institutional and legislative systems for disaster risk reduction in arab cities – a tale of three...

INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE SYSTEMS FOR

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IN ARAB CITIES –

A TALE OF THREE CITIES - AQABA, DJIBOUTI & BEIRUT

DR. FADI HAMDAN

SYNOPSIS

• Objectives• Background• Methodology• National Situation Analysis• Construction of Risk Within Cities• Existing Policies for DRR• Existing Institutions for DRR• Recommendations

OBJECTIVES

• A review of the existing policies and institutional systems for disaster risk management in three Arab cities (Aqaba, Beirut and Djibouti)

• Inform the development of the Mayor’s declaration

• Apprise participants of the Arab conference on DRR on the strengths and weaknesses of the existing

BACKGROUND – AMDGR PRIORITY AREAS

• Food security; • Poverty reduction; • Adaptation to climate change; • Youth employment and decent work; • Gender equality• With respect to MDG7 (Ensure Environmental Sustainability), the

report indicates that while the Arab region as a whole only contributes about 5% of the global carbon dioxide emissions, the impacts of climate change on the region are of major concern to policy makers due to its dependence on climate-sensitive agriculture, as well as the concentration of population and economic activity in flood-prone urban coastal zones. Seismic Risk Not recognized

BACKGROUND – DRR AN INSTRUMENT FOR MDGs – 5 PRIORITY AREAS

1. Integrating disaster risk reduction into socio economic development ‑planning and programmes will safeguard development investments

2. Making disaster risk reduction an essential part of poverty reduction strategies and programmes will protect and enrich the poor and near-poor

3. Making schools, health facilities, and water and sanitation infrastructure disaster resilient will protect access to universal education, and primary health and emergency care.

4. Empowering women in disaster risk reduction will accelerate achievement of the MDGs

5. Curbing rapid / ill-planned urban growth will decrease disaster risks.

BACKGROUND – DRR AN INSTRUMENT FOR MDGs – MDG 1 - 5 PRIORITY AREAS

1. Apply disaster risk reduction in climate change adaptation

2. Support farmers to integrate drought and flood risk assessment into their agricultural and land-use planning

3. Improve farmers’ access to insurance and fair terms of credit for disaster proofing their livelihoods,

4. Make agriculture environmentally sustainable through sound natural resource management.

5. Support the urban poor’s income generating activities to give them more disaster resilient income.‑


1. Make all schools safer from disasters

2. Teach disaster risk reduction in all primary schools as part of the national curriculum

3. Ensure that schools in high-risk areas have developed and implemented disaster preparedness and contingency plans

4. Increase disaster resilience of the poorest and most vulnerable children

5. Pursue disaster resilient poverty reduction strategies and programmes

BACKGROUND – DRR AN INSTRUMENT FOR MDGs– MDG 3 - 5 PRIORITY AREAS

1. Mainstream disaster risk reduction into women-focused development work.

2. Integrate women’s needs and concerns into a broad based community development agenda in disaster prone areas.

3. Make existing disaster risk reduction policies and programmes gender sensitive,

4. Make sure disaster-vulnerable families can afford to educate their daughters.

5. Promote girls’ participation and leadership in disaster risk education through school-based community learning and development projects

1. All new hospitals and health facilities need to be hazard-resistant, and existing health facilities must be assessed and retrofitted if necessary.

2. Train and drill maternal and primary health workers and hospital workers in disaster preparedness

3. Ensure safe, hazard-resistant water supply

4. Reduce poverty and hunger in drought-vulnerable rural areas through drought risk reduction focused on crop management, water management and income diversification.

5. Increase women’s disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction capabilities through gender-sensitive education and community leadership

BACKGROUND – DRR AN INSTRUMENT FOR MDGs– MDG 4, 5 & 6 - 5 PRIORITY AREAS


1. Use disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation arguments to promote better environmental management.

2. Increase rural drought resilience.

3. Pilot and roll out good practices in disaster risk reduction for urban slum dwellers.

4. Mainstream disaster risk reduction into urban development, particularly focusing on land-use planning, construction and water and sanitation.

5. Assess and, if necessary, retrofit water and sewage infrastructure to make it resistant to earthquakes, landslides and floods,


1. Get political momentum behind binding international targets on disaster risk reduction, using climate change adaptation targets already set

2. Target direct / multilateral development aid towards investment in disaster risk reduction in order to get the best value for the development dollar.

3. Mobilize broad partnerships that bring together many sectors, developing and developed countries alike, garnering their political support

4. Transfer technology from governments and private enterprises to vulnerable countries and communities so as to support the best early warning systems and hazard-resistant construction methods

5. Initiate dialogues between developed and least developed countries on debt swaps for investment in disaster risk reduction.

METHODOLOGYFactors Contributing to Vulnerability• Economic (Income, Employment, Household Assets, Finance

and Savings, Budget and Subsidy)• Institutional (Mainstreaming of DRR & CCA effectiveness of city

institutions to respond, effectiveness of prevention and correction policies, collaboration with other organizations, good governance)

• Natural (Severity and frequency of natural hazards, availability of eco-system services, land-use in natural terms, environmental policy and food security)

• Physical (Electricity, Water, Sanitation and Waste Disposal, Accessibility of roads, Housing, Landuse)

• Social (Population, Health, Education and Awareness, Social Capital, Community Preparedness During a Disaster)

METHODOLOGY - VULNERABILITY AND RISK DRIVERS CONSTRUCT RISKS

Factors affecting Vulnerabilityi. Physicalii. Naturaliii. Socialiv. Institutionalv. Economic

Risk Driversi. Unchecked Urban

Expansionii. Environmental

Degradationiii. Weak Governanceiv. Poverty

METHODOLOGY– TEN ESSENTIALS FOR MAKING CITIES MORE RESILIENT

1. Put in place organization and coordination to understand and reduce disaster risk

2. Assign a budget for disaster risk reduction and provide incentives for homeowners, low income stakeholders

3. Maintain up to date data on hazards and vulnerabilities. Prepare risk assessments to inform urban plans

4. Invest in and maintain critical infrastructure that reduces risk, such as flood drainage

5. Assess the safety of all schools and health facilities and upgrade these as necessary.

METHODOLOGY– TEN ESSENTIALS FOR MAKING CITIES MORE RESILIENT

6. Apply and enforce realistic, risk compliant building regulations and land use planning principles

7. Ensure that education programmes and training on disaster risk reduction are in place in schools and local communities.

8. Protect ecosystems and natural buffers to mitigate floods, storm surges and other hazards

9. Install early warning systems and emergency management capacities in your city

10. After any disaster, ensure that the needs of the affected population are placed at the centre of reconstruction, with support for them and their community organizations.

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – AQABA, JORDAN- HAZARDS

• Earthquakes• Flooding• Drought• Locusts• Storms• Technological

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – AQABA, JORDAN– PREVIOUS DISASTERS

Disaster DateAffected

PopulationDeaths

Earthquake 1927 Unknown 242

Flooding 1963 Unknown 25

Flooding 1965 500 0

Flooding 1966 5792 295Drought 1966 180,000 0Epidemic 1981 715 4Flooding 1987 29 9Flooding 1991 18,000 8

Earthquake 2004 19 0Terror attack 2005 100 60

Floods 2006 25 6

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – AQABA, JORDAN– NATIONAL POLICIES ON DRR

• Master plan for land use in Jordan• Earthquake resistance building code• Task force for monitoring building construction – GAM• Environment Conservation Law• EIAs• Temporary Public Health Law• Municipalities Law No. (29) for 1955 and its

amendments• National Disaster and Emergency Risk Management

Plan (NDRMP) issued in 2004

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – AQABA, JORDAN – NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ON DRR

• Higher Council of Civil Defence (HCCD) and its committees in the administrative divisions are responsible for implementing the actions identified in the plan Earthquake resistance building code

• Three subcommittees: media, relief and earthquake

• The relief and earthquake committees have developed detailed terms of reference

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – AQABA, JORDAN – LEGISLATION REVIEW

• Proposed a suggestion for drawing up a disaster management law (the higher commission law for managing disasters)

• Tasks of the commission:– Control disaster management in all stages– Achieve consistency and integration among all

ministries, public and private institutions– Optimal use of capabilities and resources

• Law yet to be passed

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – BEIRUT, LEBANON - HAZARDS

• Earthquakes• Tsunamis• Floods• Forest Fires• Storms• Technological• Climate change

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – BEIRUT, LEBANON – PREVIOUS DISASTERS

Disaster DateAffected

PopulationDeaths

Flooding in the

Abu Ali River in

Tripoli

1955 Exact figure

Unknown but

estimated in

thousands

200

Earthquake in Srifa 1956 120

Storm 1983 39

Threshold Type Threshold Limit

Mortality threshold 30 people killed

Houses Destroyed

Threshold

600 houses destroyed

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – BEIRUT, LEBANON – NATIONAL POLICIES

• High Relief Committee • Disaster Risk Management Unit• Public Safety Decree for Earthquakes and Fires• National landuse Master Plan for Lebanon• Law of Municipalities• Environment Protection Law• Civil Defense Law

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – BEIRUT, LEBANON – NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

• High Relief Committee • Civil Defense• Lebanese Army• CDR• Ministry of Environment• Ministry of Public Works and transportation

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – BEIRUT, LEBANON – LEGISLATION REVIEW

• Proposed a suggestion for drawing up a disaster management law

• Proposed draft national strategy for disaster risk management

• Yet to be approved

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – DJIBOUTI CITY, DJIBOUTI - HAZARDS

• Drought• Flash floods • Earthquakes• Volcanism • Climate change and rising sea levels• Epidemics

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – DJIBOUTI CITY, DJIBOUTI – PAST DISASTERS

Natural Disaster Year Total Dead N. of Affected People Damage US$ million

Flood 1977 91 000 Flood 1978 106000 2 500Drought 1980 0 14 5000 Flood 1981 25 10 2000 Drought 1984 0 80 000 Drought 1988 0 30 000 Flood 1989 10 15 0300 Flood 1993 0 20 000 1 100Flood 1994 145 120 000 Epidemic 1994 10 239 2 119Wind storm 1995 0 775 Drought 0 100 000Epidemic 1997 50 2 424 Epidemic 1998 43 2 000 Drought 1999 0 100 000 Drought 2000 0 150 000 Epidemic 2000 4 419 Flood 2001 0 95 000 Flood 2004 230 115 000 1 600Drought 2005 0 42750 NADrought 2007 0 150000 NA Drought 2008 0 284000 NA

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – DJIBOUTI CITY, DJIBOUTI – NATIONAL POLICIES

• National Strategy for disaster risk management in Djibouti

• Law No. 140 which set the national policy for disaster risk management in Djibouti which was issued in 2006

• National environment protection plan• National plan for climate change adaptation• Seismic code• National housing and landuse plan

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – DJIBOUTI CITY, DJIBOUTI – NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

• The Executive Secretary for Disaster Risk Management is mandated to carry out all tasks related to disaster risk management, as per Decree 2006, 0192/PR/MID Institutional Framework for Disaster Risk Management, 2006

• Prior to this law the Civil Protection was mandated to carry out tasks related to disaster risk management as per decree

• Directorate of Habitat and Urbanism within the Ministry of Habitat, Urbanism and Environment

• Directorate of Environment within the Ministry of Habitat, Urbanism and Environment

NATIONAL SITUATION ANALYSIS – DJIBOUTI CITY, DJIBOUTI – LEGISLATION REVIEW

• One of the main challenges is the need to reform the Executive Secretariat and empower it to become capable of performing all its tasks related to DRM.

• To this end, a reorganization of the Executive Secretariat to become a fully functional unit has been proposed.

• This proposal is currently under review by the government.

A TALE OF THREE CITIES

• Similar in one main issue: on the coast, with a port having an important (current and for the future) very important role to the national economy

• Ports compete for trade and cities compete for investment

• Port is relied upon by different industries within the country and in other countries

• There was another port, just like that….

LEGISLATION AND INSTITUTIONS NEED TO EVOLVE

• Unprecedented levels of increased urban population, coupled with increased urban poverty

• Economic challenges including the fiscal gap between municipalities

• Social challenges including lack of access to basic urban services, housing and employment

• Urban environmental challenges• Spatial challenges related to urban fragmentation and

segregation• Political and institutional challenges related to good

governance and participation

LESSONS APPLICABLE TO OTHER ARAB CITIES (TO INFORM MAYOR’S DECLARATION)

• Governance– Two way communication (not simply disseminate information or

raise awareness on initiatives)– Urban risk governance frameworks– Forums to facilitate urban risk governance– Who decides about high risk and time scale to reduce risk (or not to

do anything)? A person? A position in public sector or a consultant / advisor? Are they known? Are they accountable?

• Risk Assessments– Social, economic, physical, natural and institutional factors – Future hazards (effect of climate change on cities, effect of rising

sea levels)– May help to incorporate DRR into development


• Risk Management– A truly balanced portfolio of corrective, prospective and

compensatory approaches– Corrective means addressing: illegal settlements, high slum

to urban ratios, slums just outside city?– A truly balanced portfolio between retain and reduce,

insure and reinsure and transfer to capital market through disaster bonds

– A truly balanced portfolio between extensive and intensive• Knowledge and Awareness Raising– Link research outputs to public and private sectors


• Bridging the Urban Divide (Urban perspective)– Identify and reform exclusionary planning practices,

regulations and administrative procedures– Commit to inclusive development and acknowledge right

of city to all its citizens, including the poor and the marginalized by addressing root causes of poverty and social exclusion, such as slum improvement, infrastructure development and improving access of low-income groups to basic public services (reduce social, physical and economic factors contributing to vulnerability)


• Bridging the Urban Divide (Holistic Inclusive Development Policies)– Recent review of MDGs (2011) identified gaps in approach

towards achieving MDGs (parallel with HFA?), due to compartmentalization

– Recognize the five essential dimensions of the development process (social, economic, environmental, political and cultural)

– A result of the contribution to all stakeholders, hence need for a participatory approach in the decision making process


• Bridging the Urban Divide (Inclusive Social Development Policies)– Employment policies as a tool of convergence between social

and economic policies (tool for reducing economic factors contributing to DRR vulnerability)

– Affordable and safe water and wastewater, education and housing services (tool for reducing physical factors contributing to DRR vulnerability)

– Cross sectoral policies (women, youth, community, etc) as a tool for promoting dialogue and inclusion leading to true effective participation (tool for reducing institutional factors contributing to DRR vulnerability)


• Bridging the Urban Divide (Inclusive Economies)– Pro-poor, pro-job creation economies with social protection for

the most vulnerable (identified in GAR 2011 as a tool for reducing economic factors contributing to DRR vulnerability)

– Broad-based economies capable of continuously expanding the groupings benefiting from it (regions, sectors, enterprise sizes) (tool for reducing economic, social and institutional factors contributing to DRR vulnerability)

– Economy able to reduce differences (in incomes, between regions, urban and rural, men and women, other gender dimensions) - (tool for reducing economic, social and institutional factors contributing to DRR vulnerability)

URBAN RISK GOVERNANCE

• Its not an exclusive western idea• Plato (347 BC) spoke about the just city-state• Al-Farabi (950) spoke about the characteristics of the

just city state - ‘ الثاني ’المعلم• Ibn-Khaldun (1332-1382) spoke extensively about the

development of urbanism and just cities

Many thanks for listening

إ,صغ(ائكم حسن على كرا4 وش7

institutional and legislative systems for disaster risk reduction in arab cities – a tale of three...

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