LAW OF THE CHAIN FOR RESETTING OUR SHARED GLOBAL VISION FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Vienna,

Virginia, USA 

LAW OF THE CHAIN

LAW OF THE CHAIN

A DISASTER IS A WINDOW OF OPPOR-TUNITY TO FIX THE TWO WEAK LINKS IN EVERY COMMUNITY’S DISASTER RESILIENCE PROGRAMME: TRANSFER and MPLEMENTATION OF KNOWLEDGE

2010 PROVIDED MANY NEW WINDOWS OF 2010 PROVIDED MANY NEW WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITYOPPORTUNITY

2010 PROVIDED MANY NEW WINDOWS OF 2010 PROVIDED MANY NEW WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITYOPPORTUNITY

HAITI EARTHQUAKE

FLOODS IN RUSSIA , BRAZIL, AND POLAND

CHILE EARTHQUAKE

PACIFIC TSUNAMI

WINDSTORM XYANTHIA

DROUGHT IN CARIBBEAN

DROUGHT IN CHINA

VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN ICELAND

OIL LEAK IN GULF OF MEXICO

MUD FLOWS IN MADEIRA

LACK OF UNDER-STANDING, TECHNOLOGY, AND PREPAREDNESS

LACK OF UNDER-STANDING, TECHNOLOGY, AND PREPAREDNESS

FAILURE TO TRANSFER AND IMPLEMENT GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

FAILURE TO TRANSFER AND IMPLEMENT GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

COMMUNITY VULNER-COMMUNITY VULNER-ABILITIES EXPOSED ABILITIES EXPOSED

COMMUNITY VULNER-COMMUNITY VULNER-ABILITIES EXPOSED ABILITIES EXPOSED

HAZARDSHAZARDSHAZARDSHAZARDS

FACT:FACT: ELEMENTS OF DISASTER ELEMENTS OF DISASTER RISK EXIST IN EVERY COMMUNITYRISK EXIST IN EVERY COMMUNITYFACT:FACT: ELEMENTS OF DISASTER ELEMENTS OF DISASTER RISK EXIST IN EVERY COMMUNITYRISK EXIST IN EVERY COMMUNITY

EXPOSUREEXPOSUREEXPOSUREEXPOSURE

VULNERABILITYVULNERABILITYVULNERABILITYVULNERABILITY LOCATIONLOCATIONLOCATIONLOCATION

RISKRISKRISKRISK

A disaster has undesirable local, regional, and global

consequences.

REALITY 101

ALL NATIONS LOSE WHEN KNOWLEDGE ON NATURAL DISASTERS

IS NOT TRANSFERRED OR IMPLEMENTED

IN A TIMELY AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO REDUCE COMMUNITY

VULNERABILITIES

THE BOTTOM LINE

KNOWLEDGE THAT DOES NOT PROMOTE “DISASTER RESILIENCE ON THE GROUND” SOMEWHERE DOES NOT LEAVE A LEGACY ANYWHERE.

REALITY 101

A disaster is the result of NOT TRANSFERRING

AND IMPLEMENTING knowledge to reduce vulnerability and risk

REALITY 101

• DISASTER = KNOWLEDGE BUT WITHOUT TRANSFER AND IMPLEMEN- TATION

• DISASTER RESILIENCE = KNOWLEDGE WITH TRANSFER AND IMPLEMEN-TATION

A DISASTER ALWAYS EXPOSES A COMMUNITY’S WEAK LINKS

• INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI--2004

• HURRICANE KATRINA--2005

• FLOODS IN CHINA --2007

• CYCLONE NARGIS—2008

• WENCHUAN, CHINA EARTH-QUAKE--2008

A DISASTER ALWAYS EXPOSES A COMMUNITY’S WEAK LINKS

• HAITI EARTHQUAKE

• CHILE EARTHQUAKE AND PACIFIC TSUNAMI

• ICELAND VOLCANIC ERUPTION AND ASH CLOUD

• OIL LEAK IN GULF OF MEXICO

INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI DISASTER: DECEMBER 2004

Elements of the disaster: 1) An inadequate tsunami warning system, 2) An estimated 220,000 deaths in 11 nations, and 3) $ billions in losses.

FLOOD DISASTER IN CHINA: JULY 2007

Elements of the disaster: 1) Evacuation of one half-million people from the rain-swollen Huai River, 2) a plague of two billion mice, and 3) losses of $3 billion.

HURRICANE KATRINA DISASTER:AUGUST 2005

Elements of the disaster: 1) poor siting and design of the levee system, 2) flooding of 80 percent of New Orleans, 3) 1,800 dead, and 4) losses of $81 billion.

CYCLONE NARGIS DISASTER: IN MYANMAR: MAY 2008

Elements of the disaster: 1) Poor implementation of warning systems, 2) Slow receipt of Inter-national AID, 3) an estimated 220,000 deaths.

WENCHUAN, CHINA EATHQUAKE DISASTER: MAY 2008

Elements of the disaster: 1) Poor implementation of building codes, 2) 88,000 deaths, 3) 25 million buildings damaged, 4) 45 million affected

HAITI EARTHQUAKE DISASTERJANUARY 2010

Elements of the disaster: 1) poor implementation of building codes, 2) an estimated 220,000 deaths, 3) $ 100 + billion in damage, and 4) a 10-year-long recovery.

EYJAFJALLAJOKULL VOLCANO ERUPTS IN ICELAND: MARCH 2010

Elements of the disaster: 1) Lack of prepared-ness to deal with an ash cloud, 2) 100,000 canceled flights in Europe, 3) 1 billion + loss to aviation industry.

THE GREAT OIL LEAK DISASTER OF IN GULF OF MEXICO: APRIL 2010

Elements of the disaster: 1) Lack of technology to deal with an 1-mile deep oil leak adding 22,000 gallons of oil per day, 2) pollution, 3) dead fish and wildfire, and 4) $ 100 + billion loss.

REALITY 101

It is much more cost-effective for a nation to improve the transfer and implementation of knowledge than to try to sustain the socioeconomic

losses from recurring disasters

YOUR YOUR COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

YOUR YOUR COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

DATA BASES DATA BASES AND INFORMATIONAND INFORMATIONDATA BASES DATA BASES AND INFORMATIONAND INFORMATION

HAZARDS: GROUND SHAKING GROUND FAILURE SURFACE FAULTING TECTONIC DEFORMATION TSUNAMI RUN UP AFTERSHOCKS

•HAZARD MAPS•INVENTORY•VULNERABILITY•LOCATION

HAZARD & RISK HAZARD & RISK ASSESSMENTSASSESSMENTS

RISK

ACCEPTABLE RISK

UNACCEPTABLE RISK

DECISIONS ON ON DECISIONS ON ON DISASTER RESILIENCE DISASTER RESILIENCE

• PREPAREDNESS• PROTECTION• EARLY WARNING• EMERGENCY RESPONSE• RECOVERY and RECONSTRUCTION

ELEMENTS OF DISASTER ELEMENTS OF DISASTER RESILIENCE RESILIENCE

THE UNREALISTIC GOAL THE UNREALISTIC GOAL

• NO DISASTERS!• …UNREALISTIC

BECAUSE NATURAL HAZARDS (E.G., FLOODS, SEVERE WINDSTORMS, EARTHQUAKES, DROUGHTS) ARE INEVITABLE AND COMMUNITIES ARE VULNERABLE.

• NO DISASTERS!• …UNREALISTIC

BECAUSE NATURAL HAZARDS (E.G., FLOODS, SEVERE WINDSTORMS, EARTHQUAKES, DROUGHTS) ARE INEVITABLE AND COMMUNITIES ARE VULNERABLE.

THE REALISTIC GOAL THE REALISTIC GOAL

• DISASTER RESILIENCE!

• …, BUT IT DEPENDS ON SUCCESSFUL CAPACITY BUILDING ON MULTIPLE SCALES FOR PREPAREDNESS, PROTECTION, EARLY WARNING, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY/RECON-STRUCTION.

• DISASTER RESILIENCE!

• …, BUT IT DEPENDS ON SUCCESSFUL CAPACITY BUILDING ON MULTIPLE SCALES FOR PREPAREDNESS, PROTECTION, EARLY WARNING, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY/RECON-STRUCTION.

DISASTER RESILIENCE REQUIRES A “24/7” EFFORT

DISASTER RESILIENCE REQUIRES A “24/7” EFFORT

• A 24/7 EFFORT IS NEEDED TO BUILD THE CAPACITY NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT EVERY ELEMENT OF COMMINITY DISASTER RESILIENCE.

• A 24/7 EFFORT IS NEEDED TO BUILD THE CAPACITY NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT EVERY ELEMENT OF COMMINITY DISASTER RESILIENCE.

FACT: FACT: MANY GLOBAL COMMUNITIES LACK CAPACITY FOR DISASTER MANY GLOBAL COMMUNITIES LACK CAPACITY FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE. RESILIENCE.

FACT: FACT: MANY GLOBAL COMMUNITIES LACK CAPACITY FOR DISASTER MANY GLOBAL COMMUNITIES LACK CAPACITY FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE. RESILIENCE.

200 NATIONS AND 7+

BILLION PEOPLE

200 NATIONS AND 7+

BILLION PEOPLE

NORTH AMERICA

NORTH AMERICA

CARIBBEAN BASIN

CARIBBEAN BASIN

SUB-SAHARAAFRICA

SUB-SAHARAAFRICA

MEDITER-RANEAN

MEDITER-RANEAN

ISLAND NATIONS ISLAND NATIONS

ASIA ASIA

SOUTHAMERICASOUTH

AMERICA

EUROPEEUROPE

STEP ONE: FINDING AND ENGAGING

Finding and engaging the right people in the community (i.e., those who are willing to commit to a sustained effort to build capacity for disaster resilience).

STEP TWO: EQUIPPING

Only if the people at risk are adequately equipped with knowledge on the occurrences and consequences of natural hazards (e.g., earthquakes, hurricanes / typhoons, and floods) and a political mandate to become resilient before a natural disaster occurs is there a good chance of actually achieving disaster resilience .

HOW TO SUCCEEDHOW TO SUCCEEDHOW TO SUCCEEDHOW TO SUCCEED

POLITICALPOLITICAL

& SOCIAL& SOCIAL

SCIENCESCIENCE

POLITICALPOLITICAL

& SOCIAL& SOCIAL

SCIENCESCIENCE

PHYSICAL PHYSICAL SCIENCESSCIENCESPHYSICAL PHYSICAL SCIENCESSCIENCES

ENGINEERINGENGINEERING

SCIENCESSCIENCES

ENGINEERINGENGINEERING

SCIENCESSCIENCES

SUCCESS:SUCCESS: COMMUNITY DISASTER RESILINCE COMMUNITY DISASTER RESILINCE SUCCESS:SUCCESS: COMMUNITY DISASTER RESILINCE COMMUNITY DISASTER RESILINCE

STRATEGIC GOALSTRATEGIC GOAL: WORKING TOGETHER TO INCREASE : WORKING TOGETHER TO INCREASE CAPACITY IN EVERY COMMUNITYCAPACITY IN EVERY COMMUNITY

STRATEGIC GOALSTRATEGIC GOAL: WORKING TOGETHER TO INCREASE : WORKING TOGETHER TO INCREASE CAPACITY IN EVERY COMMUNITYCAPACITY IN EVERY COMMUNITY

STEP THREE: PARTNERNING

• Forge partnerships in the community that involve the best available politicians, business leaders, scientists, engineers, the media, medical professionals, and educators in a concerted long-term effort.

COMMUNITY COMMUNITY CAPACITYCAPACITY

GOAL: GOAL: DISASTER DISASTER

RESILIENCERESILIENCE

PRIVATE SECTORPRIVATE SECTOR PUBLIC SECTOR

PUBLIC SECTOR

ACADEMIAACADEMIA

FUNCTIONAL FUNCTIONAL NETWORKING NETWORKING

CHANNELSCHANNELS

INFORMATION INFORMATION NETWORKING NETWORKING

CHANNELSCHANNELSORGANIZATION ORGANIZATION NETWORKING NETWORKING

CHANNELSCHANNELS

IMPLEMENTATIOIMPLEMENTATIONN

COMMUNITY COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERSSTAKEHOLDERS

Stratec ConsultingStratec Consulting

HOW TO FAIL HOW TO FAIL HOW TO FAIL HOW TO FAIL

FACTFACT: NO COMMUNITY CAN REDUCE DISASTER RISK WITHOUT : NO COMMUNITY CAN REDUCE DISASTER RISK WITHOUT GOALS, CAPACITY, OR BY WORKING ALONE GOALS, CAPACITY, OR BY WORKING ALONE

FACTFACT: NO COMMUNITY CAN REDUCE DISASTER RISK WITHOUT : NO COMMUNITY CAN REDUCE DISASTER RISK WITHOUT GOALS, CAPACITY, OR BY WORKING ALONE GOALS, CAPACITY, OR BY WORKING ALONE

NO CAPACITY FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE:NO CAPACITY FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE:NO CAPACITY FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE:NO CAPACITY FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE:

HIGH HIGH RISKRISK

HIGH HIGH RISKRISK

NO MANDATE NO MANDATE FOR DISASTER FOR DISASTER

RESILIENCE RESILIENCE

NO MANDATE NO MANDATE FOR DISASTER FOR DISASTER

RESILIENCE RESILIENCE

EDUCATION EDUCATION THAT DOES THAT DOES NOT BUILD NOT BUILD CAPACITYCAPACITY

EDUCATION EDUCATION THAT DOES THAT DOES NOT BUILD NOT BUILD CAPACITYCAPACITY