ECOSYSTEMS-BASED DISASTER RISK R THEM7_report_Pragya.pdf · deliberate on the implementation of Eco-DRR approaches to disaster risk reduction and advancement of the Sendai Framework

ECOSYSTEMS-BASEDDISASTERRISKREDUCTION:SCALINGUPECOSYSTEMBASEDDISASTERRISKREDUCTIONINDEVELOPMENTPLANNINGANDPRACTICEINASIA

ThematicSideEvent(THEM7)

7thAsianMinisterialConferenceforDisasterRiskReduction(AMCDRR)3November,2016|NewDelhi,India

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ECOSYSTEM-BASEDDISASTERRISKREDUCTION:ScalingupEcosystembasedDisasterriskreductioninDevelopmentPlanningandPracticeinAsia

ThematicSessionconductedaspartoftheAMCDRR,2016

Althoughtherehasbeenconsiderableprogress inDisasterPreparednessandResilience intheAsia andPacific, the region remains vulnerable to concentrateddisaster risk, and theeconomiclossesintheregionduetotheeffectsofdisasters,continuetorise.Theadoptionof the Sendai Framework, which focuses on the prevention of disasters and increasingdisaster resilience, requires governments to affirm their participation and engagement,whichoccurs intheregionalandsub-regionalplatformsforDisasterRiskReduction(DRR).TheregionalplatformswerefirstevolvedduringtheHyogoFrameworkforAction(HFA2005–2015);inAsia,theplatformsconsistoftheAsianMinisterialConferenceforDisasterRiskReduction(AMCDRR)andtheISDRAsiaPartnership(IAP)Forum.TheAMCDRRisabiennaleeventconductedwiththejointleadershipofhostinggovernmentsinAsia,inpartnershipwiththeUnitedNationsOfficeforDisasterRiskReduction(UNISDR),who provide technical support. It is instrumental in increasing political commitment andstrengtheningdisaster-riskreductionatalllevelsinAsia.TheAMCDRR2016wasaimedtoacceleratetheregionalimplementationandmonitoringoftheSendaiframeworkinAsia,andbringoutthefollowing:a) political declaration from various national governments (‘The Asian Regional Plan for

Implementation of the Sendai Framework’) to accelerate the implementing andmonitoringoftheSendaiframeworkintheregion

b)Statementofactionfromstakeholderstowards‘sharedresponsibility’inimplementingtheSendaiFramework

The Thematic Session, ‘Ecosystems based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR): Scaling upEcosystembasedDisasterriskreductioninDevelopmentPlanningandPracticeinAsia’waspart of the7th AsianMinisterial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR). Thesessionwasaimedathighlightingtheroleofhealthyecosystemsinpreventingdisastersandbufferingtheirimpacts,andidentifyingthewayaheadforintegrationofEco-DRRapproachesinpoliciesandpractice.Theconceptofecosystem-basedadaptationhasbeenaroundforawhileandisreflectedinseveralpolicydocumentsofnations;Ecosystem-basedDisasterRiskReduction(Eco-DRR),isalso well-recognized in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030).However,itcontinuestobemissedoutinthesuiteofsolutionsemployedbycountriesandcommunitiesfordisasterriskreduction.Inviewofthis,theThematicSessionaimedatservingasaplatformtobringtogetherdecision-makersfromthegovernmentandrepresentativesfromthescientific/academiccommunityandgrassrootscommunity-basedorganizations,todeliberate on the implementation of Eco-DRR approaches to disaster risk reduction andadvancementoftheSendaiFrameworkPrioritiesforAction.ThesessionsoughttoinitiateadialogueonthelearningsfromsuccessfulregionalexamplesoftheapplicationofEco-DRR,andadvocacyforitslarge-scaleadoptioninpoliciesandpracticeinAsia.

BackgroundtotheThematicSessiononEcosystem-BasedDisasterRiskReduction,conductedaspartoftheAMCDRR,2016

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ObjectivesoftheThematicSession:

Theobjectivesofthethematicsessionwere:• Toidentifykeylessonsandnextstepsforpromotinglarge-scaleimplementationofEco-

DRR;• To identify potential partnerships in Asia to strengthen research-policy-practice for

scalingupEco-DRRimplementation,andestablishanAction-orientedAgenda.OrganizersoftheThematicSession:LeadOrganisers:

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP): The United Nations EnvironmentProgramme (UNEP) is the leading agency that sets the global environmental agenda,promotes thecoherent implementationof theenvironmentaldimensionof sustainabledevelopmentwithintheUnitedNationssystemandservesasanauthoritativeadvocatefor the global environment. UNEP along with its network partners has demonstratedseveral successful Eco-DRR initiatives and has been a prominent advocate for thisapproach.Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA): ESPA is a global interdisciplinaryresearch programme funded by the United Kingdom's Department for InternationalDevelopment(DFID),theNaturalEnvironmentResearchCouncil(NERC)andtheEconomicandSocialResearchCouncil(ESRC),aspartoftheUK’slivingwithEnvironmentalChangepartnership.ESPAhasbeenstrivingtoensurethatindevelopingcountries,ecosystemsaresustainablymanagedandtherebycontributetopovertyalleviation,inclusivesustainablegrowthandreducedvulnerabilitytodisasters.Pragya:Pragyaisadevelopmentorganisationworkingfortheappropriatedevelopmentofvulnerablecommunitiesandsensitiveecosystemsaroundtheworld.Pragyahasovertwodecadesofrichprogrammingexperienceinremote,difficultareasthatlieintherain-shadowofresearchanddevelopmentattention.Itworkswithnaturalresource-dependentcommunities,someofthemthemostvulnerabletoclimatechangeandnaturaldisasters,tobuildtheircapacitytomanagetheirenvironmentinasustainablemannerandadoptresource-efficientadaptationmeasuresandconservationapproaches.Itstrivestoreducevulnerabilityofthesecommunitiesbyintegratingconservationandmitigationinitiativeswithdisasterpreparednessatthegrassroots.

Collaborators:

• WhitleyFundforNature• IUCNIndia• NationalInstituteofDisastermanagement–India(NIDM)• NationalEnvironmentalEngineeringResearchInstitute(NEERI)• PartnershipforEnvironmentandDRR(PEDRR)• InternationalWatermanagementInstitute(IWMI)• AsianCitiesClimateChangeResilienceNetwork(ACCCRN)

BackgroundtotheThematicSessiononEcosystem-BasedDisasterRiskReduction,conductedaspartoftheAMCDRR,2016

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Pre-eventProcesses-VoicesforEco-DRR-pan-Asia:

AheadoftheAMCDRR,thePragyateamreachedouttoexpertsfrommultiplecountriesinAsia to identify best practices as well as challenges with respect to adoption of theecosystem-basedapproachesacrossAsia.VideoInterviewsof20expertsfrom17AsiancountrieselicitedtheirviewsonEco-DRR,includingsomeoftheconcernsandchallengesthattheyfacewithrespecttothemainstreamingofEco-DRR.The experts, who included scientists and researchers, conservationists and DRRpractitionersatthegrassroots,andpolicymakersandshapers,sharedthelearningsfromthe application of Eco-DRR in their countries, describing successful applications andtechnologiesusedorinnovationsmade,andidentifyingthekeyfactorsthatcontributedto their success. Some shared inspiring stories of inter-agency cooperation and trans-boundary collaboration for Eco-DRR. The video interviews with the experts were alsosupplementedwithimages,videosandothermaterialsentbythemonthecasestudiescited.Thepre-conferenceprocessdrewparticipantsfromawiderangeofinstitutions,includingseveralreputedAsianuniversitiesandresearchnetworks-UniversitiBruneiDarussalam(Brunei), Royal University of Phnom Penh (Cambodia), University of Chittagong(Bangladesh), LAS Climate Risk Nexus Initiative (The League of Arab Nations), AsianDisasterPreparednessCentre(Thailand),AmericanUniversityofBeirut(Lebanon),BRACUniversity(Bangladesh),andUniversityofSriJayewardenepura(SriLanka).Expertsfromnon-profitfoundationsandinternationalnetworksinAsiaalsoparticipatedinthisprocess:FoundationforthePreservationofWildlifeandCulturalAssets(Armenia),BhutanTrustFund for EnvironmentalConservation (Bhutan),MSSwaminathanResearch Foundation(India),HustaiNationalParkTrust(Mongolia),IUCNLiaisonOffice(Japan),RedCrescentSocietyofTurkmenistan(Turkmenistan),Aaruthal(SriLanka),CAMPAlatoo(Kyrgyzstan),IUCN Regional Office forWest Asia (ROWA) (Jordan), IUCN Nepal and TABEÁ- NatureWorld Heritage Programme for Arab States (Bahrain). [Details in Annexure 1: List ofParticipants].ThemessagesoftheexpertsfromCentralAsia,WestAsia,SouthAsia,SouthEastAsiaandEastAsia,interactedwiththroughthepre-conferenceprocesses,wereincludedinfirminguptheconclusionsfromtheeventandsomeoftheseperspectiveswerealsoshowcasedduringtheThematicSessionintheformofnarrowcastofthevideo-interviews.

ThematicSessionatAMCDRR-PanelDiscussionon“ScalingupEco-DRR inDevelopmentPlanningandPracticeinAsia”:

TheThematicSessionwashostedonthefirstdayofthe3-daylongAMCDRRevent,andcomprised a Panel Discussion on “Scaling up Eco-DRR in Development Planning andPractice in Asia”. The session was chaired byMs. Gargi Banerji, Founder, Pragya. ItcommencedwithopeningremarksfromMr.JyotirajPatra,SouthAsianRegionalEvidenceAdvisor forEcosystemServices forPovertyAlleviation (ESPA),whichwas followedbyadetaileddeliberationonthethemebythespeakersonthepanel:Dr.AnilGupta,HeadofDivisionofPolicyPlanning,NationalInstituteofDisasterManagement(NIDM,India),Dr.Deepa Gavali, Acting Director, Gujarat Ecology Society (GES, India), Dr. PriyanieAmerasinghe,Head,HyderabadOffice,InternationalWaterManagementInstitute(IWMI,

DescriptionoftheThematicSessiononEcosystem-BasedDisasterRiskReduction,conductedaspartoftheAMCDRR,2016

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India), andMr. Ritesh Kumar, Conservation ProgramManager,Wetlands International(WI,India).ThePanelDiscussionwasdividedintothreesegmentsinvolvingextensivediscussionsontheassociatedquestions:a)StateofPlay:WhatisthestateofplaywithrespecttoEco-DRR?Whatistheextentof

its adoption in planning and development and its integration in policy in Asiancountries,andwhatarethegapsandchallenges.

b)Evidences:WhatistheavailableevidenceoftheimpactsandbenefitsoftheEco-DRRapproach?WhatarethelearningsfromcasesacrossAsia?

c) Strategy for Mainstreaming: What should be the pathways to scaling andmainstreaming the Eco-DRR approach? What are the strategies by which the fullbenefits of Eco-DRR may accrue? Howmay these be applied at various scales- bycommunities,forlandscapesandintheformofcross-bordercollaboration?

Thediscussionenabledanexchangeofideasandinformationwitheachpanelistsharinghis/herexperienceonthesubjectandthesessionchairsummedupthekeypointsattheendofthediscussion.The Thematic Session drewparticipation from individuals andinstitutions involved in disastermanagement, conservation, watermanagement, communitymobilization, research and policyadvocacy, such as - Center forEnvironment and Development(Kerala,India),TataInstituteofSocialSciences, Asian DisasterPreparedness Centre (ADPC,Thailand), Society for ProfessionalActioninDevelopment(SPADE,WestBengal, India), GorakhpurEnvironmentalActionGroup(GEAG,UttarPradesh,India),EuropeanCivilProtectionandHumanitarianAidOperations(ECHO).ThePanelDiscussionwasfollowedbyarapidQ&AwiththeparticipantsduringwhichtheSpeakers on the panel answeredquestions raised by variousparticipants. The Thematic SessionendedwithClosingMessagesfromallspeakers including the OpeningSpeaker,fourPanelistsandtheChairfortheSession,andaVoteofThanks.Ms. Banerji expressed her sinceregratitudetoeachofthepanelistsandparticipants for their effort incontributingtothevibrantdiscussionand to the organizing team for theireffortinmakingtheeventasuccess.

DescriptionoftheThematicSessiononEcosystem-BasedDisasterRiskReduction,conductedaspartoftheAMCDRR,2016

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Keyconcerns/challengesidentified:

•IncreasingdegradationofecosystemsandinappropriatedevelopmentareenhancingrisklevelsinAsia.TheincreasingdegradationofecosystemsandtrendsofinappropriatedevelopmentareenhancingrisklevelsinAsia.“Asiancountriesaretodayinarushtobuildtheireconomiesandtheirinfrastructure,butmuchoftheireconomicassetsarevulnerableand exposed, and there are millions of poor who are wholly dependent on naturalresources.Developmentishoweverrarelydisasterneutral,andfortheAsiancountries,muchofthedevelopmenthascomeatthecostofthehealthoftheecosystem.”Recklessinfrastructure building and industrial growth alongside over-dependence and over-extractionofnaturalresourcesisdamagingtheenvironment.Consequently,disastersandtheirenormoushumanandeconomiccostareshakingusatourfoundations.Asiadisplaysadisproportionateshareoftheworld’sdisastersandtheirimpacts.Ithas30%ofthegloballandmassand55%ofitspopulation,butexperiences40%ofthedisasters,andsuffers80%ofthefatalities.“Thehistoryofhumanityisreallyaninteractionoftwosystems,humansociety,andnatureandthebalancebetweenthetwoistipping.Theecologicalcapitalthathumansocietyisbasedon,isinastateofdeclinetoday,andtheincreasingshockwavesofdisastersareaddingseveraldimensionsofuncertaintyandinsecurityforhumansociety.With a predominantly human-centric approach however, we continue to put humansocietyandinfrastructureattheheartofdisastermanagement,withoutdueregardfortheprotectionofthisecologicalcapital.”[Ms.GargiBanerji,Pragya-Chair]•ThereisacontinuingschismbetweenDRRandecosystembasedapproaches,andlackof a bridging language contributes to it. Disaster management continues to suffer aschism between traditional DRR with its shorter-term orientation and focus onpreparednessandresponseaimedatprotectionofeconomicassets,andEcosystemBasedApproaches with their longer term horizon and focus on conservation of ecosystems.“Ecosystembasedapproachestowardsdisasterriskreductionarebeingincorporatedinmuch of our policies and legislations, but at the ground level, programs addressingdisasters are primarily focused on preparedness and on relief, in other words, onprotectingeconomicassetsandhumanlife.Ecosystemneedsarelargelyignored.Forfartoolong,disastershavebeenportrayedasisolatedanddissociated“events”-separate,dissociated, and isolated - and the intrinsic interactionbetweenecosystemhealth andhazardsisneglected.Thiscouldpotentiallyleadto150millionenvironmentalrefugeesbythemiddleofthiscentury,aspredictedbytheUN,andmuchlargerscaleofdeathanddamage,duetothecompoundingeffectsofclimatechangeanddisasters.”[GargiBanerji,Pragya-Chair].Thelackofabridginglanguagebetweenthe2interlinkeddomainsaddstotheissue:peopleworkingonecosystemshaveastructuralconservationapproach,whilethose in theDRR domain lack understanding of the functional role of ecosystems andassociatedservicesandbenefits.Incorporationofthisfunctionalapproachisatanascentstage,especiallyinAsia.[RiteshKumar,WetlandsInternational,India-Panelist].• Integrationofecosystem-basedapproaches inDRRsuffersdueto inadequatepolicyfocus,lackofrequisitecapacityandafragmentedapproach.DMlegislationsandpolicieshaveevolvedinmanycountriestointegratetheEco-DRRapproach,oftenthroughUNorother donor-supported programs. In smaller countries that can see the impacts ofdisastersupclose,integrationhasbeenhigher,butthecapacitiesarelacking.Incountrieswithhighercapacityhowever,recognitionoftheimportanceofEcoDRRisoftenlowerandrelatedinterventionsarenotintegratedinpoliciesinasignificantway.ImplementationofecosystemapproachesinDRRsuffersseveralchallenges.Althoughdifferentprogramsand

HighlightsofDeliberationsattheThematicSessiononEcosystem-BasedDisasterRiskReduction,conductedaspartoftheAMCDRR,2016

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plansareinpreparationatnationalandprovinciallevelsforrelatedaspectssuchasclimateadaptationandDRR(e.g.SAPCCsinIndia),ecosystemconsiderationsandDRRaredealtwith separately. [Anil Gupta, NIDM, India- Panelist]. The governance deficit andfragmented approach contributes to lack of cooperation between variousministries/departments and coordinated effort for Eco-DRR; departments often havelimited financial resources or have territorial restrictions, which also affects effectivecollaborationforEcoDRR. [RiteshKumar,Wetlands International, India-Panelist;NaoyaFuruta, IUCN, Japan- Online Interview]. Financing is not always a great challenge, butensuringthateffortsarenotlimitedtoDMagencies,rathereverygovernmentdepartmenthasCCAandDRRintegratedintheirplansandtheyutilisebudgetavailableundervariousprogrammesisachallenge.[AnilGupta,NIDM,India-Panelist].

•InformationonsuccessfulEco-DRRinitiativesandtoolsforbetterEBAarenotavailabletopractitionersanddecision-makers,whichhindersitsuptakeandintegrationinpolicy.Althoughthereareexcellentexamplesofimplementationofecosystem-basedapproachesandrelatedtechniques(e.g. initiatives inSunderbans,Bangladesh,roadtoResilience inBihar,India),thesehavenotbeencomeintothedomainofDRRandtheDRRbenefitswerenotidentified.Therelationshipbetweentheseapproachesandeconomicresilienceandinfrastructural sustainability has not been drawn out. “Sendai Framework puts theunderstanding of disasters as one priority because we have not been able to, fullyunderstandthecausesofrisksandourvulnerability.Wecannotdomuchabouthazardsbutwecanhelpreduceourvulnerability.”[AnilGupta,NIDM,India-Panelist].Besides,theinformationavailable ispredominantlysupply-drivenand fails toaddress theevidence-needsofdecision-makersintheDMdomain.“Ecosystem-basedapproachesstillcontinuetoremainintheperiphery”.[JyotirajPatra,ESPA,India;OpeningSpeaker].Atthesametime,toolswhichcanimproveassessmentofvulnerabilityandforecastingofhazards,aswellas technologies forEBAarenotadequatelyavailable foradoptionand replication.[AnilGupta,NIDM,India-Panelist;DeepaGavali,GES,India-Panelist].• EBA are not considered in development planningwhich leads to elevated levels ofvulnerability and increased expenditure on development and protection of humanhabitations.Urbanisation is impactingperi-urbanareasand theirecosystemsand theirservices-forexample,inNepal,theperi-urbanareasarebearingthecostsofdevelopmentintheformsoflandslides.Adoptionofpoliciesisverysectoralandhinderedbyboundaries,andlackofconversationbetweenurbanandperi-urbanareashavenegativeimpacts.“Ifyouare,developingamasterplanforacityyouneedtoconsiderhowaretheecosystem-basedservicesbeingdegradedandwhicharetheareasthatmightbegettingaffectedbythedisasters.Currently,themasterplannersdonotevenlookattheseconceptsindetail.”[PriyanieAmerasinghe,IWMI,India-Panelist].Regionalplanningandurbandevelopmentcurrentlydonotregardtheintrinsicfunctionsandthebiophysicalandgeomorphologicalcharacteristics of the particular landscape (eg., floodplains, marshes) and associatedecosystemservicesaswellashazardrisks.Forinstance,floodsareanaturalprocessforfloodplains,withtheirobvioususes;however,aspeoplebeginusingfloodpronebasinsashabitation, thenatural cycle is perceivedas ahazard, “theenemy”.Wemustbegin tounderstand what hazards really are. [Ritesh Kumar, Wetlands International, India-Panelist]. Often the natural landscape is destroyed, and subsequently newwaterbodies/openspacesaredevelopedatmuchhigherexpenditure.“Wespendmoneytolevelthelandandthenweprepareanewbudgetproposaltocreatetheso-calledbetterlandscapes. In the name of development and then environmental beautification andsafeguard,wedestroymuchoftheecosystemsandnaturalresources.”[AnilGupta,NIDM,


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India-Panelist].Degradationofnaturalecosystemsisoneofthedriversofdisasterrisks.Disasterscan result fromunplanneddevelopmentand landusechanges (e.g. changeofwetlandstoshrimpfarms,constructiononmarshes),whichleadtoitsecosystemservicesbeingsubduedorhindered[GianlucaPolgar,UniversitiBrunei,Brunei-OnlineInterview].

Eco-DRRBestpracticesandrecommendationsforscalingup:

Keyrecommendationsthatemergedfromthepaneldiscussioninclude:•Adoptionofecologicalinfrastructure:Useofnatureasinfrastructureneedstoevolve.Tobeginwith,ahybridapproachcombiningstructuralandecologicalmeasures,greyandgreenengineering,maybeadopted forDRR (eg., replacing seawallswithmangroves).MediumterminvestmentsinDRRshouldlookatpropertiesoflandscapes(e.g.marshlandsthat absorb excess water during floods) and integrate ecosystem based developmentplanning. Reduced dependence on artificial infrastructure and developing/restoringecological infrastructure can help reduce socio-economic disparities and livelihoodsuncertainties of local communities and thereby reduce focus on short-term gains andimproveresilience.[RiteshKumar,WetlandsInternational,India-Panelist].Coastalbufferzoneestablishment,mimickingthelocalspeciesandthenaturalprogressionofvegetationcanprotectthecommunitieseffectively,ashasbeendemonstratedbysuccessfulEco-DRRmeasuresadoptedpostTsunamiinSriLanka.Bufferzonesshouldbedevelopedinhazard-probelocationscomprisingBio-shields(withspeciesthatprotectfromnaturaldisasters)andBio-villages (practising green farming, green industries for sustainable livelihoods).[Hemanthi Ranasinghe, University of Jayeverdenepura, Sri Lanka- Online Interview].CoastalcasuarinabeltrestorationinSriLankahadsavedseverallivesduringtheTsunamibyactingasanaturalbarriersandthecoastalvegetationbeltalsoservesasacarbonsink.[Sundaram Divakala, Aaruthal, Sri Lanka; Online Interview]. Landslide stabilisationmeasuressuchaseco-safefloorsandotherlowcostbio-engineeringtechniqueshavebeenproven as effective eco-DRRmeasures in Nepal. These also contribute multiple otherbenefits towards sustainable livelihood opportunities and improved resilience. [AnuAdhikari,IUCNNepal;OnlineInterview].•CreationofevidencebaseonimpactsandbenefitsofEBA:WeneedtoshowcasethebestpracticesinEco-DRRandpromotesolutionsthathaveproventobeefficientinthefield, along with documenting clearly the relationships between ecosystem basedapproaches and economic resilience as well as infrastructural sustainability. Bringingtogethercommunitiesandgovernmentagencies for informationsharingand field leveldemonstration, to facilitate technology extension and discussion of issues can helpconvincelocalandnationalgovernmentsregardingtheimpactonthegroundandhelpinscalingup,asrevealedbyasuccessfulEco-DRRinitiativeforensuringfoodsecurityinSriLanka. [Rishiraj Dutta, ADPC, Thailand- Online Interview]. Examples of Eco-DRR fromvarious locations highlight the need to document and promote them for creatingconvictioninanddemandforsuchmeasures:communityeffortsandinnovationsinKoshiBasin across Nepal and India have considerably improved their resilience [Anil Gupta,NIDM,India-Panelist];mangroveafforestation/restorationin16,000hectaresacrosstheeasterncoastalbeltofIndiahaveresultedinvillageslocatedbehindthemangrovesbeingbetter protected during the 1999 super-cyclone and 2004 Tsunami [V Selvam,MSSRF,India;OnlineInterview];re-establishmentoftraditionalembankmentstoaddressfloodingand salinization related hazards (Tidal River Belt project) and plantations along thecoastline (Green Belt project) in Bangladesh helped improve their resilience to hydro-


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meteorological disasters [S M Gubair Bin Arafat, BRAC University, Bangladesh; OnlineInterview];maintenanceofanappropriatenumberoflivestockbycommunities,inkeepingwiththecarryingcapacityof thepastures inMongoliahashelpedtobuildresiliencetowinter drought [Dashpurev Tserendeleg, Hustai National Park Trust, Mongolia; OnlineInterview]. Such evidences need to be documented and promoted. A benchmarkingapproach would be useful and help to integrate learnings from various domains (e.g.organicagriculture,permaculture,etc).[Marie-ChristineMonnier,ECHO,India-Audience].

• Integration of local communities and ensuring livelihoods benefits: Involving localcommunities as part of Biodiversity Management Committees (or similar governancestructures) that undertake Eco-DRR programs has demonstrated success and can bereplicated. Integrating immediate benefits for the communities, such as towardslivelihoods, intheEco-DRRprogramalsohelpstoensure itsuptake.ThesehavehelpedengagecommunitiesinmanagementofcatchmentsinIndia,NepalandSriLanka.[DeepaGavali; Gujarat Ecological Society, India- Panelist; Priyanie Amerasinghe, IWMI, India-Panelist]. ImplementationofanEco-DRRprogrammealong theGulfofKhambat in thewesternIndiancoastalbeltyieldedmultiplebenefitssuchasstabilisationofsanddunes,facilitation of shrimp culture for sustainable livelihoods, food security through ediblemangroveseeds.[DeepaGavali;GujaratEcologicalSociety,India-Panelist].Participativeresearchshouldbeakeystepwhileframingstrategiesfordevelopment,andwouldhelprecognisetheuniquevulnerabilitiesandchallengesofvariousageandgendergroupsandmarginalised social groups. Integration of scientific data and traditional knowledge ofcommunities in designing EcoDRR solutions is also important. [Deepa Gavali; GujaratEcological Society, India- Panelist; [Aida Gareeva Nurovna, CAMP ALatoo, Kyrgyzstan-Online Interview; Rishabh Maheshwari, TISS, India- Audience; Fidaa Haddad, IUCNRegionalOfficeinWestAsia,Jordan-OnlineInterview].

• Develop widespreadawareness and leveragemedia: Creating large-scale awareness on Eco-DRR is essential formainstreaming theapproach. Alongsideshowcasing the evidencebaseonEcoDRR,weneedto make effective use ofthe media tocommunicatethebenefitsofEco-DRRtovariousconstituencies,includingpolicymakersandcommunities,andbuildconvictionintheireffectivenessforDRR.[AnilGupta,NIDM,India-Panelist]. Innovativeuseofmedia/communicationmodes are required to create awareness in communitieslivinginremoterisk-pronezonesandlackingaccesstomainstreammedia.[DeepaGavali;Gujarat Ecological Society, India- Panelist; Serdar Parahadov; Red Crescent Society ofTurkmenistan- Online Interview]. Sharing the good Eco-DRR examples widely can helpencouragelocalpeopletoreplicatethem.[NaoyaFuruta,IUCNJapan-OnlineInterview].Understandingtheevidenceneedsofpolicymakersandpractitioners,weneedtodesignevidencecommunicationasperthedemandratherthanthecurrentsupply-drivenmode.[JyotirajPatra,ESPA-OpeningSpeaker].


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•Useoftoolstomeasure,convince,communicate:Useoftoolsandindicescanalsohelpcommunicate to decision-makers and communities. For example, the StandardPrecipitationEvapotranspirationIndexandVegetationHealthIndex(VHI)canexplainlongtermdroughtcycles,asevidentfromexperiencesofpractitionersinSyriaandtheLeagueofArabNations;duetotheeffectivenessofsuchforecastsinthepast,governmentsarenowincreasinglytakingnoteofsuchinformation. [WadidErian,LASClimateRiskNexusInitiative, The League of Arab States- Online Interview]. Specific Ecological Indices forecosystems, similar to economic indices for nations andprovinces, couldmeasure andcommunicateimpactsofeco-DRR,anddemonstrateimprovementsinecosystemservicesandreductioninrisk.Existingtoolsinthedomain(e.g.HRVA,PDNA–Post-DisasterNeedsAssessment)maybeadaptedtodocumentunderlyingcausesofrisks,anddisasterimpactsonnaturalecosystems(e.g.lossofvegetation,waterbodiesetc).[AnilGupta,NIDM,India-Panelist;GargiBanerji,Pragya-Chair].

•Developnewunderstandingand simplified tools for EBA:There is a critical need toimprove understanding of ecosystems and landscapes and their functions and naturalcharacteristics (eg., instead of perceiving floods as hazards, understanding the naturalfunction of floodplains) towards changing perceptions and propelling the design ofsuitable landuse. [RiteshKumar,Wetlands International, India-Panelist]. Innovations inEBAshouldbesupported,both fornewermethodsand technologies,aswellasnewertools.Collaboration isadvisableduring the researchphase for such technologies/tools,and demonstration of results is important. [Areg Karpetyan, Foundation for thePreservationofWildlifeandCulturalAssets,Armenia-OnlineInterview].Thereshouldbea focus on simple tools for implementation and a simplified, but systematic approach,insteadofhighlytechnicaltoolsasthereisanenormouschallengeregardingcapacitytoimplement.[Marie-ChristineMonnier,ECHO,India-Audience].• Collaborative action across sectors, departments and nations:Good governance inecosystemmanagementneedstobepromoted,andexistingissuesoflackofcooperationamong governmental departments need to be addressed urgently. [Ritesh Kumar,Wetlands International, India- Panelist; S M Gubair Bin Arafat, BRAC University,Bangladesh- Online Interview; M.M. Abdullah Al Mamun, University of Chittagong,Bangladesh- Online Interview]. The stakeholders and institutional settings vary by thecountries and have different level of effectiveness and capacity. Actor analysis matrixneeds to precede programming, and should determine financing and implementationrelatedrolesofdifferentstakeholders,andalsoengagethedesignatedauthorities/focalpointsforvariousinternationalframeworks(ParisClimateAgreement,SDGs,UNFCCC,GCFetc)toworktogether.[TarekSadek,UNEconomicandSocialCommissionforWesternAsia,Lebanon- Online Interview]. Evidence from Kabukri-numa wetland in northern Japanindicate how stakeholder dialogues can help overcome conflict of interest regardingconservation and livelihoods priorities. [Naoya Furuta, IUCN Japan; Online Interview].Transboundary collaboration can help in understanding ecosystem changes and takingtimely,effectiveand jointaction.ModelssuchasArabGeographical InformationRoom(AGIR)adoptedbytheLeagueofArabstates,helpinformdecisionmakersaboutdisasterhotspotsandvulnerablecommunities.[WadidErian,LASClimateRiskNexusInitiative,TheLeagueofArabStates-OnlineInterview].Suchtrans-boundarycooperationcanbestartedwith the sharing of knowledge and tools, success stories, aswell as research at initialstages;cross-borderdata-sharingstillfacesseveralchallenges.[AnilGupta,NIDM,India-Panelist].


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•Stakeholderdialogues,visualizationandcapacitybuilding:Conflictsofinterestamongstakeholdersthatpreventcollaborativeactionshouldalsobeaddressedviainteractionsanddialogues.Establishinglocalcommitteeswithlinktonationalcommitteeshelpsbuildlocal self-relianceand in turnalsoprovidesdecisionmakerswith required information.[NaoyaFuruta,IUCNJapan-OnlineInterview].Visualizationexerciseshelpcommunitiesinunderstanding catchments and in recognizing their interdependence as well asdependenceonecosystems.Regionalandurbanplanningexercisesneedtoincorporateecosystem-provisioningservicesforcities,andensureunderstandingoftheconsequencesof rapidly altering peri-urban landscapes and the associated hazards. Management ofhabitats andecosystemsand the adoptionof suitable Eco-DRR techniques thatdonotconstrainthestakeholders’needs,willalsorequirebuildingcapacityatalllevels,fromthelocalcommunitytothedecision-makers.Ensuringaccountabilityandincentivisation,alongwitheffectiveregulationsandmonitoringcanhelpinscalingup.[PriyanieAmerasinghe,IWMI,India-Panelist].

• EBAs at landscape scale and transboundary intiatives:EBA for DRR are particularlyeffectiveatlandscapescale.Hazard,vulnerabilityandcapacityassessment(HVCA)shouldintegrateobservationofbiophysicalandgeomorphologicalcharacteristicsoflandscapesto devise DRR plans. There are successful ecoDRR case studies that follow a clusterapproach(e.g.Mahanadiriverbasinanddeltamanagement,India)anddemonstratethatinitiativesundertakenat landscapescale,canamplifyecosystemservices.Collaborativeplanningacrosssharedcoastalzoneorriverbasinsensuresustainablemanagementofthelandscape. [Ritesh Kumar, Wetlands International, India- Panelist]. Sustainablemanagement of eco-tones (ecological transition zones) by connecting them throughEcotonalNetworksatwatershedlevelacrossmosaicsofurbanornon-urbansystemscanincreasetheresilienceoftheecosystemstheyconnect.[GianlucaPolgar;UniversitiBruneiDarussalam-OnlineInterview].Ecosystems,vulnerabilities,disasters,degradation–donotfollowpoliticalboundaries.Countriesneedtoworktogetherforallcommunitiestoadapt,tosurvive.Regionalpolitical instabilityalsocontributestoeco-degradationandtherebydisasterrisk.[FidaaHaddad,IUCNRegionalOfficeinWestAsia,Jordan-OnlineInterview;SMGubairBinArafat,BRACUniversity,Bangladesh-OnlineInterview].Governmentsneedto work together and reduce procedural hurdles for trans-boundary co-operations(effective collaborationexists betweenRussianandMongolian govton trans-boundarywild firemanagement). [DashpurevTserendeleg,HustaiNationalParkTrust,Mongolia-OnlineInterview].Trans-borderinitiativesareparticularlyimportanttoreduceriskfromfloods, tsunami and other disasters. Sharing of good examples, traditional knowledge,communityinnovations,casestudiesshouldbeinitiatedasentry-levelstrategy,whichareeasiertoachievecomparedtosharingofrawdatawhichfacessignificantrestrictions.[AnilGupta,NIDM,India-Panelist].

Closingremarksandcallforaction:

Attheendofthesession,Ms.GargiBanerjithankedthepanelistsandtheaudienceandallexpertswhohadsharedtheirviewsthroughonlineinterviewsforafruitfuldeliberation,andrequestedallspeakersfortheirconcludingremarksandcallforaction.Thekeymessagesfromthespeakersareasfollows:“One of the key areaswould be to try to understand the evidence needs of the policymakersandpractitionersworkingonthefield.Weneedtopauseandthinkastowhatis


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thattheyneedintermsofgettingtheunderstandingofEco-DRRintopolicyandplanning.And,asagroupofpractitionersandresearchersareweabletomeetthatneed?Ifnotthenletustrytounderstandandfindoutwaysinwhichwecanunderstandtheirneedsfirst,sothatwhatweareproposingcangetmainstreamed.”–Mr.JyotirajPatra,OpeningSpeaker.“We must not seeconservation assomething for differentspecies. It is for DRR aswell, because they sharethesameagendaanditistimetolinkthemupfairlyclosely.” – Mr. RiteshKumar,Panelist.“We need to bridge thegap between the policymakersandthecommunitysothatthecommunitybenefitsfromtheinterventionsandtheriskreductionoccursaswell.”–Dr.DeepaGavali,Panelist.“Wehaveagoodtraditionalandindigenousknowledgebase.Traditional-theknowledgethatwehaveinherited,andindigenous-newtechnologiesandinnovationsthatwehave.Itistimetoincorporatethetraditionalandindigenousknowledgeintopractice.”–Dr.AnilGupta,Panelist.“We need some sort of accountability as well. How do we bring in the accountabilityaspect?Shouldtherebesomesortofan‘incentivisation’forEco-DRR?ThisissomethingthatweneedtoreflectoninordertoadoptandimplementthefutureEco-DRRprocesses.”–Dr.PriyanieAmerasinghe,Panelist.“AtthetopofthepileistheneedtostronglyestablishtheroleoftheNatureinsustainabledevelopmentofhumansociety,andtorecognizethefactthatifwedestroynature,wegetdestroyedintheprocess.Humanracehasreachedtheacmeofthehierarchyofcreaturesonearth,becauseofitsabilitytovisualizethefutureandshapeit(forexample,thesteamengine,andinternet).Weneedtousethatabilitytodaytoperceivetheshapeofthingstocomewithcurrenttrendsofinappropriatedevelopmentanddisregardofecosystems,andensurethesurvivalofbothhumansandnature.”–Ms.GargiBanerji,ChairandModerator.


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ConclusionsoftheThematicSession:

Ms.GargiBanerjicrystallizedthekeyconclusionsfromtheThematicSessionasfollows:

i. AlthoughtheprinciplesforEco-DRRhavebeenaroundforquitesometime,theiradoptionhasbeensmallandscattered,andtheintegrationofthisapproachinDRRpolicycontinues tobeweakand fragmented.AsAsiancountriesattempt todealwiththeincreasingshockwavesofdisastersandreducetheirhumanandeconomiclosses, it is imperative that they include ecosystem-based approaches in theirdisastermanagement policies.Mainstreaming Eco-DRRand rapidly scaling up itsapplication within the next 20 years would yield substantial reduction ofvulnerability to ecological disasters, and also provide other socio-economicbenefits.

ii. Thedichotomybetweenhazardandvulnerabilityneedstoberecognized,alongwith

thefactthatvulnerabilityratherthanhazardsneedstobeaddressed,particularlysince several ecological hazards are natural processes for particular ecosystems.Decision-makersandpractitionersintheregional/urbanplanningandDMdomainsmustacknowledgethefunctionsandspecificcharacteristicsofecosystems,aswellasthedriversofrisksandecosystemservices,andfactortheseintodevelopmentplansandecosystem-basedinterventionstowardsDRR.

iii. There is an urgent need to recognize the convergence between climate change,

ecosystemservicesandconservation,andDRR,andtomovebeyondtheschismsand boundaries that characterise the domain today. Cross-sectoral programmesthatblend livelihoodsandnatural resourcemanagement, integrativeapproachesthatbridgeurban-peri-urbandivides,arerecommended.

iv. Collaborations are essential and Eco-DRR programmes and policies need to be

targeted at landscape, basin, and watershed level, and involve multipledepartments and districts/provinces that cater to specific ecosystems. Trans-boundaryinitiativesneedtobefosteredaswell.

v. ThereisalargebodyofevidenceavailableontheapplicationofEco-DRR,butmuch

ofitisnotavailabletodecision-makersandpractitioners,whiletheirpresentationlacks forclear linkagesbetweenthe interventionsandtheir impactsandbenefitswithrespecttoriskreduction.ItiscriticaltobuildupastrongevidencebaseforEco-DRR,showcasingeffectiveinterventionsandmeetingtheneedsofpractitionersaswellasdecision-makers.Bestpracticesandsuccessfactorsmustbedrawnout,asmustdataonmetricsforriskreduction.Convictionintheapproachanditsupscalingviaintegrationinpolicyanduptakeinpracticewouldfollow.

vi. To facilitate theuptakeofecosystem-basedapproaches, it isnecessary tocreate

routes to operationalise it. This would include: a functional language that alsoensures a bridge between the DRR and conservation domains; techniques forecosystembasedapproachesandthespecificparametersfortheiradoption;toolsandindicestoassessecosystemsandvulnerability,aswellastomeasureresultsandimpactsofEco-DRRwork.ThelattershouldbeusedtocommunicatetheimpactsandbenefitsofEco-DRRaswellandthuscreateasupporterbase.

ConclusionsandOutcomeoftheThematicSessiononEcosystem-BasedDisasterRiskReduction,conductedaspartoftheAMCDRR,2016

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vii. Blendingoftechnologies,structuralmeasureswithecosystembasedapproaches,isthe way forward. This would help us address the short-term criticalities ofprotectinghumansettlementsandinfrastructure,alongsidemediumandlong-termneedsofprotectingecosystems.

viii. There isneedtoprioritiseecosystemservicesanddisadvantagedcommunities in

Eco-DRR programmes and policies. People, who have to contend with socio-economicorotherdisadvantages,aredisproportionatelyaffectedbydisastersandoverwhelminglylackresilience.

ix. Eco-DRRhastohavetheinvolvementofvariousstakeholders,andcivilsocietyhas

astrongroletoplayinthisprocess.Ithastobeginwithathoroughunderstandingofstakeholdersusingparticularspacesandecosystemservices,theirdiverseneedsand agendas, the conflicts between them and with the health of ecosystems.Communities need to be made aware, ensuring outreach to the most remotecommunities,andtheirparticipationgenerated,andstakeholderusesneedtobemediated,withfacilitationandsupportbygovernments.

Outcomeoftheevent:

TheAsianMinisterialConferenceforDisasterRiskReductioncameoutwiththeNewDelhiDeclarationandtheAsianRegionalPlanforImplementationoftheSendaiFrameworkforDisasterRiskReduction2015-2030.Theplantooknoteofrecommendationsfromalldeliberationsatthemaineventandthematicside-events.Mainstreaming Ecosystem-Based Approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction was adoptedunder the priority IV of the Asian Regional Plan devoted to “enhancing disasterpreparednessforeffectiveresponseandto‘BuildBackBetter’inrecovery,rehabilitationand reconstruction”. The Asian Regional Plan cited “mainstream ecosystem-basedapproachesthroughtrans-boundarycooperationtobuildresilience”asakeypriority.

ConclusionsandOutcomeoftheThematicSessiononEcosystem-BasedDisasterRiskReduction,conductedaspartoftheAMCDRR,2016

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AnnexureA–ListofParticipants

Speakers:

1. OpeningRemarks:Mr.JyotirajPatra;EcosystemServicesforPovertyAlleviation(ESPA)2. ChairandModerator:Ms.GargiBanerji;Pragya 3. Panelist:Dr.DeepaGavali;GujaratEcologicalSociety(GES)4. Panelist:Mr.RiteshKumar;WetlandsInternational5. Panelist:Dr.AnilGupta;NationalInstituteofDisasterManagement(NIDM),India6. Panelist:Dr.PriyanieAmerasinghe;InternationalWaterManagementManagementInstitute(IWMI)

Online/SkypeInterviews:

1. Dr.GianlucaPolgar;UniversitiBruneiDarussalam,Brunei2. Dr.PemaChoephyel;BhutanTrustFundforEnvironmentalConservation,Bhutan3. Dr.SeakSophat;RoyalUniversityofPhnomPenh,Cambodia4. Dr.V.Selvam;MSSwaminathanResearchFoundation,India5. Dr.WadidErian;LASClimateRiskNexusInitiative,TheLeagueofArabStates6. Mr. Areg Karapetyan; Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC),

Armenia7. Mr.DashpurevTserendeleg;HustaiNationalParkTrust,Mongolia8. Mr.M.M.AbdullahAlMamun;UniversityofChittagong,Bangladesh9. Mr.NadimFarajalla;AmericanUniversityofBeirut,Lebanon10. Mr.NaoyaFuruta;IUCNLiaisonOffice,Japan11. Mr.RishirajDutta;AsianDisasterPreparednessCentre,Thailand12. Mr.SMGubairBinArafat;BRACUniversity,Bangladesh13. Mr.SerdarParahadov;RedCrescentSocietyofTurkmenistan;Turkmenistan14. Mr.SundaramDivakala;Aaruthal,SriLanka15. Mr.TarekSadek;UNEconomicandSocialCommissionforWesternAsia(ESCWA);Lebanon16. Ms.AidaGareevaNurovna;CAMPAlatoo;Kyrgyzstan17. Ms.AnuAdhikari;IUCNNepal;Nepal18. Ms.FidaaHaddad;IUCNRegionalOfficeforWestAsia(ROWA),Jordan19. Ms.HaifaaAbdulhalim;TABEÁ-NatureWorldHeritageProgrammeforArabStates,Bahrain20. Prof.HemanthiRanasinghe;UniversityofSriJayewardenepura,SriLanka

Audience:[Total37]

1. Dr.A.SankarankuttyNair;CentreforEnvironmentandDevelopment–Kerala2. Dr.NMIshwar,IUCNIndia3. Mr.ArchitBose,Pragya4. Mr.RishabhMaheshwari;TataInstituteofSocialSciences5. Mr.RishirajDutta;AsianDisasterPreparednessCentre,Thailand6. Mr.RohitBahl,Pragya7. Mr.SubhasishDebnath;SPADEWestBengal8. Mr.SunilPillai;Pragya9. Ms.MarieChristineMonnier,Directorate-GeneralforEuropeanCivilProtectionandHumanitarian

AidOperations(ECHO)10. Ms.NiveditaMani;GorakhpurEnvironmentalActionGroup(GEAG)11. Ms.SejutiBasu,Pragyaand26others

CompiledbyPRAGYA(www.pragya.org)

Documents

ECOSYSTEMS-BASED DISASTER RISK R THEM7_report_Pragya.pdf · deliberate on the implementation of Eco-DRR approaches to disaster risk reduction and advancement of the Sendai Framework