Dear Rotarians,
Environment & Disaster Management are intrinsically linked together. We cannot look upon either of them in isolation. Degradation of Environment is caused by Us. The resultant Disasters must inevitable, be managed by Us.
Achim Steiner, Executive Director of United Nations Environment Protection says:The invoice for our climate-changing emissions will include more droughts, floods and other natural disasters. We need to ‘climate proof’ our farms, our infrastructure and our livelihoods in order to minimize our vulnerability to future disasters.
Let us see what is Environment…. It is the aggregate of all the external forces, influences and conditions, which affect the life, nature, behaviour and the growth, development and maturity of living organisms.
The environment consists of four segments:
1. The Atmosphere which is the protective blanket of gases, that surrounds the earth. The two most important gases within this are Oxygen & Carbon dioxide which control Human & Plant Life. Besides these it contains, Nitrogen, Argon, and trace gases.
2. The Hydrosphere comprising all types of water resources oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, reservoir, polar icecaps, glaciers, and ground water.
3. The Lithosphere which is the outer mantle of the solid earth. It consists of minerals occurring in the earth’s crusts and the soil e.g. minerals, organic matter, air and water.
4. The Biosphere which is the realm of living organisms and their interactions with the other three i.e atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere.
As long as there is a harmony and a healthy equilibrium among the Atmosphere, Hydrosphere and the Lithosphere, the Biosphere will flourish and thrive. The moment this harmony or equilibrium is disturbed it will affect the Biosphere by way of Natural Calamities and Disasters and Humans will have to equip themselves with smart Disaster Management Plans.
I want to make you aware of one startling fact. According to current estimates, cities occupy 4% or less of the world’s terrestrial surface, yet they are home to almost half the global population, consume close to three-quarters of the world’s natural resources, and generate three-quarters of its pollution and wastes. In the next 30 years, the world population is expected to double, accompanied by a net growth in Economy.
I imagine this should be enough to awaken you from the deepest of slumbers.
The effects of human activity that endangers the environment have caused increasing concern since the 1970s. Policy makers, the world over, have framed policies to control and mitigate this impact. However, society now faces dynamic global environmental change on such a massive scale that human activities must be adapted not only to reduce the change itself, but also to respond to the effects of that change. This my dear friends, is the Intrinsic Link that I referred to in the beginning.
It is now evident that humans are vulnerable to the Disasters caused by Environmental degradation caused by them in the first place. The fact is clear that environment, development and disasters are connected. While it is now accepted that ecosystems are affected by disasters, it is conveniently forgotten that protecting the ecosystem can both save lives and protect livelihoods. This should form the backbone of Disaster Management System rather than just a reaction to a Disaster.
The following framework maps five pathways that connect environment to disaster risk – and ultimately link environmental management to disaster risk reduction.
Let us examine 5 phenomena that cause Disasters.
1) Development directly causes Natural hazards.
Events such as floods, droughts and earthquakes are designated as Natural Hazards. However it is now seen and understood that human activities have an impact on the timing, magnitude and frequency of these perils. Excessive and reckless urbanisation has triggered global warming and thereby affected the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events. Deforestation and desertification affect local rainfall patterns and are known cause drought.
2) Healthy ecosystems provide natural defences.
Healthy Ecological conditions can modify the frequency and magnitude of Disasters. Wetland ecosystems function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters. Deforestation is the main cause of flooding and mangroves, dunes and reefs create physical barriers between communities and coastal hazards.
3) Degraded ecosystems reduce community resilience.
People who live in marginal or environmentally degraded areas often struggle on a daily basis to survive. Limited livelihood alternatives, competition over scarce resources and lack of access to healthcare and other services severely limit the community’s ability to respond and recover from a hazard.
4) Some environmental impacts require immediate attention.
In most cases, the Environment recovers from disaster events. However environmental impacts can result in serious risk to life and livelihoods. Increased Industrial activity and its associated indiscriminate dumping of Effluents will continue to cause new Disasters.
5) Environmental degradation is a hazard in itself. It is a man-made disaster.Statistical data is a valuable tool to assess the patterns of Disasters and is useful in establishing strategies to reduce its vulnerability.
Before talking about the framework for Disaster Management it is essential to understand that this needs to be two-pronged. On one hand there is a need to put in place assessment systems that shall periodically review and recommend Disaster Risk Reduction.
Priority No.1: Ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and local priority with a strong institutional basis for implementation.
National response mechanisms must be strengthened with well documented SOPs for dealing with such eventualities. This can be effectively communicated down the line. Environmental Managers must incorporate risk reduction criteria in environmental regulatory framework.
Priority No.2: Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning.
Advance warning mechanisms alert us to seismic activity in real time, climate projections that based on long term changes can forecasts storms. Environmental information should be made the basis for all spatial planning. Proper buffer Zones, pragmatic land use plans and Building codes would be defence mechanisms against such eventualities. Since risk and vulnerability are dynamic, their assessment must acontinuous effort.
Priority No.3: Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels
Disasters can be substantially reduced if people are well informed and follow a culture of prevention. Traditional knowledge of local communities on environment and disasters are very important tools. Universities and research centres need to constantly write algorithms based on past experience to make models for forecasting. They can in turn release valid data that can trigger defence mechanisms in the Community well in time.
Priority No.4: Reduce the underlying risk factors.
Natural resource exploitation, urban development and environmental degradation need to be scientifically regulated to undermine the associated risks. Humans have induced Climate change by their indiscriminate actions and increased risks by degrading Natural ecosystems. The governance systems need to address these issues and implement strict regulations that will help mitigate this degradation.
Priority No.5: Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels.
The coordination of evacuation, search and rescue operations, and provision of relief to survivors, is the basis of Disaster management post the event. The efficiency of the same will be based on the contingency plans developed in advance of the disaster event and based on all available risk information. Damage to industrial facilities and environmental infrastructure can pose immediate risks to survivors and threaten public health. In both the relief and recovery phases, attention to the environment is first about saving lives and then about livelihoods.
I urge every Rotarian here to keep these 10 key points on Environment & Disaster Management.
1) Engage environmental managers fully in national disaster risk management mechanisms
2) Include risk reduction criteria in environmental regulatory frameworks
3) Assess environmental change as a parameter of risk
4) Utilize local knowledge in community-based disaster risk management
5) Engage the scientific community to promote environmental research and innovation
6) Protect and value ecosystem services
7) Consider environmental technologies and designs for structural defences8) Integrate environmental and disaster risk considerations in spatial planning
9) Prepare for environmental emergencies
10) Strengthen capacities for environmental recovery.
I would like to leave you with the thoughts of the great thinker Henry David Thoreau..
What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?