos por comunidades y gobiernos locales: Componente II: El fortalecimiento de las capacidades y asistencia técnica para el manejo de riesgos a nivel local

En el marco de la III Fase del Diálogo Regional de Política sobre Riesgo de Desastres Naturales, el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) encargó a la Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (Cooperación Técnica Alemana, GTZ) la elaboración de un estudio sobre "Manejo Integral de Riesgo por Comunidades y Gobiernos Locales", con el objetivo de analizar mecanismos para el fortalecimiento de los actores locales para la reducción de desastres. Este análisis está basado en los resultados de los estudios realizados en las dos fases anteriores del Diálogo, sobre mecanismos institucionales y financieros a nivel nacional. El estudio está conformado por cuatro componentes. El presente informe se refiere al componente II del estudio: El fortalecimiento de las capacidades y asistencia técnica para el manejo de riesgos a nivel local.