“Advancing human security through

knowledge-based approaches to reducing

vulnerability and environmental risks”

Ecosystems, Livelihoods and Disaster

Risk Reduction Workshop

0

Bonn, Germany, 21-23 September 2010

Fabrice Renaud

Director a.i.

Head of Environmental Vulnerability &

Energy Security Section Bonn, Germany

RATIONALE

�There are many linkages between ecosystems and disaster risk

reduction:

o Reduction of exposure

o Reduction of vulnerability of exposed communities or

systems

o Increased resilience

o Provision of livelihoods

1

o Provision of livelihoods

� The above are often interlinked and we should not get bogged

down in definitions here!

� However the links between ecosystems and DRR are sometimes

not sufficiently understood

The interlinkages

e.g.

Emission

Control

e.g. Land Use Changes

VULNERABILITY

Exposed and

Environmental

Risk

RISK

Event

HAZARD

Natural Phenomena

Environmental Sphere

Risk

Reduction

ENVIRONMENT

Su

bn

ati

on

al

sca

leR

I

S

K

R

E

D

P

R

E

P

A

R

E

D

N

E

S

S

D

I

S

A

P

R

E

V

E

N

T

I

O

N

M

I

T

I

G

Hazard

intervention

Vulnerability

intervention

Interactions

COUPLING ADAPTATION

EXPOSURE

VULNERABILITY

LACK OFSUSCEPTIBILITY

ENVIRONMENT

R

I

S

K

M

A

N

SOCIETY

HAZARDS

Natural events / socio-natural events

1a)

II

State “Now”

III

Alternate State

Often unfavourable for the

system studied

I

New State

linked to anticipation of potential

changes

S E

Tipping point Tipping point

Sub-system

threshold

External shock

2

Control

e.g.

Insurances

Social Sphere

Exposed and vulnerable elements Coping

Capacity

Economic

Risk

Social Risk

Vulnerability Reduction (t=0)

Preparedness

Disaster / Emergency

Management

Vulnerability Reduction (t=1)

FEEDBACK

e.g. Early

Warning

Economic Sphere

INTERVENTION SYSTEM

Source: Birkmann, 2006: BBC Vulnerability Framework

Turner II et al. 2003. A framework for vulnerability analysis in sustainability science. PNAS 100:8074-8079

Source: Move Deliverable

Inte

rna

tio

na

l↔N

ati

on

al↔

Su

bn

ati

on

al

RISKEconomic / social / environmental potential impact

D

U

C

T

I

O

N

A

S

T

E

R

M

A

N

A

G

E

M

E

N

T

G

A

T

I

O

N

T

R

A

N

S

F

E

R

Susceptibility

reduction

Exposure

reduction

Resilience

improvement

RISK GOVERNANCEOrganization / planning /

implementation

Su

bn

ati

on

al↔

loca

lsca

leLo

cal s

cale

EXPOSURE

Temporal

Spatial

Social

Physical

LACK OF

RESILIENCE

Capacity to

anticipate

Capacity to

cope

Capacity to

recover

SUSCEPTIBILITY

and FRAGILITYN

A

G

E

M

E

N

T

Ecological

Social

Institutional

Cultural

Economic

2a)

1a)

1b)

2b)

SE

S

S

E

E

S E

S E

Regime

Shift

Regime

Shift

Potential change or impact

Renaud et al. 2010 (in press): Understanding multiple thresholds of coupled social-ecological systems exposed to natural hazards as

external shocks. In Natural Hazards

OBJECTIVES

� To take stock of the latest scientific developments on the linkages

between ecosystems and their role in DRR

� To take stock of good practices on ecosystem-based approaches for

DRR

3

� To enhance the dialogue between the scientific and practitioner

communities in order to improve knowledge and practice of

ecosystem-based approaches for DRR.

FORMAT

Four interlinked sessions:

Session 1: Introduction of concepts

Session 2: Scientific knowledge, tools and methods

Session 3: Practitioners’ based knowledge, tools and methods

Session 4: Integration of concepts

The red-line is provided by the sessions and by a set of key questions

4

The red-line is provided by the sessions and by a set of key questions

We will have: a few oral presentations for setting the scene; the “work” will takeplace in breakout groups and plenary sessions; posters can be discussed overcoffee breaks

The entire workshop will be supported visually through graphic facilitation

The types of hazards considered are those linked to coastal processes, as wellas landslides and wildfires

Expected Outputs

� A roster of scientists, experts and practitioners working on

ecosystems and DRR

� Roadmap for the future:

o Research agenda

5

o Research agenda

o Capcity development activities

� Publications:

o Edited book with original contributions from interested

participants and capturing main conclusions of workshop

o A policy note

For further information:

UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY

Institute for Environment

and Human Security (UNU-EHS)

6

Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 10

53113 Bonn, Germany

Phone: ++ 49 (0) 228 815-0200

Fax: ++ 49 (0) 228 815-0299

E-Mail: info@ehs.unu.edu

www.ehs.unu.edu