Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Climate Change-Proof Disaster Risk Reduction: Prospects and Challenges for Developing Countries

  • Chapter
Natural and Anthropogenic Disasters

Abstract

Natural disasters are resultant of hazards meeting the vulnerable population and vulnerable infrastructure. Hazards have been thought to be aberration of the weather systems while there has been an increasingly dominant thought that the hazards are natural part of the weather systems and that the hazards are increasingly becoming disasters due to the human systems coming under their way. While this hypothesis doesn’t tell much about how hazards have changed over the years, the thought that one location’s hazard profile could change in terms of the intensity and magnitude of hazard or even from one kind of hazard to the other kind is more of recent in nature. This thought has emerged much in line with the increasing consensus on how our climate has been changing over the years. During the early years of the topic of climate change coming into vogue, not many researchers and policy makers heed to it as real. However, climate change today is perceived to be real and the issue is only that whether it is a man-made or natural process. The role of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and national and international media is paramount in raising the awareness and action on climate change.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Adger, W.N. (1999). Social vulnerability to climate change and extremes in coastal Vietnam. World Development, 27: 249–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adger, W.N., Huq, S., Brown, K., Conway, D. and Hulme, M. (2003). Adaptation to climate change in the developing world. Progress in Development Studies, 3(3): 179–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alast, M.K. (2006). The impacts of climate change on the risk of natural disasters. Disasters, 30(1): 5–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, K.M. (2006). Community-based disaster preparedness and climate adaptation: Local capacity building in the Philippines. Disasters, 30(1): 81–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alley, R.B., Marotzke, J., Nordhaus, W.D., Overpeck, J.T., Peteet, D.M., Pielke, Jr. R.A., Pierrehumbert, R.T., Rhines, P.B., Stocker, T.F., Talley, L.D. and Wallace, J.M. (2003). Abrupt climate change. Science, 299(5615): 2005–2010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anthes, R.A., Corell, R.W., Holland, G. and Hurrell, J.W. (2006). Hurricanes and global warming-Potential linkages and consequences. Bulletin of American Meteorological Society, 87: 623–628.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Asian Economic News (2005). Major natural disasters of2004. Asian Economic News, http://www.findarticles.com/ p/articles/mi_m0WDP/is_20O5_Jan_18/ai_n87O4072 (accessed on March 8, 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  • Baer, P. and Risbey, J.S. (2009). Uncertainty and assessment of the issues posed by urgent climate change: An editorial comment. Climatic Change, 92: 31–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bohannon, J. and Enserink, M. (2005). Scientists weigh options for rebuilding New Orleans. Science, 309 (5742): 1808–1809.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, N. and Adger, W.N. (2004). Assessing and enhancing adaptive capacity. In: L.B. Lim (editor), Adaptation Policy Framework. United Nations Development Program, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burn, D.H. (1999). Perception of flood risk: A case study of the Red River flood of 1997. Water Resources Research, 35(11): 3451–3458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burton, I. (1997). Vulnerability and adaptive response in the context of climate and climate change. Climatic Change, 36(1–2): 185–196.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burton, I., Huq, S., Lim, B., Pilifosova, O. and Schipper, E.L. (2002). From impacts assessment to adaptation priorities: The shaping of adaptation policy. Climate Policy, 2: 145–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton, I., Kates, R.W. and White, G.F. (1978) The Environment as Hazard. Oxford University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carter, W.N. (1992). Disaster Management: A Disaster Manager’s Handbook. Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila, Philippines, 417 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, D. (1994). Natural Hazards. Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 174 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christoplos, I., Mitchell, J. and Liljelund, A. (2001). Re-framing risk: The changing context of disaster mitigation and preparedness. Disaster, 25(3): 185–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collins, M., Booth, B.B.B., Harris, G.R., Murphy, J.M., Sexton, D.M.H. and Webb, M.J. (2006). Towards quantifying uncertainty in transient climate change. Climate Dynamics, 27: 127–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Courtney, H., Kirkland, J. and Viguerie, P. ( 1997). Strategy under uncertainty. Harvard Business Review, 75(6): 67–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • CRED (2007). Country profiles. EM-DAT Emergency Disasters Database, http://www.em-dat.net/disasters/ Visualisation/profiles/countryprofile.php (accessed on May 15, 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  • Denton, F., Sokona, Y and Thomas, J.P. (2002). Climate Change and Sustainable Development Strategies in the Making: What Should West African Countries Expect? Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris, 27 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dessai, S. and Hulme, M. (2007). Assessing the robustness of adaptation decisions to climate change uncertainties: A case study on water resources management in the East of England. Global Environmental Change, 17: 59–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DETR (2000). Guidelines for Environmental Risk Assessment and Management: Revised Departmental Guidance. Institute for Environment and Health, Stationary Office, London, U.K.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dilley, M. (2005). Natural disaster hotspots: A global risk analysis. Risk Identification for Disaster Risk Management. Proceedings of the World Conference on Disaster Reduction, 18–22 January 2005, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, http:/ /www.unisdr.org/wcdr/thematic-sessions/presentations/session2-5/hotspots.pdf (accessed on April 15, 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  • Downing, T.E., Ringius, L., Hulme, M. and Waughray, D. (1997). Adapting to climate change in Africa. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 2: 19–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Earth Council ( 1994). The Earth Summit-Eco 92: Different Visions. Earth Council and Inter American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, San Jose, Costa Rica.

    Google Scholar 

  • Einstein, H.H. (1988). Landslide risk assessment procedure. Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Landslides, Lausanne, Switzerland, pp. 1075–1090.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrier, N. and Haque, C.E. (2003). Hazard risk assessment methodology for emergency managers: A standardized framework for application. Natural Hazards, 28: 271–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Government of Ehime Prefecture (2005). Road Memory of Disasters in 2004. Department of Civil Engineering and Urban Road Maintenance Section, Government of Ehime Prefecture, Japan, 21 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, J. (2007). Probabilistic climate scenarios may misrepresent uncertainty and lead to bad adaptation decisions. Hydrological Processes, 21: 1127–1129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heal, G. and Kristrom, B. (2002). Uncertainty and climate change. Environmental and Resource Economics, 22: 3–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helmer, M. and Hilhorst, D. (2006). Natural disasters and climate change. Disasters, 30(1): 1–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howarth, R.B. and Hall, D.C. (2001). Beyond a doubling: Issues in the long-term economics of climate change. In: C.H. Darwin and B.H. Richard (editors), The Long-term Economics of Climate Change: Beyond a Doubling of Greenhouse Gas Concentrations. Elsevier Science, The Netherlands, pp. 1-9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hulme, M., Jenkins, G.J., Lu, X., Turnpenny, J.R., Mitchell, T.D., Jones, R.G., Lowe, J., Murphy, J.M., Hassell, D., Boorman, P., McDonald, R. and Hill, S. (2002). Climate Change Scenarios for the United Kingdom: The UKCIP02 Scientific Report. Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, Norwich, U.K.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (2001). World Disasters Report. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ionescue, C, Klein, R.J.T., Hinkel, J., Kumar, K.S.K, and Klein, R. (2009). Towards a formal framework of vulnerability to climate change. Environmental Modeling & Assessment, 14: 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2007a). Summary for Policymakers. In: M.L. Parry, O.R Canziani, J.R Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson (editors), Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report ofthe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K., pp. 7–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2007b). Summary for Policymakers. In: S. Solomon, D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. Tignorand H.L. Miller (editors), Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Japan Meteorological Agency (2004). Heavy Rains and Typhoons Occurred in 2004. Japan Meteorological Agency, Tokyo, Japan, 39 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R. and Mearns, L. (2005). Assessing future climate risks. In: B. Lim and E. Spanger-Siefried (editors), Adaptation Policy Frameworks for Climate Change: Developing Strategies, Policies and Measures. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K., pp. 119–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kainuma, M. (2006). Low carbon scenario towards 2050 for Japan. Proceedings ofthe China-Korea-U.S. Economic and Environmental Modeling Workshop, 20–21 April 2006, Xia Da Du International Conference Center, Beijing, China.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kandlikar, M. and Sagar, A. (1999). Climate change research and analysis in India: An integrated assessment of a South-North divide. Global Environmental Change, 9: 119–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kane, S. and Shogren, J.F. (2000). Linking adaptation and mitigation in climate change policy. Climate Change, 45: 75–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, P.M. and Adger, W.N. (2000). Theory and practice in assessing vulnerability to climate change and facilitating adaptation. Climatic Change, 47: 325–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kempton, W. (1997). How the public views climate change. Environment, 39(9): 12–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein, R.J.T. (2002). Climate change, adaptive capacity and sustainable development. Proceedings of the OECD Informal Expert Meeting on Development and Climate Change. 13–14 March 2004, Paris, France, www.oecd.org/dataoecd/1/37/1933851.pdf (accessed on March 10, 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, J.J., Canziani, O.F., Leary, N.A., Dokken, D.J. and White, K.S. (2001). Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability: Contribution of Working Group II to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K., 1008 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michael, B. and Fasil, A.G. (2001 ). Worldwide public perception of flood risk in urban areas and its consequences for hydrological design in Ireland. Proceedings of the National Hydrology Seminar on Flood Risk Management: Impacts and Development, Ireland, pp. 6–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (2007). Estimates of gross domestic product for the first quarter (April–June) of 2007–08. Government of India, New Delhi, http://www.mospi.nic.in/tl_31august07.htm (accessed on March 20, 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  • Munich Re (2007). Natural Catastrophes 2006: Analyses, Assessments, Positions. Knowledge Series, Munich Re, Germany, 50 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Najam, A., Poling, J.M., Yamagishi, N., Straub, D.G., Sarno, J., DeRitter, S.M. and Kim, E.M. (2002). From Rio to Johannesburg: Progress and prospects. Environment, 44(7): 26–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nichollas, R.J. (1995). Coastal mega cities and climate change. GeoJournal, 37(3): 369–379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nordhaus, W.D. (1994). Managing the Global Commons: The Economics of Climate Change. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien, G., OKeefe, P., Rose, J. and Wisner, B. (2006). Climate change and disaster management. Disasters, 30(1): 64–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oxfam-Vietnam (2007). Drought Management Considerations for Climate Change Adaptation: Focus on Mekong Region. Oxfam-Vietnam and Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan, 56 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patt, A.G. and Gwata, C. (2002). Effective seasonal climate forecast applications: Examining constraints for subsistence farmers in Zimbabwe. Global Environmental Change, 12: 185–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pelling, M. (editor) (2003). Natural Disasters and Development in a Globalizing World. Routledge, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prabhakar, S. V.R.K. (2007). Climate change implications for sustainable development: Need for holistic and inclusive policies in agriculture, land, rural development, desertification, and drought. Background Paper prepared for the 16th Commission on Sustainable Development, Review of the Implementation Status of the Outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development: An Asia-Pacific Perspective. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, 26–27 November 2007, Jakarta, Indonesia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prabhakar, S.V.R.K, and Srinivasan, A. (2008). Climate change risk reduction: Decision making in uncertainty. In: R. Shaw and R.R. Krishnamurthy (editors), Disaster Management: Global Challenges and Local Solutions. Universities Press (India) Private Limited, New Delhi, India, pp. 85–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prabhakar, S.V.R.K., Srinivasan, A. and Shaw, R. (2008). Climate change and local level disaster risk reduction planning: Need, opportunities and challenges. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies to Global Change, DOI 10.1007/s 11027-008-9147-4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prudhomme, C, Jakob, D. and Svensson, C. (2003). Uncertainty and climate change impact on the flood regime of small UK catchments. Journal of Hydrology, 277: 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quarantelli, E.L. (1996). The future is not the past repeated: Projecting disasters in the 21st century from current trends. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 4(4): 228–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ribot, J.C. (1995). The casual structure of vulnerability: Its application to climate impacts analysis. GeoJournal, 35(2): 119–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rocha, J.L. and Christop los, I. (2001). Disaster mitigation and preparedness on the Nicaraguan Post-Mitch agenda. Disasters, 25(3): 240–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salter, J. (1997). Risk management in a disaster management context. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 5(1): 60–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Samra, S.J. (2004). Review and Analysis of Drought Monitoring, Declaration and Management in India. Working Paper 84, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Colombo, Sri Lanka.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schipper, L. and Pelling, M. (2006). Disaster risk, climate change and international development: Scope for, and challenges to, integration. Disasters, 30(1): 19–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, S.H. and Kuntz-Duriseti, K. (2001). Integrated assessment models of climate change: Beyond a doubling of C02. In: C.H. Darwin and B.H. Richard (editors), The Long-term Economics of Climate Change: Beyond a Doubling of Greenhouse Gas Concentrations. Elsevier Science, The Netherlands, pp.11–64.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Seth, A. and Jain, S.K. (2002). Training of teachers for capacity building towards earthquake safety in India. The Indian Concrete Journal, 10: 629–632.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smit, B. and Pilifosova, O. (2001). Adaptation to climate change in the context of sustainable development and equity. In: J.J. McCarthy, O.F. Canziani, N.A. Leary, D.J. Dokken and K.S. White (editors), Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K., pp. 877–912.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smithers, J. and Smit, B. (1997). Human adaptation to climatic variability and change. Global Environmental Change, 7(2): 129–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sperling, F. and Szekely, F. (2005). Disaster risk management in changing climate. Discussion paper for the World Conference on Disaster Reduction, 18–22 January 2005, Kobe, Japan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swart, R., Bernstein, L., Ha-Duong, M. and Peterson, A. (2009). Agreeing to disagree: Uncertainty management in assessing climate change, impacts and responses by the IPCC. Climatic Change, 92: 1–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomalla, F., Downing, T., Siegfried, E.S., Han, G. and Rockstrom, R. (2006). Reducing hazard vulnerability: Towards a common approach between disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation. Disasters, 30(1): 39–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tompkins, E.L. and Adger, W.N. (2003). Building resilience to climate change through adaptive management of natural resources. Working Paper 27, Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research, U.K., 19 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Travis, J. (2005). Hurricane Katrina: Scientists’ fears come true as hurricane floods New Orleans. Science, 309(5741): 1656–1659.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trenberth, K. (2005). Uncertainty in hurricanes and global warming. Science, 308: 1753–1754.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Census Bureau (2007). International Database, http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/ind ex.html (accessed on March 20, 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDP(2004). Reducing Disaster Risk, a Challenge for Development: AGlobal Report. United Nations Development Program, New York, 169 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP(1992). The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. UNCED Secretariat, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=78&ArticleID= 1163 (accessed on July 17, 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ungar, S. (1998). Bringing the issue back In: Comparing the marketability of the ozone hole and global warming. Social Problems, 45: 510–527.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (2005). Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015: Building the resilience of nations and communities to disasters. World Conference on Disaster Reduction, 18–22 January 2005, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, 22 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vulnerability and Adaptation Resource Group (2006). Linking Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management for Sustainable Poverty Reduction: A Synthesis Report. Vulnerability and Adaptation Resource Group, The World Bank, Washington DC, 30 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2003). Disasters and Emergencies. Definitions Training Package, WHO/EHA, Panafrican Emergency Training Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, http://www.who.int/disasters/repo/7656.pdf (accessed on July 17, 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilby, R.L., Dawson, C.W. and Barrow, E.M. (2002). A decision support tool for the assessment of regional climate change impacts. Environmental Modeling and Software, 17(2): 145–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willows, R. and Connell, R. (editors) (2003). Climate Adaptation: Risk, Uncertainty and Decision-making. U.K. Climate Impacts Programme Technical Report. UNCIP, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Oxford, U.K.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winkler, H. (2005). Climate change and developing countries. South African Journal of Science, 101: 355–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wisner, B., Blaikie, P., Cannon, T. and Davis, I. (2004). At Risk: Natural Hazards, People’s Vulnerabilities and Disasters. Second Edition, Routledge, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Commission on Environment and Development (1987). Our Common Future. Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K., 416pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yohe, G. and Schlessinger, M. (2002). The economic geography of the impacts of climate change. Journal of Economic Geography, 2:311–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yohe, G. and Toi, R.S.J. (2001). Indicators for social and economic coping capacity: Moving toward a working definition of adaptive capacity. Global Environmental Change, 12: 25–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • York, R., Rosa, E.A. and Dietz, T. (2003). Footprints on the earth: The environmental consequences of modernity. American Sociological Review, 68: 279–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Climate Policy Project, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, 2108-11, Kamiyamaguchi, Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0115, Japan

    S. V. R. K. Prabhakar

Authors
  1. S. V. R. K. Prabhakar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, India

    Madan Kumar Jha

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Capital Publishing Company

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Prabhakar, S.V.R.K. (2010). Climate Change-Proof Disaster Risk Reduction: Prospects and Challenges for Developing Countries. In: Jha, M.K. (eds) Natural and Anthropogenic Disasters. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2498-5_20

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation