In facing recent natural and man-made disasters Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaption (CCA) calls for integrative thinking and learning across cultures, disciplines and institutions. In times of increasing complexity, insecurity and uncertainty thinking outside the box becomes essential. This first volume of “Integrative Risk and Security Research” presents related research contributions developed in the context of the 2013 DAAD Alumni Summer School "Coping with Disasters and Climate Extremes - Challenges & Cooperation Potential". It invites the reader to look beyond common perspectives of DRR and CCA and relates climate change and natural disasters with interdisciplinary and bottom-up policy making.
Nach größeren überregionalen und auch kleineren regionalen Schadenereignissen wird wiederholt diskutiert, welche Mechanismen und Maßnahmen erforderlich sind, um die Gesellschaft widerstandsfähiger gegen Naturgefahren (und auch andere Gefahren) zu machen. Diese öffentlich, auf politischer und wissenschaftlicher Ebene geführte Auseinandersetzung führt stets zu einem gewissen Aktionismus, zu unmittelbaren Bekundungen von monetärer Abgeltung der Schäden, und zu Bekenntnissen im Sinne einer erforderlichen nachhaltigeren Schutzstrategie basierend auf dem Risikoansatz. lm Laufe von Wochen und Monaten nach den Ereignissen verebbt diese Diskussion allerdings regelmäßig, nur vereinzelt werden grundlegende Transformationsprozesse im Umgang mit Naturgefahren angestoßen. Vor diesem Hintergrund stellte das 27. Treffen des Arbeitskreises Naturgefahren/ Naturrisiken die Fragen nach dem Zusammenhang zwischen der Rolle von Wissen, Erfahrung und Lernen im Umgang mit gegenwärtigen aber auch zukünftigen Naturgefahren in den Mittelpunkt. Die vorliegende Ausgabe der Schriftenreihe ‚Integrative Risk and Security Research‘ bietet nun, im Rahmen von Fach- sowie Diskussionsbeiträgen, Einblicke in die dort diskutierten Perspektiven und deckt dabei eine Vielzahl von Gefahren und Risiken ab, wie z.B. Überschwemmung, Hitze, Frost- und Brandschaden in der Landwirtschaft, ein mögliches Versagen des Stromnetzes, Erdbeben, Sturmfluten und Lawinen.
This volume addresses the topics of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaption (CCA) from the perspective of participants of the DAAD Alumni Summer School 2013. Contributions from 16 countries are gathered in this volume, thereby sharing specific knowledge on climate extremes, disasters, adaptation and prevention measures as well as current strategies in a range of different national contexts. The DAAD Alumni Summer School opened up a forum for integrative thinking and learning across cultures, disciplines and institutions. This volume is directly linked to the first volume of the series and presents a further outcome of the Summer School 2013. It invites the reader to look beyond common perspectives of DRR and CCA and relates climate change and natural disasters with interdisciplinary and bottom-up policy making. The outcomes presented in the two volumes are a starting point for further international & transdisciplinary knowledge exchange activities planned for the upcoming years.
Recovery after extreme events - Lessons learned and remaining challenges in Disaster Risk Reduction
(2017)
Disasters such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004, but also other extreme events such as cyclones, earthquakes and tsunami substantially affect the lives of many thousands of people - they are events radically and abruptly changing local circumstances and needs. At the same time they can significantly reshape global paradigms of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Such events also bring to light the challenges in coordinating assistance from the “global community” with all the intended and un-intended effects. Two of the most pressing questions therefore are whether the different actors have learned from the disaster and whether processes of DRR and livelihood improvements have been implemented successfully.
This volume gathers selected papers addressing the following key questions:
- Lessons learned: Which lessons have been learned in a way that a difference can be seen today for the livelihoods and resilience of local people in the regions affected?
- Lessons to be Learned: Despite the body of knowledge created and reflected in a good number of lessons learned studies – what is still unsolved or needs to be emphasized?
- Monitoring and evaluation: Which DRR measures have been perpetuated and how can they be monitored and evaluated scientifically?
- Resilience effects and (unintended) side-effects: Which coping, recovery and adaptation measures are
supported by the resilience paradigm and which other areas are side-lined, neglected or even contrary to the intended effects?
- Dynamics in risk: In which cases has resilience building taken place? In which cases have ulnerabilities
been shifted internally or new vulnerabilities been created?
- Relocation/resettlement: How did the relocation/resettlement process of displaced people take place and what are its long-term effects?
- Urban-rural divide: How have DRR measures in urban vs. rural areas differed and which linkages but also rifts in rehabilitation and reconstruction initiatives can be observed between the two?
- Early warning: What is the future of Early Warning and how can important top-down information chains benefit from or be balanced with bottom-up feedback of users and affected people?
It appears that extreme disaster events spark a plethora of actions in academia, civil society, media, policy, private sector and other organisations. Tragic, as such disasters are, they offer incentives for learning, locally and globally. Lately, disaster impacts have in many cases been detracted through the application of knowledge and experience gained from previous events. However, there are still a number of challenges with regards to learning from past disasters