Integrating environment into humanitarian risk - Development and use of an environmental emergency risk index to inform capacity development interventions

Abstract

This master thesis is an attempt to investigate to what extent the Environmental Emergency Risk Index (EER Index), which was recently developed by the Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit (JEU), fit field staff and expert perceptions of environmental emergency risk. The findings reveal that the EER Index does not coincide very well with the views of the experts and field staff and that there are some methodological aspects of the development of the index that need to be further refined. Suggestions for improvement of the EER Index conclude that initially more research is needed regarding the choice of indicators, both from researchers and practitioners, and also regarding the analytical and mathematical methodology with respect to uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, to increase the legitimacy and credibility of the index.Natural and man-made hazards expose people around the world to risk, and impacts of these risks often severely affect people in developing countries. Climate change and other trends such as fast developing industries, unregulated urbanisation as well as poor urban planning threaten to increase the occurrence and severity of disasters worldwide. To save lives, enhance the preparedness for and the ability to cope with these disasters, as well as enable a sustainable future, there is a need for change in how we manage these risks. Instead of reacting and responding after a disaster has occurred, we need to try to anticipate these events and prepare for them