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Environmental Protection - United Nations Office for ...

Environmental Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide1 Environmental Protection &Disaster Risk ReductionA Community Leader s GuideUN/ISDR Africa Educational Series, Volume 2, Issue 2 June 2004 Environmental Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide2 This booklet is produced bythe United Nations Inter-Agency Secretariat for theInternational Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR)andthe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)in partnership withUmvoto Africa [Pty] LtdCape Town, South Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide3 CONTENTSFOREWORDS .. , Environmental DEGRADATION AND DISASTERS .. RISK REDUCTION .. BENEFITS FROM AN HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTALPROTECTION .. AND RECOMMENDATIONS .. 38 APPENDIX 43 APPENDIX B.

Environmental Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader’s Guide 6 1. INTRODUCTION Sustainable Development is generally recognised as the optimum way to harmonise humankind’s interactions with and dependence on our environment to the ultimate benefit of both. Disaster Risk Reduction and

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1 Environmental Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide1 Environmental Protection &Disaster Risk ReductionA Community Leader s GuideUN/ISDR Africa Educational Series, Volume 2, Issue 2 June 2004 Environmental Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide2 This booklet is produced bythe United Nations Inter-Agency Secretariat for theInternational Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR)andthe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)in partnership withUmvoto Africa [Pty] LtdCape Town, South Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide3 CONTENTSFOREWORDS .. , Environmental DEGRADATION AND DISASTERS .. RISK REDUCTION .. BENEFITS FROM AN HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTALPROTECTION .. AND RECOMMENDATIONS .. 38 APPENDIX 43 APPENDIX B.

2 45 GLOSSARY .. 47 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .. 50 BIBLIOGRAPHY .. 51 WEBSITES .. 53 Environmental Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide4 FOREWORDS lvano Brice oDirectorUnited Nations Inter-Agency Secretariat ofthe International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR Secretariat)We should strive to work in harmony - not destroy -our environmentOur environment is a most precious resource that can reduce significantlythe impact of disasters. Deforestation and soil erosion are just some causesof Environmental degradation, and Environmental degradation can lead good news, however, is that protecting the environment can also bedone by booklet, A Community Leaders s Guide to Environmental Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction, tells us what can be done to protect theenvironment and in turn reduce the impact of also provides definitions and explanations in community-friendlylanguage.

3 Supported by success stories providing inspiration for others tocontribute to disaster risk reduction by protecting their local Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide5 This Community Leader s Guide is intended to provide information and supportto community leaders with a responsibility for managing the welfare of localcommunities and their natural environment. The guide provides an introductionto the use of Environmental Protection and Disaster Risk Reduction as tools forpromoting Sustainable Development, before indicating how these are applicableat the community level. Examples of some of the successes achieved by Africancommunities are used to demonstrate how these principles can be occur when hazards damage vulnerable human communities or naturalecosystems beyond their coping capacity, and can occur as a result of bothnatural and human-induced hazards.

4 Their impact upon human settlementsmakes them one of the most important challenges for the international communityto address. Managing and reducing disaster risk is important to safeguard thewelfare of humans and the environment, and, as such, Environmental protectiongoes hand-in-hand with disaster risk Protection is increasingly being recognised as having an importantrole in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction for disaster that impact upon both thenatural and human environment. Disasters are increasing in frequency andseverity as a consequence of increased vulnerabilities to hazards and decreasedcoping capacities. This documents considers how sound Environmental protectioncan help to reduce the vulnerability of both the natural environment and humansettlements and enterprises to hazards, as well as bolstering their capacity toabsorb the impacts of disaster Disaster Management Branch within the Division of Environmental PolicyImplementation here at UNEP continues to work with UN/ISDR in managingdisaster risk.

5 We hope that you find the information contained within this bookletto be of assistance to the efforts of your community in protecting the environmentand managing disaster risks, to the mutual benefit of people and the TveitdalDirectorDivision of Environment Policy Implementation (DEPI)UNEPFOREWORDE nvironmental Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide61. INTRODUCTIONS ustainable Development is generally recognised as the optimum way toharmonise humankind s interactions with and dependence on ourenvironment to the ultimate benefit of both. Disaster Risk Reduction andEnvironmental Protection are two essential components of booklet has been produced to enable community leaders to betterunderstand the role of Environmental Protection in Disaster Risk Reduction[DRR], thereby helping them to make a significant contribution towardsdevelopment that can be sustained for the benefit of both present andfuture generations.

6 Michel Gunther/Still Pictures Abramovitz et al., 2001 While we cannot do away with natural hazards, we caneliminate those that we cause, minimise those that weexacerbate, and reduce our vulnerability to most. Doing thisrequires healthy and resilient communities and Risk Reduction is clearly part of a broader strategyof sustainable development making communities socially,economically and ecologically sustainable THE SCENEF loods (Photo: Care Canada) Environmental Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide7 Mathematical Expression of RiskRisk (R) = Hazard (H) x Vulnerability (V) / Capacity (C)Where Hazard is a potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon and/or hu-man activity, which may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, socialand economic disruption or Environmental degradation, vulnerability is a set ofconditions and processes resulting from physical, social, economical and environ-mental factors, which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact ofhazards.

7 Coping Capacity is the manner in which people and organisations useexisting resources to achieve various beneficial ends during unusual, abnormaland adverse conditions of a disaster event or the past 40 years, natural hazards, such as earthquakes, droughts,floods, storms and tropical cyclones, wildfires and volcanic eruptions havecaused major losses of human lives in Africa. Further, they often result inthe destruction of economic and social infrastructure, as well as damagingthe natural environment (UN/ISDR, 2002). DISASTER RISK REDUCTIONThe probability of a disaster occurring can be influenced by a number offactors that either aggravate the situation or lessen the severity of itsoccurrence. These factors determine the vulnerability of an ecosystem ora community. Increasing the capacity of communities to prevent, withstandand recover from a disaster plays a major role in reducing the severity ofits United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR)defines Risk as a function of Hazard, Vulnerability and Capacity.

8 [See textbox below.] The risk of a disaster occurring is based on physical, economicand Environmental factors, all of which need to be monitored and Risk Reduction can be described as those activities undertakenby a community to minimise exposure to hazards through the developmentand reliance on individual and social capabilities and institutional capacitiesthat can withstand potential loss or damage. (UN/ISDR, 2002). Environmental Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide8 Environmental Protection and planning reduces our vulnerability to disasterand it increases our capacity to recover from a disaster after it has the appropriate measures are implemented timeously they can reduceor even eliminate the risk of a disaster occurring in the first Environmental PROTECTIONThe environment is made up of the earth, water, atmosphere andbiosphere.

9 We live within this natural environment and are an integral partof it. Our social and economic activities impact on the environment andcan change the manner in which its components interact with each changes can result in Environmental degradation and contribute toan increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters and thevulnerability of the environment to them. One of the purposes ofenvironmental Protection is to minimise, or at least manage, the negativeimpacts we, humans, make on the role of Environmental Protection is highlighted in one of the principlesof the Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer World . Environmental Protection as a component of sustainabledevelopment consistent with poverty alleviation is imperativewith the prevention and mitigation of disasters. Adopting sound Environmental Protection measures will ensure that wecan meet our present needs without compromising the ability of futuregenerations to meet their own needs (Brundtland Commission, 1987).

10 Environmental Protection requires the adaptation of indigenous skills andthe learning of new ways to avoid increasing dependence on outsidesupport. It illustrates the paradox that learning new methods and adaptingold ways can be a key to securing the future of indigenous is the efforts of communities under the guidance of their leaders and theinput of dedicated and inspired individuals that have been most effectivein using Environmental Protection measures to reduce the risk andconsequences of disasters and to better coordinate relief activities. InAfrica, there are many examples of successful projects that includecommunity participation and illustrate the benefits of environmentalprotection and disaster risk of these success stories are summarised in this booklet. They clearlyillustrate how leaders and communities can and do contribute to disasterrisk reduction by protecting their Protection & Disaster Risk Reduction - A Community Leader s Guide9 Communities must adopt the notion that disasterimpacts can be reduced and therefore not only waitfor disasters to be managed.


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