Integrating disaster risk reduction in national development planning: experience and challenges of Jamaica

It is generally recognised by the disaster risk management and development communities that disasters have a negative impact on development, and indeed can set back development by years. This realisation led to a new paradigm for the management of hazards and their impacts, namely an integrated approach which emphasises disaster risk reduction being incorporated into national development planning. Awareness, however, does not necessarily translate into implementation. ‘Reduce the underlying risk factors’, Priority for Action 4 of The Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015, reported the lowest average score for progress of the five priority areas. Challenges to progress, as reported by Governments included inappropriate development practices, high levels of poverty and other factors which increase vulnerability. Various authors have recognised the difficulty of consistently and successfully integrating disaster risk reduction into development planning. This integration is particularly challenging for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) which face high exposure to hazards, vulnerable populations and limited resources, often both human and financial. The efforts of Jamaica, a Caribbean SIDS, at integrating disaster risk reduction into national development, and some factors which proved to be important in making progress are presented here. This retrospective paper is written from the perspective of a participant observer and traces developments in disaster risk management over three decades, 1980–2010. Integration and inclusiveness, use of quantitative methods and application of risk assessments are identified as being important in gaining acceptance for disaster risk reduction.     

铁路泥石流防治安全性及综合减灾决策的研究

本文介绍铁泥石流防治方案的安全性评估及综合减灾决策技术。文中首先提出了以风险性分析为指导的铁路泥石流防治方案规划原则;然后介绍了综合减灾方案安全性的概念,以及用事故树和计算机仿真技术计算安全度的方法,最后对综合减灾决策模式进行了探讨。     

The interplay between climate change and disaster risk reduction policy: evidence from Mexico

Mexico gained worldwide reputation for its efforts to develop both climate change (CC) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies at the national and international levels. However, the integration of agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Hyogo and Sendai Frameworks into the national institutional setting has been challenging in terms of creating a coherent national risk reduction policy. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the interplay between DRR and CC domains; it provides evidence for the situation in Mexico by comparing the institutions and main actors in both fields as well as the financial and operational instruments currently in force. The comparison is based on institutions’ jurisdictions, priorities and lines of action. This paper synthesises the most important policy instruments, their meeting points and their contradictions and discusses the implications of such policy setting for the implementation of effective CC risk policies. The study depicts a fragmented policy interface with serious shortcomings in terms of the institutional design necessary to coordinate actions. The article concludes that, despite the multiple conceptual and political intersections between both policy fields, the implementation of specific, shared actions would hardly overcome the difficulties imposed by the current, fragmented normative frameworks and jurisdictions.     

A policymaking perspective on disaster risk reduction in Mozambique

Academics and practitioners alike emphasise that public policy plays a key role to support efforts to reduce disaster risks and to buffer the impacts of natural hazards when they occur. This involves developing public policies to promote disaster risk reduction (DRR). However, the public policy dimension has only recently begun to receive attention in empirical research on DRR. Processes of policy change are discussed, yet less often studied, and more empirical research is needed to advance the understanding of the conditions for DRR policy change. Combining insights from adaptation research and public policy theory, this study investigates the long-term development of DRR policy in Mozambique as perceived by multiple stakeholders. The study identifies barriers and enabling factors influencing the DRR policy process over time. Using data from 37 semi-structured interviews, the study finds six main enabling factors supporting DRR policy change. Among the most important enabling factors are past disasters and broad stakeholder involvement. The study also unveils several barriers to DRR policy change, including resource insufficiency and lack of coordination among stakeholders. The study concludes with suggestions for integrating DRR and policy process research and lessons for policymaking in support of DRR over time.     

The social consequences of a natural/technological disaster: evidence from Louisiana and Mississippi

Disaster scholarship shows that people’s relationships stay the same or improve after natural disasters and become worse after technological, or human-induced, events. Using the case of Katrina, this research explores what happens to people’s relationships after a disaster that began with a catastrophic natural event and was followed by numerous failures in the way human institutions responded to the event. Through an analysis of survey data collected in devastated areas of Louisiana and Mississippi in 2008, this study tests how consequences of both natural (damage to the home and having to leave the home) and technological events (distrust in government, stress, concern about toxic exposure, and pursuing litigation) affect people’s relationships with family members and community groups. Damage to the home, distrust in government, and the pursuit of litigation lead to declines in people’s relationships. These experiences are more likely to change intimate relationships (with family) than relationships in the broader community. The relevance that these findings have for creating better social justice outcomes after future disasters is discussed.     

新疆原生地球化学环境灾害特征与防治

新疆原生地球化学环境灾害属自然灾害－原生地质环境灾害之一。它是由地壳内外动力地质作用（包括成岩、构造、水、气、生物等作用）形成的某区域、地区、局部地质体（岩石、土壤）、水体、气体、生物体中某些化学元素或化学成分的超常富集或超常贫化对人类生命健康、生活、生存繁衍及活动造成的灾害、危害和影响。新疆是我国原生地球化学环境灾害较严重的省区之一。在中央实施“西部大开发”战略方针的指引下,从环境地球化学的角度入手,初步划分了新疆原生地球化学环境灾害的类型,分析了新疆源生地球化学环境灾害的特征,并提出了防治对策。     

工程结构的风灾破坏和抗风设计

风是自然界常见的一种自然现象 ,国内外每年都会发生因风灾而造成的严重灾害。风灾损失的主要形式之一是工程结构的损坏和倒塌。因此 ,工程抗风设计计算的合理和全面与否是工程安全的重要关键 ,抗风设计也是工程结构中的重要研究课题。笔者结合我国的有关抗风工程的工程规范 ,介绍了风对结构的作用、工程结构的风灾破坏形式和抗风设计的主要研究内容。最后 ,笔者对抗风工程的研究进行了展望。     

安徽省农业灾害系统的灾度预评估研究

本文从区域灾害系统的概念出发,选用16项指标对安徽省农业灾害系统(79个县、市)进行了灾度的R型因子分析预评估,并探讨了灾度指数空间分异的基本格局及其成因。     

灾害经济损失评估理论与方法探讨

首先根据自然灾害经济损失的特点，对自然经济损失进行了比较合理的界定和分类，在此基础上着重对自然灾害直接经济损失和间接经济损失的评估理论和方法进行了探讨。     

给定地震烈度下供水系统受灾程度分析

本文提出了供水系统在给定地震烈度下受灾程度的一种分析方法。给出了地震后生命线工程系统受灾程度的一个定义。文中利用不同地震烈度下地下管道的统计震害率,并通过经验判断,确定各供水节点之间管道破坏的数量.根据震后各地下管段接头或管体本身对三种不同破坏状态的隶属度,判断管道破坏的位置和破坏的状态。在进行供水系统流量分析的基础上,给出各供水节点的服务状态。最后根据系统受灾程度的定义,计算供水系统的受灾程度。本文既利用了震害统计资料,又综合应用了理论分析得到的对三种不同破坏状态的隶属度。较科学地给出了供水系统地震后受灾程度的分析方法。同时还给出了生命线工程抗震设计准则.