December 2016 southasiadisasters.net 1themimu.info/.../Building_Resilient_Communities.pdf2...

southasiadisasters.netDecember 2016 1

southasiadisasters.net December 20162

DRR AND CCA

Training Needs Assessmentfor DRR and CCABackground, Purpose and Output

of the StudyDisasters are very frequent in AndhraPradesh (AP), making it astupendous task to mitigate extensivelosses to humans, livestock andphysical infrastructure. River KrishnaFlooding (October–2009) and HudhudCyclone (October–2014) provideexamples rare severity. Perhaps dueto Climate Change (CC), disasters areviewed as extreme weather events;and, many perceive CC is having adirect impact on the prevalence andseriousness of disasters; besides,causing them more frequently. MostMandals (sub–district units), in all thedistricts of Coastal and Rayalaseemaregions are perennially drought–prone. Consequently, disasters thatstrike the State not only compoundthe problem but pinpoint the lacunain stakeholders' capabilities toaddress disaster preparedness,emergency relief, rehabilitation andreconstruction. One of the ways ofcountering disasters is to prepare thestakeholders comprising officials,elected leaders, Civil Society andCommunities through continuouscapacity building.

Training programs are beingconducted on disaster preparednessfor functionaries of key departments.Yet, their capabilities are inadequateduring pre-and-post-disaster phases.Meanwhile, the concept and practiceof Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) hasbeen evolving rapidly. DRR is an all–embracing concept generallyunderstood to mean the broaddevelopment and application ofpolicies, strategies and practices tominimize disaster risks.

Lately, Climate Change (CC) and itsAdaptation (CCA) have becomedominant themes; and, there areincreasing efforts to mainstream DRR

and CCA into development. TheGovernment of AP (GoAP) hasrecognized that mainstreaming DRRand CCA has not been fullyaccomplished by key Statedepartments. Further more, trainingprograms conducted on DisasterManagement have not been need-based. Training in CC–related areasapropos the National Missions onClimate Change is yet to take off. So,GoAP has decided to conduct aTraining Needs Assessment for DRRand CCA, under the aegis of GoI andUNDP titled: "Enhancing Institutionaland Community Resilience to Disastersand Climate Change." The overallpurpose of TNA is to review the presentcapabilities and identify TrainingNeeds apropos DRR and CCA.

MethodologyAs referenced earlier, the purpose ofTNA Study is to examine the currentarrangement and capabilities ofidentified departments about DRRand CCA; and, to suggest relevantTraining Need Areas though.1. SWOT Analysis of the identified

departments;2. Information gathered from the

participants of workshopsconducted at the two projectdistricts, Krishna andVisakhapatnam and Dr. MCRHRD Institute;

3. Responses received throughcanvassing a questionnaire;

4. Individual and Groupinteractions; and

5. Feedback received from participantsof Validation Workshop.

Study FindingsThe Study was concerned withvarious departments that areinvolved in the pre-during-and-post-disaster activities. As several counter-disaster staff trainings have beenconducted on DRR. Hence, it is

ABOUT THIS ISSUE

Disasters are often seen asextraordinary events that

occur suddenly to causewidespread loss of life andproperty in the communities theystrike. However, there areunderlying causes of vulnerabilitythat keep on incrementallyincreasing the exposure of acommunity to a disaster over time.Thus, resilience building is anexercise of systematicallyidentifying and reducing theseunderlying causes of vulnerabilityto build resilient communities.

This issue of Southasiadisasters.netfocuses on the theme of 'BuildingResilient Communities' andhighlights important areas forresilience building across differentlevels. Not only does this issuehighlight the existing underlyingcauses of vulnerability but theemerging ones as well. Forinstance, climate change has hada profound impact on the exposureof communities to 'climate induceddisasters'. In this respect, this issuehighlights the integration betweenadaptation to climate change andbuilding resilience to disasters.

Another important theme exploredis how climate change impactschildren and what role can theyplay in adaptation to climatechange. Poverty is oftenconsidered to be the greatestunderlying cause of vulnerability,therefore the role of povertyalleviation and rural developmentfor risk reduction have also beenexplored here. Blending the ideasfrom researchers and practitionersalike, this issue highlights all theimportant aspects of buildingresilient communities in India andbeyond.

– Kshitij Gupta, AIDMI


imperative that all the keydepartmental functionaries, down tothe grassroots should be associatedwith DRR activities; and, aresupposed to be familiar at least withDisaster Management Act–2005 andState/Department/District/DisasterManagement Plans. Considering theimportance gained overtime, thedepartmental functionaries shouldhave been familiar with DRR and basicskills to initiate actions to minimizethe vulnerabilities and disaster risks.

Currently, CCA became a leadingtheme drawing worldwide attention.The GoI identified Eight Missionsunder CC at the National Level to beimplemented in a Mission Mode.Accordingly, all the StateGovernments have replicated theseeight Missions, and the officialsshould have developed acquaintancewith National/State Action Plans andought to have been capable ofmainstreaming DRR and CCA intodevelopmental plans.

Rooted in the information providedby stakeholders, significant knowledgegaps were found among numerousfunctionaries associated with almostall mitigation activities of theirdepartments: DRR implementationstrategies; concept of CCA; NationalMissions on CC-activities and targets;National/State Action Plans on CC;Mainstreaming DRR and CCA intodevelopment planning. Somedepartment-specific gaps in skillsencompassing Integrated Soil andWater Management; EnvironmentalImpact Assessment; Building Disasterand CC Resilient Infrastructure;Urban Disaster Management; GreenBuilding Strategies for mitigation ofCC effects; Hazard Risk andVulnerability Assessment; SolidWaste Management, etc., were well-known. Thus, it was baffling to notethat many functionaries even lackbasic knowledge on initiativesregarding DRR and CCA of theirown departments.

By now, all the key departmentsshould have had an exclusive cell on

DRR and CCA at the State and Districtlevels. But, most of the departmentsdo not have such a cell/wing at theState and Districts. Therefore, aspecific Training Policy, particularlyfor enhancing Knowledge and Skillson DRR and CCA, is missing in amajority of government departments.On the other hand, it was establishedthat disaster mitigation competencieswere slightly better than adaptationcompetencies, which may be due tothe fact that CCA has received greaterattention only recently. Conversely,CCA is a new and complexphenomenon, mostly based onEnvironment Science, an area wherecapacity development is quite limitedfor now.

Study PropositionsThe Study has suggested TrainingNeeds Areas related to DM, DRR andCCA, which are: (1) common acrossall the departments; and, (2) specificto some departments:

Some of the Training needs Commonto all Departments• Implementation of DM Act 2005

— Departments' Role andResponsibilities;

• DRR implementation strategies;• Hazard Risk and Vulnerability

Assessment; and• Mainstreaming DRR and CCA

into development planning.

Training needs Specific to some of theDepartments• Sustainable Dry Land Agriculture

for Food Security and RuralLivelihoods;

• Integrated Water ResourceManagement in response toClimate Change;

• Environmental ImpactAssessment; and

• Urban Disaster Management.

The Road AheadFollowing the lead set out by theSendai Framework, GoAP will haveto strengthen disaster riskgovernance by organizing counter-disaster and CCA–centered capacitydevelopment programs for allstakeholders by identifyingappropriate "Training Needs" areas.Pursuant to this, therecommendations of GoI-UNDP'sendeavor must be sincerely put intopractice. Moreover, the GoAP issupposed to take initiatives forsensitizing officials and otherstakeholders for mainstreaming DRRand CCA to sustain disastermitigation, with a larger humanpurpose, in order to promote adisaster resilient State, which mayserve as a model for other States inthe country. – Dr. K R Sastry, Formerly, Professor,

Disaster Management,Dr. MCR HRD Institute, Hyderabad

Validation Workshop at Dr. MCR HRD Institute, Hyderabad.


CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate Change and Child Rights:An Assessment

In 2009, the Office of the HighCommissioner for Human Rights

(OHCHR) issued a report on climatechange and human rights whichemphasized the threats that climatechange poses to the human rights ofchildren, including to their right tohealth1. Children represent 30 percentof the world's population andcompared with adults, children arephysically more vulnerable and bearthe brunt of the impact of climatechange. Natural disasters, food crisesand changing rainfall patternsthreaten a wide spectrum ofchildren's rights, including their basicrights to education, health cleanwater, and the right to food2.Amongst children who migrated tocities to escape neglect and abuse,loss of parent, to escape conflict of

natural disaster and other reasons arehave added vulnerability.

According to climate changevulnerability index 2014 childrenunder 15 year of age currently livein the 20 countries are at extreme riskof negative impact of climate change.Out of those 20 countries 7 are fromAsia and India is one of them withmore than 350 million children below15 years.3 It is estimated that overthe next decade, approximately 175million children will be affected byclimate-related disasters per year4

and by 2050 twenty-five million morechildren will be undernourished as aresult of climate change5. All theseassessments are indicating that in theoncoming years the respect of theConvention on the Rights of the

Child (CRC) adapted by UN generalassembly in 1989 is going to be themost affected Convention by theadverse consequences of climatechange on children. Due to that, themajority of the countries may not beable to fulfill their commitments tothe CRC and generations of childrencould suffer now and in the futuremay be the denied their rights in thefuture. It is evident from severalstudies that child rights are at riskbut most affected rights from climatechange related hindrance are-• Right to survival and

development – Child right tosurvival is directly confronted byincreasing climate relateddisasters, and by the increased riskof disease and hunger as a resultof climate change.

1 OHCHR (2009). Report on the relationship between climate change and human rights. UN Doc. A/HRC/10/61, 48-50.2 UNICEF United Kingdom (2013). Climate change: Children's challenge. London: UNICEF UK. Available at www.unicef.org.uk/

Documents/Publication-pdfs/unicefclimate-change-report-2013.pdf3 Maplecroft (2014): Climate Change and environmental Risk Atlas (2014.) Maplecroft.4 'The Legacy of Disasters', Save the Children, 2007. savethechildren.org.uk/en/docs/legacy-of-disasters.pdf5 Nelson, G. C., M. W. Rosegrant, J. Koo et al. (2009). Climate change: Impact on agriculture and costs of adaptation. Washington

DC: International Food Policy Research Institute.

Children playing in agriculture field, in Odisha.

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• Right to Protection–Climatechange is leading to increasedmigration from areas that isrenders dangerous oruninhabitable. In 2015, there areover 52 million refugees anddisplaced people worldwide6.

• Right to health–Child right tohealth is directly and indirectlythreatened by climate change.Many of the major cause of deathlike diarrheal diseases,malnutrition, malaria and dengueare highly climate sensitive. Andare expected to worsen as theclimate changes7. Estimates

indicate that more than 85% of theglobal disease burden occurs inchildren under 5 due to climatechange8.

To minimize the risks and fulfill CRCcommitments it is important tointegrate climate change in child rightpolicy processes. While in currentscenario most of existing climateimpact assessments and policies aredeveloped without attention to childrights issues and required responseare remain overlooked. However inorder to combat climate changeimpact on child rights there is need

to develop interconnectednessbetween climate change and keychild rights issues, and to elevatethe CRC as a vital framework andmechanism for protecting child rightsin a changing climate. This could alsohelp to avail new opportunities forAsian countries to fulfil their CRCcommitments by concretely linkingCRC implementation to othergovernment processes for mitigatingand adapting to climate change.

– Dr. Vijai Pratap Singh,Founder, Kalhans Education and

Environmental DevelopmentFoundation, Basti, Uttar Pradesh

6 UNHCR (2015): http://www.unrefugees.org.au/#aboutrefugees7 WHO (2013): Climate change and health. Fact sheet N°266. Reviewed November 2013.8 WHO (2009): Global Health Risks. Mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. WHO, Geneva 2009.

RISK REDUCTION

BRACED: Building Resilience in Myanmar

Myanmar, the second mostvulnerable country to climate

extremes globally , is at a moment ofunprecedented institutional,economic and social change.

Since Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmarin 2008, the country has madesignificant progress in supportingcommunities to plan and be betterprepared for natural disasters andclimate change. Lessons from theBuilding Resilience and Adaptationto Climate Extremes and Disasters(BRACED) programme arehighlighting the need for increasedharmonization between planning forcommunity development to supportrural development and povertyreduction efforts and those lookingto strengthen resilience to shocks andstresses that may affect thedevelopment pathways ofcommunities.

The BRACED Myanmar Alliance is apartnership between internationalagencies, national implementingagencies, and research agencies

focused on furthering the resilienceagenda in Myanmar. The Alliancemembers include the lead agencyPlan International, Action Aid, BBCMedia Action, World Vision, theMyanmar Environment Institute andUN Habitat. The Allianceadditionally coordinates with anumber of technical and collaborativepartners, recognising partnership andcollaboration as a building block tostrengthening resilience.

Finding out what people need to bebetter able to cope with climateextremesWhat are the underlying drivers ofvulnerability in communities andwhat kinds of climate extremes anddisasters (i.e rapid and/or slowonset) are communities exposed to?

A "Community ResilienceAssessment and Action Handbook2"has been developed by BRACED toexplore these questions. Theassessment looks at how differentpeople (men, women, boys and girls)are affected by understanding the

different sensitivities within thecommunity.

The assessment tools identify bothdisaster and climate relatedsensitivities as well as highlightingthe wider shocks and stresses thecommunity are vulnerable toincluding conflict, unplanneddevelopment and environmentalchange. In addition the tool also helpsassess capacities within communitiesidentifying existing strengths that canbe built upon such as existing disasterplans and strategies. This data is thenused to identify and prioritise actionsfor strengthening resilience todisasters and climate change.

The assessment and accompanyinghandbook are currently beingimplemented in 155 communitiesacross different climatic zones ofMyanmar.

1 The Global Climate Risk Index 20162 http://www.braced.org/resources/i/

?id=127f0e24-a44a-4468-abca-96db853f6558


Community needs and BRACEDresponseImprovements in access andunderstanding of climate andweather data, forecasts andpredictions means that communitiescan base decisions on currentunderstandings in what is known asevidence-based decision making.Improving communities' access toaccurate climate and weatherinformation will help them plan theirseasonal planting, diversify theirlivelihoods options, and betterprepare for disasters such as floodingby protecting their assets on time.

Prioritising solutionsThe BRACED target communitieshave prioritised and implementedkey resilience measures comprisingsoft skills and capacity to be betterable to anticipate shocks stressesharder disaster mitigation andclimate change adaptation measuresto support that at the same time theywill support strengtheningcommunity resilience in Myanmar.

In the township of Mawlamyine inthe southern coastal area of

Myanmar, community prioritisationresulted in building canoes andprotecting water sources from floodwater and pollution! Thecommunities prioritised theconstruction of canoes to be betterprepared for annual flooding whilstbuilding retaining walls aroundcommunity ponds to protect waterresources which ensured access tosafe drinking water for over 300families for all months even duringfloods. Access to canoes can savelives during floods and improveaccess to water and food forcommunities during these events. Asimple, local solution to a complex,global climate and weather hazardcan be done.

Lessons learned:• Collaboration and coordination

among population are key tostrengthening resilience. A strongand effective working relationshipbetween communities, externalagencies and governmentstakeholders takes time to buildto ensure trust between all thepartners and develop effectiveways of working in place.

Community Based Organisation members showing the newly constructed Canoes in Mawlamyinne township.

• Community resilience begins withmeeting immediate disasterresilience needs and only then docommunity members begin toidentify and address issues thatwill take effect over a longerperiod.

• Resilience building is a continuouseffort. So sustained activities andinterventions need to beimplemented within communitiesbuilding on new knowledge andinformation. This requiresleadership ownership by thecommunity over theirdevelopment activities andongoing risk assessment.

• Measuring resilience ischallenging because vulnerabilitiesare contextual and disaster relatedshocks are uncertain. Setting up asystem with context specificcomposite indices support by thelongitudinal panel surveys alongwith post disaster panel surveysare useful tools to measureresilience both in normal anduncertain context. – Jeremy Stone, BRACED .Alliance

Coordinator, Plan International,Myanmar


NEW APPROACHES

Rural Development: MultisectorEngagement for Disaster Risk ReductionIntroduction

India is a vast country covering3.29 million Sq. km., a coastline of7,500 km and a population of 1.25billion, 68% of those who live in therural areas of the country contribute14% of the national GDP. In view ofthe diverse topography and climaticvariations of the country, droughtsand floods are regular occurrences inaddition to Cyclones and earthquakes.

Rural VulnerabilityWhile occurrences of the disaster donot differentiate between Urban andRural, Rural areas are morevulnerable in view of the fact thatlarge percentage of populationdepends on agriculture which ispredominantly rainfed and theresultant lack of coping mechanisms.Of the country's total 142 m ha ofcultivated land, 85 m ha or 60% israinfed. Rainfed agriculture supportsan estimated 40% of the populationand has a large share of cropped areaunder rice (42%), pulses (77%),oilseeds (66%) and coarse cereals(85%). Rainfed areas also harbourabout 78% of cattle, 64% of sheep and75% of goats in the country. Highnatural resource fragility and risk,low and highly oscillatingproductivity, production, andfarmers' income, poor investmentand capital formation, highvulnerability and volatility of productmarkets, poor access to credit,insurance and markets, and higherconcentration of poverty and hungerare characteristic features of the rainfed areas.

Climate Change and Disaster RisksClimate change is also likely tofurther exacerbate the ongoing stressdue to yield stagnation, competitionfor land, water and other resources,and globalization that the Indianagriculture is going through. India

has experienced increase in meantemperature by 0.60°C in the last 100years. Reduction in crop productivity,especially wheat and paddy due toincreased temperature, reduction inrainy days and consequential waterstress are some of the negativeimpacts reported. It is projected thatin the medium-term (2010-2039),yield reduction will be to the tune of4.5 to 9%, posing challenges to foodsecurity and livelihood.

Institutional MechanismsBoth the concluded HyogoFramework and the present SendaiFramework for disaster riskreduction stress on the need formulti-stakeholder engagement withrespect to Disaster Risk Reductionand Management. While the HyogoFramework for Action 2005-2015adopted at The World Conference onDisaster Reduction held from 18 to22 January 2005 in Kobe, Hyogo,Japan stresses on the need to makedisaster risk reduction a national anda local priority with a stronginstitutional basis for implementationand Strengthen disaster preparednessfor effective response at all levels, theSendai Framework for Disaster RiskReduction 2015-2030, adopted at theThird World Conference on DisasterRisk Reduction, held from 14 to 18March 2015 in Sendai, Miyagi, Japanstresses Strengthening disaster riskgovernance to manage disaster riskand Enhancing disaster preparednessfor effective response, and to "BuildBack Better" in recovery,rehabilitation and reconstruction.This is also echoed in India's ownNational Disaster Management Plan.

Issues for considerationHowever Disaster Risk Reductionplanning cannot be fully realized ifmainstreaming of the plans andprocedures evolved is not done at

various levels and in various sectors.Development works and initiatives ofall departments' concerned need toreflect the various parameters of riskreduction and incorporate the sameinto project plans during theformulation stage itself. This has beenflagged by our Prime Minister duringhis address to the Asian MinisterialConference on Disaster Riskreduction on 3 November, 2016.Mainstreaming at the planning Stageindicates that implementation mustbe multisectoral and involve Publicsector, Private Sector and CivilSociety for effective impacts.

Another aspect that needs keenconsideration from the focus ofDisaster risk reduction as well as aClimate Change Adaptation isvulnerability analysis. Several toolsexist for assessment of vulnerability.While the National Initiative onClimate Resilient Agriculture(NICRA) has produced a nationalvulnerability atlas, more specific anddetailed assessments at the Districtlevel and even village level arerequired if disaster planning is to bedone effectively. An effectiveVulnerability analysis enablesdecision makers to prioritize fundingand mobilise resources effectively.

Capacity Building of vulnerablecommunities is another area whichis not given its due importance indisaster management planning.Efficient Disaster Management Drillsinvolving all key stakeholders needsto be conducted scrupulously. Theusage of advanced methods for quickinformation dissemination duringtimes of disasters have to be fine-tuned with maximum publicity andinvolvement of different mediaincluding Print, TV and Radio. Theuse of public volunteer services likeHam Radio cannot be


overemphasized and need to beeffectively harnessed.

Adequate and fast compensation ofloss in life and property. While LifeInsurance and property insurance isnow well established, AgriculturalCrop insurance is still in the fledglingstages and is plagued by improperloss estimation, high claims and poorsettlement. The latest Prime MinistersFasal Bheema Yojana has tried to takethe experiences and issues of pastagricultural insurance schemes andit is considered to be holistic innature. Agriculture Insurance acts asa buffer for the small and marginalfarmer and enables him to "BounceBack" in high risk disaster scenariosin the fastest possible time.

Role of NABARD in Climate ChangeAdaptationThe National Bank for Agricultureand Rural Development (NABARD)is facilitating the growth of climate-smart agricultural businesses thataggregate thousands of small-scalefarmers can break cycles of ruralpoverty and environmentaldegradation. Over the past 3 decades,NABARD has supported millions ofsmall and marginal farmers, landlesslabourers, women and other weakersections, employing sustainable

approaches such as watersheddevelopment, tribal development,agro forestry, natural resourcemanagement projects, rainwaterharvesting, organising and financingproducer organisations, microfinance initiatives, skill developmentand micro enterprise development,solar lighting and energy harvestingusing renewable sources of energy,organic production etc. Scaling upthese and other climate-smartpractices at the smallholder level canmaintain the integrity of valuablelandscapes while creating moreprosperous and climate-resilientlivelihoods for farmers, their families

and the society. NABARD has beenimplementing several developmentalprojects with an objective ofpromoting sustainable livelihoodsthrough Natural ResourcesManagement (NRM) such aswatershed development, sustainablelivelihood for tribal communities,Umbrella Programme for NaturalResources Management (UPNRM)etc. These projects have helped inbuilding climate change resilienceand adaptive capacities of ruralcommunities.

– Patrick Jasper, Asst. GeneralManager, National Bank for Agriculture

and Rural Development

Watershed Development Works in a village in Kasaragod District of Kerala.

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References1. Twelfth Five Year Plan, (2012-2017), Economic Sectors, Volume II – Planning

Commission.2. Adaptation to Climate Change by Reducing Disaster Risks: Country Practices and

Lessons – UNISDR.3. Integrating disaster risk reduction and adaptation into rural livelihood programming

A guide for Oxfam staff and partners in Southeast Asia Kareff Rafisura and G. Srinivasan,Oxfam.

4. Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction and Social Protection, MarkDavies, Katy Oswald and Tom Mitchell (IDS).

5. Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: International Strategy for DisasterReduction, Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters,www.unisdr.org/wcdr.

6. Strengthening disaster risk management in India: A review of five state disastermanagement plans, Aditya Bahadur, Emma Lovell and Florence Pichon, July 2016.

7. National Disaster Management Plan, 2016. A publication of the National DisasterManagement Authority, Government of India. May 2016, New Delhi.

8. Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, 18 March 2015.9. Prime Minister's address at Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction,

Press Information Bureau, Government of India, 03-November-2016.


DRR AND CCA

Linking State Climate Change Action Plansand SDMPs to Enhance Risk ReductionImplementation in India

In August 2009, the Prime Ministerof India asked all states to develop

State Action Plans on Climate Change(SAPCCs). As of November 2016,nearly all States and UnionTerritories in India have preparedSAPCCs which put forward theirvision and proposed actions fortackling climate change1. Thisrepresents one of the world's largestexercise in climate change planning.

The cascading policy framework forSAPCC's is similar to the policyframework for Disaster ManagementPlanning, which was undertaken in2005 as part of the DisasterManagement Act. Both require statelevel action plans with a list ofpriority actions, and both requiremainstreaming into sectoral policiesand plans.

The overlap between state leveldisaster management plans andClimate change action plans whichcould and should be exploited to helpadvance implementation of both theclimate change resilience and disastermanagement agendas, if strategicallylinked. In particular, implementationof climate change action plans couldhelp filling the gap betweendisaster risk management anddisaster preparedness that exists inmany state disaster managementplans in India and beyond.

Climate Change Action Plans andState Disaster Management plans are

already being functionally linked ina number of different ways. Forinstance, the Bihar State ClimateChange Action Plan calls for theimplementation of the DisasterManagement plan as a priorityactivity, and includes disastermanagement as a key stand-alonesector in the state action plan,alongside within sectors such aswater resources and agriculture2.

The state of Odisha, on the otherhand, in its second Climate ChangeAction Plan integrates disastermanagement with coastalmanagement and articulates a verycomprehensive set of priorityactivities, to improve coastalresilience3. The State of Assamillustrates a third approach, whereindisaster management activities arewoven throughout a range of sectoralpriority actions, such as inagriculture, one priority measure isproviding farmers with "training onclimate change adaptation anddisaster risk reduction packages ofpractices for different agro-climaticzones.4"

The Disaster Managementcommunity in India should seize onthese functional linkages toadvocate for greater financing andimplementation of SAPCC's. Unlikethe disaster management plans,project funding is available tosupport implementation of SAPCC'sthrough the National Adaptation

1 http://envfor.nic.in/ccd-sapcc. Accessed November 1, 20162 http://www.moef.gov.in/sites/default/files/Bihar-State%20Action%20Plan%20on%20Climate%20Change%20%282%29.pdf3 http://www.moef.gov.in/sites/default/files/CCAP-Odisha-2.pdf4 http://www.moef.gov.in/sites/default/files/Final%20draft%20ASAPCC%20document.pdf5 http://www.climatefundsupdate.org/listing/green-climate-fund6 http://www.actiononclimate.today/act-on-information/financing-state-action-plans-on-climate-change-in-india/

Fund, which has had two tranches,totalling 350 crores. In addition,funding is available frominternational sources, such as the$100 Billion Green Climate Fund5.Moreover, the strong overlapbetween development objectives andclimate change objectives providesthe opportunity to mainstreamclimate change into sectoralbudgeting. For more information onthis approach, see Financing StateAction Plans on Climate Change inIndia6

Both SAPCC's and State DisasterManagement Plans (SDMPs) seek tomainstream risk reduction into sectoralpolicies, plans and programmes, withmixed degrees of success. Joiningforces to achieve greatermainstreaming would strengthenthe overall risk reduction agenda.

And finally, both lack anaccountability framework formonitoring and evaluation of actionsand investments. Development of anintegrated accountability frameworkwould help strengthen bothagendas, and aid with compliancewith Sendai Frameworkcommitments as well as fulfillingIndia's Nationally DeterminedContributions (NDC) to the UnitedNations Framework Convention onClimate Change (UNFCCC).

– Cristina Rumbaitis del Rio,Regional Programme Manager, Action

on Climate Today, New Delhi


Building Back Better (BBB) is acritical part of disaster

recovery that has toaddress structuralimprovements aswell as theunderlying driversthat lead to the risk atthe on-set. However, alittle over a decade ofattempting to apply theprinciples of BBB hasshown numerouschallenges andcontradictions. A host ofcontextual challenges thatcompound the applicationwere identified bystakeholders during theconsultations leading up tothe formulation of the SendaiFramework: poverty, growingurbanization, lack ofinstitutional mechanisms, lack ofpredictable financing, andsecondary hazards fromindustrial units, politicalinstability– to name a few.

The Sendai Framework’s Priority 4:enhancing disaster preparedness foreffective response and to “Build BackBetter” re-affirms what has been saidand experienced over time as BBB,but does not offer reasons why theseprinciples were often difficult toapply. The South Asia DisasterReport (SADR) 2016 aims to analysecases from Nepal, India, Bangladesh,Pakistan, and Sri Lanka tounderstand why and how somethingapproximating the BBBrecommendations of SendaiFramework were or were notdelivered. The SADR 2016 willpresent learning from the region andexamine realistic ways ofoperationalising the BBB principles.

RECOVERY

Are we Building Back Better? Lessons fromSouth Asia

The SADR 2016 will aim to critique:1. How the BBB recommendations

of Sendai Framework will holdup against the institutional,resource, capacity aspects in thecountries / context of South Asia

2. The capability, intent andinterest of the existingmechanisms and systems ofrecovery and reconstruction todeliver on BBB principles andrecommendations upheld in theSendai framework

3. The role of capital, developmentagents and other interest groupsin operationlaising BBB

4. How meaningful the BBBrecommendations are in relationto prevalent institutional and

policy, political interest scenariosin South Asia.

The case studies focussing on BBBwill cover the Earthquake in Nepalin 2015, the MeeriyabeddaLandslide in Sri Lanka in 2014, theUttarakhand Floods, CyclonePhailin and Cyclone Hudhud inIndia in 2013, Cyclone Sidre andAila in Bangladesh in 2007 and2011, and the monsoon floodsin Pakistan in 2012 and 2013.It will also look across theregion at reducing risks tocultural heritage in SouthAsia.

Through the critique ithopes to draw out somepractical means to connectBBB with long termdevelopment andpresent some ideas onapplying the BBBprinciples for building

long term resilience in South Asia.

The SADR 2016 is a product ofDuryog Nivaran, a research, trainingand advocacy network committed topromoting disaster risk reduction inSouth Asia at policy and communitylevel. It strives to build theknowledge base of stakeholders bysharing research findings,information, experiences and insightson emerging issues of disastermanagement.

This summary of the SADR 2016presents some insights from thereport with a special focus onrecovery in Nepal.

Source: Duryog NivaranFor more information contact:

[email protected]


Background The capacity building for

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) andClimate Change Adaptation (CCA)integration should ensure severalminimum information andknowledge across several areas. Thefollowing points reflect such areasduring implementation, particularlywith training and capacity buildingactions. Later on, the monitoringmechanism can find the areas ofimprovements by developingindicators based on these minimumlevels of DRR CCA integrationrelated inputs. The training andrelated institutions in the state canupdate this based on the progressand sector requirements. The trainingand capacity building inputstargeting middle and ground levelofficials and stakeholders:

CAPACITY BUILDING

Integration of DRR and CCA: Training andCapacity Building

i. The audience becomes aware ofchanges in weather patterns ofthe local and state level area. Theability of audience to conveytheir stakeholders about someweather-related risks in thefuture and what are likelydifferent from the past.

ii. The audience ability tounderstands locally availableweather information and able toconvey their stakeholders forappropriate actions at local levelswhen climatic hazardapproaching.

iii. The audience informed with thenecessary details aboutinstitutional mechanism and keyinformation resources related todisaster and climate related risksand risk reduction, such asDistrict Disaster Management

Authority (DDMA), IndiaMeteorological Department(IMD), weather station, fire,medical, police, District DisasterManagemet Plan (DDMP), StateAction Plans on Climate Change(SAPCC), etc. The ability ofaudience to inform theirstakeholders about theinstitutional setup and relatedplanning in a simplified version.The audience can be supportedor generate with informativeresources (for example, keyfindings of SAPCC, DDMP, themeaning of key terms, sectorspecific climate change data andabout key hazards).

iv. The ability of audience toconduct vulnerability and riskassessments. The depth ofassessment can be decided as per

The SREX report assesses a wide range of complementary adaptation and disaster risk management approaches that canreduce the risks of climate extremes and disasters and increase resilience to remaining risks as they change over time. Theseapproaches can be overlapping and can be pursued simultaneously. [Source: SREX (2012); IPCC.]


Editorial Advisors:Denis NkalaRegional Coordinator, South-South Cooperation andCountry Support (Asia-Pacific), United NationsDevelopment Programme, New York

Ian DavisVisiting Professor in Disaster Risk Management inCopenhagen, Lund, Kyoto and Oxford BrookesUniversities

Dr. John TwiggSenior Research Associate, Department of Civil,Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, UniversityCollege London, London

Madhavi Malalgoda AriyabanduSub-Regional Coordinator, Central Asia & SouthCaucasus, United Nations Office for Disaster RiskReduction (UNISDR), Kazakhstan

Mihir R. BhattAll India Disaster Mitigation Institute, India

Dr. Satchit Balsari, MD, MPHThe University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell,New York, USA

T. Nanda KumarChairman, Institute of Rural Management Anand(IRMA), Anand, Gujarat, India

ALL INDIA DISASTER MITIGATION INSTITUTE411 Sakar Five, Behind Old Natraj Cinema, Near Mithakhali Railway Crossing, Ashram Road,Ahmedabad–380 009 India. Tele/Fax: +91-79-2658 2962E-mail: [email protected], Website: http://www.aidmi.org, www.southasiadisasters.net

AIDMI is delighted to receive generous support of UNICEF (India) towards this issue.

the level of audience and scope,however some basic areas haveto be confirmed such as theobserved changes in weather,seasonality and hazard patternsand uses the information todevelop local action plans andin relation to a particular sector/s that audience belongs to.

v. The audience is havingknowledge of existingeducational resources thatdeveloped by agencies such asUNITAR; UNDP; UNICEF;UNEP; UNISDR; andgovernment institutions such asNational Disaster ManagementAuthority (NDMA), StateDisaster Management Authority(SDMA), National Institute ofDisaster Management (NIDM)and other particular sectoralinstitutions in the state. This isto inform interested individualsand institutions to access existingand quality resources to furtherenhance their knowledge forintegration of DRR and CCA.

vi. The audience is able to developbasic monitoring and evaluation

mechanism to measure theprogress and areas ofimprovements. The existing toolscan be used such as - must bebasic - Climate smart disasterrisk management (CSDRM)approach, SMART indicators,participatory M&E mechanism,etc.

vii. The audience is sensitized to theimportance of integration ofDRR CCA in developmentefforts. The ultimate result of thissensitization is for linking andadvocating for the adaptation.

Similarly, the training and capacitybuilding inputs targeting institutionsand key officials should ensurefollowing areas as a result. Thesepoints are in addition to the above-mentioned points.i. The audience is with the

knowledge on changing climaterisks, and able to use in theinstitute to adjust work plansand strategies. This is also aboutflexibility and knowledge of sofar progress and plan in thestate.

ii. The audience is able to initiatethe capacity building effortwithin the institute to facilitatestakeholder engagement for riskreduction and adaptation.

iii. The audience is able to initiateand build the focal point withinthe institute that able to guidestakeholders (service receivergroup) on preparing action plansand linking with the ongoingactions. Similarly, the knowledgemanagement services that ensurethe documentation ofcommunity/ stakeholder levelintervention related to riskreduction and adaptation.

iv. The audience is aware about thedifferent ways of utilizing thecapacities and resources thatinstitute have for reducing local/sectoral risk related to disasterand climate change.

v. The audience is aware about theimportance of integrationexercise within institute toimprove the institutional servicesand able to prepare the instituteagainst risks.

- Vishal Pathak, AIDMI

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