Ensuring Disaster Risk Reduction and Development is Sustainable in the Future - Essay Example

?Ensuring Disaster Risk Reduction and Development is Sustainable in the Future: Anticipating Climate Change Impacts. Introduction Environment of the planet is by far a consistent concern for all the scientists and environmental specialists. Right from the evolution of human civilization, natural disasters and calamities had been a primary issue of concern. In fact, before humans could invent their own artificial disasters, nature was the only source for both: hope and fear. In human history, there are numbers of disasters arriving over various human civilizations to produce large number of calamities. Those disasters involved earthquakes, typhoons, sea-storms, volcanoes, famines and diseases. Thus, disaster management too had been a subject rooted in the very ancient history of mankind. Disaster management is a multidimensional process requiring many departments and authorities to come together for providing a specific efficient strategy to a land for preventing it from natural disasters and taking proper precautions regarding the probable cases where a natural disaster is estimated. While, because of the modern capitalist nature of world’s think-tank, disasters are often blamed over nature, it is quite significant that there had been a considerable raise in disasters which is somehow responsible to human establishment and mankind’s overlooking of natural balance. As, according to accurate reports, there is a lift in natural disasters, it becomes a rational issue or what are the reasons of such a lift in disasters while the entire scientific and progressive world is looking to make the planet safer and secure. Weather department, geographical experts, historian and environmentalists always boast with every of their planning as if their efforts will mitigate the possibilities of harm. Especially, supporter of industrial progress claim that they have turned the world into concrete structure to provide it safety including powers to add to mankind’s faculties that will enhance his resistance to natural harms. Even if all those efforts do not show a clear mitigation in natural disasters, rather there is uplift in the numbers and effects of natural disasters, then it indicates clear requirement of reestablishing the theories and ideas regarding short term and long term plans for disaster management which not only include management of an existing or estimated disaster but also keeps in attention full structure and behavior of environment so that mankind may deal with the environment in a way that truly proves out to be safe. Recent Scenario in Disasters and calamities As the scientific progress has reached to new dimensions and there are many types of equipment and technologies to predict and mould the effects of nature, there are many precautions and method, like remote sensing and GPS, to help people negate or reduce the effects of natural disasters. In most cases where disasters cannot be controlled due to the gigantic powers of nature, there are number of methods that can save lives. Mostly progressivism boasts of industrial and scientific progress as a mean to achieve new heights in any field. In medical field, often progress is refereed to be a something of a miracle. While it is true to some extent, there are other facts attached to industrial and scientific progress which makes us concern over the unmanaged and unplanned utilization of resources and the lack of a farseeing vision. Evidently, natural disasters have been mounting quite higher when compared to earlier times of human history. Recent studies show that frequencies of natural disasters have grown since last few decades. From 1994 to 1998, reported disasters average was 428 per year but from 1999 to 2003, this figure went up to an average of 707 disaster events per year showing an increase of about 60 per cent over the previous years. The biggest rise was in countries of low human development, which suffered an increase of 142 per cent (CBSE, 2006). On the other hand when the definition of disaster is considered larger and seen all number of climatic conditions producing calamities. The numbers of disasaters seem much more. In fact, there is a very thin line between a natural emergency and disasters which often leads to different methods of estimation. Definitions from United States Disaster reduction strategies includes all the calamities caused by natural conditions around the earth and come up with strange numbers that shows the requirement of disaster management before any other planed strategy for development and progress. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) has calculated that of the 5,210 disasters recorded in the world between 1991 and 2005, 2,029 (approximately 40 percent) have occurred in the Asia-Pacific region. Several other reports have stated that in the last three years alone, the region has been prone to more natural disasters than in the last three decades. Earthquakes across Indonesia and other countries in the region have now become annual occurrences for the last three years, particularly in areas along the Sumatra fault, the origin of the earthquake that spawned the 2004 tsunami. The year 2006 was also notable in that the Pacific typhoon season ran year-round, causing considerable physical damage and loss of life in many Asian countries, including China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Viet Nam (Wattegama, 2007) As over given figures show, there are considerable increases in number of disasters; there may be many reason which may be pointed for this fact. But, most of all, there are manmade artificial constructions and changes affecting nature in such a way that it result into natural disasters. One example is the frequent arrival of earthquakes due to dams and heavy pressures on earth powered by gigantic amount of water. On one hand, where many such disasters can be mitigated by only a visionary thought towards the future probabilities, there are many cases of disasters which are too sudden to be prevented much earlier. Also, there are number of cases when some natural phenomenon like floods, as in Kosi River in India, periodically visits some place to destroy all the human establishment of the relevant place (Chandan, 2010). Thus, as there are many cases to be considered so are there a large number of possibilities that can be studied and applied to save the destruction of property and life up to a certain level. An overview of disaster management Disasters management is a subject that had been around for years. In most ancient of the civilizations we can find out the traces of disaster management when Egyptians used to drift all their residences and population due to the regular periodical flood in Neale River (School, 2000). Similar traces are found in Harappa culture. Volcanoes are notorious for changing the course of human civilization by destroying civilizations in Europe and Africa. Famines had frequently performing mass-destruction in all civilizations. And, diseases have killed much more people than died in world wars. Resulting from a study on a period during 1992 to 2001, it shows that most dangerous of all disasters seems to be famines, which apparently seems under control of possible management strategies when compared to any other natural disaster like floods and earthquakes. Earthquakes are second most harmful disaster as came out of the study (CBSE, World Scenario: Reported Deaths from all Disasters , 2006). 45% of the deaths came out of famine while earthquakes and floods caused 16% and 14% of overall deaths. While earthquakes can be sensed by modern technology, floods tend to show their signs much before the occurrence of actual calamities. And thus, it indicates the importance of proper disasters management strategies to prevent large number of calamities. Now, looking at the facts regarding human capabilities for managing disasters, it comes out quite evidently that most of those disasters could be managed if applied with proper disaster management strategies. For example, Famines in African countries are caused by poverty and lack of international support as much as due to fewer rains (Millions facing famine in Ethiopia as rains fail, 2009). There are many places in the world which suffer from much lesser rains than affected African countries; still famines do not visit so frequently because national and international support often provides enough food to overcome the minimal requirements. If similar situation falls under a developed nation, it causes no problem for the state to circulate the food, medicine and supplements to the affected place; and resultantly, it does not come out as a disaster. However, when a similar situation occurs in a country that falls in far reaching Africa, mostly affected people have to depend wholly on W.H.O. and other U.N.O based support. International support also restricts only up to providing food and supplements while many other requirements like shelter, surviving equipments, medical and transport facilities are overlooked. Those factors are paid enough attention inside the boundary of a country. One of the biggest examples of history includes Bengal Famine in Indian subcontinent that killed around 3 million people which is a more than the number of people killed in both world wars. The figures of production during Bengal famine shows that the famine was caused mostly because British government was transporting all the rice to the soldiers in world war (Chawla, 2005). As international support was unavailable due to world war, Bengal Famine came out as one of the biggest disasters of human history. It comes out that many such disasters can be managed if proper strategies are applied and proper earlier steps are considered before the actual destructions begin. However, it necessarily requires farsighted vision and well planned methods to deal with such events. This is how disaster management had come up as a vital topic and concern for all the authorities over the world. Disaster Probabilities in Himalayan zone Apparently, most of the Indian state is prone to disasters. Facts and figures show that Himalayan plate is in consistent movement towards Tibetan plateau. It consistently exerts pressures over rest of the Indian plate, providing large pressure to subsequent plates forcing many conditions that can become roots for numerous disasters. About 60% of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of various intensities; over 40 million hectares is prone to floods; about 8% of the total area is prone to cyclones and 68% of the area is susceptible to drought. In the decade 1990-2000, an average of about 4344 people lost their lives and about 30 million people were affected by disasters every year (Disaster Management in India - A Status Report, 2004) Natural disasters are mostly resulted out of a colossal power of nature generating unbalanced phenomenon which crosses estimated limits producing vast calamities. Floods, earthquakes and volcanoes are a few examples. As a matter of fact, hilly areas are much more prone to natural disaster than deep forests and plane lands. Factually, rivers and hills are the biggest producers of natural disasters in all human history while simultaneously being the base foundations of human civilization and its civil progress. In all the early history of mankind, including Harappa and Egypt, civilization grew only on the lands of rivers because irrigation and agriculture both required good soil and enough water (Owen, 2008). Hills, on the other side, had been more of a powerful structure to cause major changes over the earth. Glaciers and hilly forests rarely offered vast help for civilization to develop but they had always been a source of all the resources to make sure that most of the civilizations grew under or nearby some big Mountains. Similarly, looking at the biggest geographical structure on earth, we find out that Himalayan zone had been a very sensitive area for various natural disasters. Himalayan zone includes some of the world’s queerest places and phenomenon around. World’s hardest rains, biggest rivers, longest and unfathomable glaciers and extreme climate conditions offer many surprising and sudden changes which sometimes become initiators of heavy natural disasters. As taken for Himalayan zone, Indian plate had been separated from Gondwanaland in very earlier history of earth’s geography. This process it still continuous; Indian plate is still moving toward Eurasia; and resultantly, India is supposed to dissolve in Tibetan Plateau afterwards. In roughly100 million years the Indian continent will have completely disappeared beneath the Tibetan plateau. The weight of the plateau currently depresses its northern edge a prodigious 20 km below sea level and causes a 450 m elastic bulge to rise some 2-300 km south of the Ganga plains in central India. This so-called "hidden range" first described by the Survey of India in the 1920's, results in a corresponding depression some 300 km to its south where the Indian plate dips 40 m into the mantle. This apparently insignificant depression with a NS wavelength of more than 500 km almost doubles stresses in the upper part of the Indian plate. These increased stresses (near Latur), and their transfer to the base of the Indian plate near the crest of the bulge (near Jabalpur) are the underlying physical reason for earthquakes in India (Bilham, 2004) Geographical position and state of Himalaya separate India from other countries. It is also very important factor in determining the weather conditions of India as the rains are diverted through the Mountains and all rivers somehow have their origins in Himalayan glaciers. Thus Himalaya determines all the major factors of Indian nation. In very earlier history of earth, Indian plate had been separated from Madagascar to collide with Eurasian plate which gave birth of Himalaya. 15cm per year is still the speed of Indian plate toward Eurasian plate. A back pressure consistently forces all the geographical structure of India. Mostly that pressure causes earthquakes like recent event happened in Jabalpur and Bhuj. Resultantly, Himalayan zone require serious efforts and preventions from governments to save from the probable disasters which somehow visits the Indian state with frequent and sudden occurring. Management policies and sustainable risk management As Himalayan zone is one of the most sensitive zone for earthquake and other natural disasters, and, controlling all the river and glaciers, it is also the source of most of the natural disasters occurring around Indian subcontinent. Government of India had made specific disaster management policies to secure the preparation for the various disasters and to provide a sensing and warning facility for various departments to develop into a safe plan for the population of Indian state and subcontinent population. Core policies of disasters management in Himalayan zone include remote sensing of the upcoming probable earthquakes, estimating flood and the areas affected by it, probable loss of property and designing and managing various ways to mitigate the affect of disasters. As Himalayan Zone is responsible for controlling all the weather conditions India, Disaster management also has to synchronize with the weather department to estimate the estimated rains for providing an estimated sheet for how rains may affect the production of the various grains and rice to fulfill the requirement of Indian Population. It helps very much in avoiding the famines as Government can preplan its moves to avoid famines or to manage in case of lesser rains and deficiency of food. There are some planned strategies which Government of India has to apply for proper disaster management in the Himalayan Zone. Some key factors are very important to be looked during the plan of a strategy as separate factors are responsible for affecting the Himalayan Zone during different climates and seasons. Also, as Himalayan Zone is the highest geographical structure over earth, it holds a very distinct geography that belongs only to the historical and ecological structure it inherits. Thus, there are a number of factors to be considered and managed for disaster management in this field (DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT PROFILE, 2005). Government is looking to reformate the institution in a manner that disasters management is treated as a continuous subject of concern. The development and progress of buildings can be sustained only if the climatic condition and futuristic probabilities are taken into account form the very beginning of any development. India is very highly populated country. It is essential for management to make normal masses and state authorities aware about the policies of the government so that in case of disasters or preventative measures, all the authorities and masses can be united to a proper synchronization that serves the targets of relief and rehabilitation. For such purposes, Government had included various chapters and guidelines in very basic education and ground level governing authorities. As most of the disaster management relies vastly on the technology and equipments that serves the purposes of farseeing a disaster, the technology holds the utmost concern for disaster management Funding mechanism is also to be refurnished in Indian state. For longer times, funding of the disasters management had been a very quick and efficient only if it belongs to relief processes. Quite recently, there had been involved changes in the funding system that provides more attention to the basic developments which may mitigate the damages from disasters in critical cases. One example of such methods is the recent development of the buildings and houses that can save up to a maximum level of earthquake. Also the farmers are guided for maintaining their farms according to the guidelines and preventive measures of the government to prevent larger damages from the floods. As over given strategies are being followed by the government and domestic authorities, the overall plan of the disaster management involve a multidimensional process that covers all the fields of Management. Basic four requirements of disaster management are: Priory Sensing, estimations, calculation and framing of probable disasters Planning sustainable structures and buildings, and innovating frameworks for safe relief from upcoming probable disastrous conditions. For example, building safe woodhouse in earthquake sensitive areas and involving safe and sustainable material in buildings that can tolerate a minimal measure of vibrations and force. Funding and add fore the various departments to enhance the range of disaster management authorities and to help them spread awareness about disaster management. In case of a disaster, while preparations and safety measure have either failed or have proved to be insufficient, a number of urgent relief and rescue facilities to the affected area. Although, such urgencies often show requirements beyond the expectations yet if there are proper management strategies rescue and rehabilitation work can be under control and can be performed with efficiency to provide relief for most of the affected population. Although there are number of factors to be considered, and it depends very specifically on the specific geographic position of a land, it is quite practical that farseeing is the core method of disaster management. No disaster management can take place if estimation is not practical. Also, disaster management cannot be left thoroughly on governments. Private sector and common public is required to get the basic education about the threats and method of mitigation. In Himalayan zone, recently government has made plans for developing a farsighted strategy for disaster management. As this strategy is more scientific and rational in its nature, it may be seen in future for how proper disaster management planning can help save many lives and mitigate vast destructions. Relief and Rehabilitation Disaster management is a twofold process involving primary safety and precaution to prevent from the disasters involving a number of methods along with the emergency aids and management to provide relief and rehabilitation in case of disaster and calamities. As said, ‘precautions are better than cure’, it is true to this case; mostly, it is hard to guess exact affects and results of a disaster. Mostly, even if the disasters are tried to be pre-maintained, not all the things can be maintained in dealing with huge powers of nature. Conversely, if the managements aren’t done in a proper manner than the number of calamities and destruction raises sometimes to very high level. In both cases, it is the facilities and aid provided to the relief and rehabilitation units that save lives and normalize the conditions during and after the disaster. Therefore, recent strategy from Government of India has included specific method for relief and rehabilitation of sufferers of natural disasters. In consultation with Medical Council of India (MCI) two committees have been constituted or preparation of curriculum for introduction of emergency health management in MBBS curriculum, and preparation of in-service training of Hospital Managers and Professionals. Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences Karnataka has been identified as the lead national resource institution for the purpose (India, 2004). As much the importance of estimation holds important, so does the targeted relief and rehabilitation is important in a disaster management policy. As mentioned above, disasters come out of the huge powers of the nature which cannot always be estimated beyond an extent. Nowadays International organizations are getting united to serve the purpose of disaster management in the entire world; still there are many upcoming challenges that require a unification of world’s authorities to fight with the natural disasters. Mostly, disasters are considered as an issue of relevant state which causes an overlooking from rest of the world. Globalization and enhancement of U.N.O. is somehow unifying International authorities to provide a universal look towards natural disasters which may help further to improve the strategies and to provide relief and rehabilitation to distant places of the world suffering from natural disasters. Conclusion Disaster management is a vital issue. Most of all it is a management which deals with the natural powers that cannot be manifested as fully manageable. Most of the natural disasters surpass the earlier estimation and show a drift from the earlier guesses. Therefore, a margin of estimation is always considered for such issue. In Himalayan Zone, Government had placed a considerable amount of policies to pre-estimate the possibilities of disasters but still climate is being more and more unpredictable nowadays which is leading to larges changes in pre-management policies, including funding and information circulation and in relief and rescue operation managements. The idea of Disaster management is inherited in the fact that disasters can be sensed through various techniques like remote sensing and distant calculation with GPS and other techniques. And if there are some unfavorable conditions, a proper relief and recovery process can mitigate the destructions caused by the disasters. Resultantly, all it needs for a disaster management procedure is to make sure that estimation faculties are up to date and aware of all the scenarios; also, the relief functions are ready to deal with the possible harms. By far, various disaster management policies around the world had been trying to mitigate the risk in a manner that restricts only up to preventing natural disasters by implying instant measures. Also, implementations of relief and rehabilitation are considered as factors belonging to a particular disaster. In future efforts, it is important to take disaster management as a topic of overall structure of the world which should necessarily include a far reaching strategy to control and manage the destruction of environment by taking care of overall environment of the planet and managing the industrial and other developments accordingly. Works Cited Bilham, R. (2004). Remote Sensing applied to earthquake Hazards in India. India- United States Conference on Space Sceinces, applications and commerce (pp. 21-25). Bangalore: . CBSE. (2006). NATURAL HAZARDS AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT. Delhi: CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION. CBSE. (2006). World Scenario: Reported Deaths from all Disasters . Delhi: CBSE. Chandan. (2010, December 12). BIHAR FLOOD RELIEF - 2008. Retrieved from http://biharfloodrelief2008.blogspot.com/: http://www.slideshare.net/santoshpandeyca/bihar-flood-kosi-flood-a-national-calamity-presentation Chawla, A. (2005, April 4). THE GREAT HOLOCAUST OF BENGAL. Retrieved from http://www.samarthbharat.com: http://www.samarthbharat.com/bengalholocaust.htm (2004). Disaster Management in India - A Status Report. Ministry of Home Affairs . Governemnt of India, National Disaster Managemnt Divison. (2005). DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT PROFILE. Mumabi. India, G. o. (2004). DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN INDIA. Ministry of Home Affairs. Millions facing famine in Ethiopia as rains fail. (2009, August 30). Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/millions-facing-famine-in-ethiopia-as-rains-fail-1779376.html Owen, B. (2008). The Indus valley: Condensed overview of Harappan civilization . Retrieved from http://bruceowen.com: http://bruceowen.com/emciv/341-08s-18-CondensedIndus.pdf School, B. E. (2000). The Annual Nile River Flood. Retrieved from Ancient Egypt's Deepest Secrets Revealed. Wattegama, C. (2007). ICT for Disaster Management. Bangkok: United Nations Development Programme – Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme (UNDP-APDIP). Read More