The Geoethical Promise and the Incorporation of Disaster Risk Management in the Territorial Ordination of Colombia

Abstract

Colombia has been a pioneer in Latin America in its development of a comprehensive vision for the treatment of risks and disasters, allowing a reduction in loss of life, but damage to property, infrastructure and livelihoods continues to increase, which shows that disasters are not events generated by nature itself, but are the result of the application of inappropriate development models, which do not consider the society and nature relationship. Due the above, it is imminent to make transformations that incorporate restrictions and potentials according to the existing hazards, where the use of land, under the growing pressure for urban development, will be controlled in the future. Disaster Risk Management should be a social process, boosted by Geosciences, aimed to the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of strategies, plans, programmes, regulations and permanent actions for the risk identification and knowledge, as well as the possible forms for their mitigation, with the fundamental purpose of contributing to the security, the well-being, the quality of life of the people and the sustainable development. Geoethics stand as the fundamental discipline, to guide the decisions that must be implemented in order that the Disaster Risk Management can be incorporated in the territorial order, as the fundamental axis of development. That’s why the work that must be performed by Earth Science professionals should be in consideration of Geoethics and its principles.