Urbanising Disaster Risk

Ben Flower and Matt Fortnam URBANISING DISASTER RISK PEOPLE IN NEED IN PEOPLE VULNERABILITY OF THE URBAN POOR IN CAMBODIA TO FLOODING AND OTHER HAZARDS Copyright © People in Need 2015. Reproduction is permitted providing the source is visibly credited. This report has been published by People in Need mission in Cambodia and is part of “Building Disaster Ressilient Communities in Cambodia II“- project funded by Disaster Preparedness Program of Eureopan Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (DIPECHO). The project is implemented by a consortium of five international organisations: ActionAid, DanChurchAid/ Christian Aid, Oxfam, People in Need and Save the Children. Disclaimer This document covers humanitarian aid activities implemented with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of the European Union, and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Acknowledgment People in Need would like to thank all the organisations and individuals which provided Piotr Sasin support and input throughout the research of this report. In particular we want to Country Director thank: National Committee for Disaster Management, Municipality of Phnom Penh, People in Need Municipality of Kampong Cham, Japan International Coopeation Agency, Mekong River Cambodia Commission, Urban Poor Women Development, Community Development Fund and June 2015 Sahmakum Teang Tnaut. Our special thanks go to urban poor dwellers living in disaster prone areas, who provided vital information to PIN research team. People In Need (PIN) - Cambodia, Address # 33, Street 71, Sangkat Tonle Bassac, Khan Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh URBANISING DISASTER RISK: VULNERABILITY OF THE URBAN POOR IN CAMBODIA TO FLOODING AND OTHER HAZARDS 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Rapid urbanisation over the past ters contaminated with sewage can Rapid, unplanned urbanisation has two decades has created new remain for up to 8 months of the increased the vulnerability to of the disaster risks in Cambodia, already year, triggering waterborne disease urban poor, development-induced one of the most disaster prone outbreaks. Climate change is ex- flooding in particular. The growth countries in the world. The urban pected to exacerbate flooding in the of Cambodia’s urban centres has poor tend to inhabit areas most at future. Other urban hazards include occurred in a context of weak insti- risk of hazards, yet little is known landslides, storm damage and fires, tutional oversight and frequently about their disaster vulnerability which spread easily amongst tightly involves the filling and sealing of or resilience. This study seeks built houses. For some urban poor lakes and wetlands by private devel- to address this knowledge gap communities, however, the threat opers. This process deprives urban by assessing the hazards facing of government-sanctioned eviction areas of natural wastewater reser- Cambodia's urban poor populations, was considered to be the most se- voirs and increases surface run-off, their sensitivity to such hazards and vere hazard they faced. which exacerbates flood risk for ur- their capacity to deal with them. It ban poor communities living in the does so by conducting Participatory The socioeconomic attributes of remaining undeveloped, low-lying Hazard, Vulnerability and Capacity Cambodia’s urban poor settlements, areas. Development-induced flood- Assessments (PHVCAs) of six urban which are linked with high levels of ing is most severe in peri-urban ar- poor settlements in the cities of poverty, result in the impacts of haz- eas where land use change is most Phnom Penh and Kampong Cham. ards being severe. Such attributes rapid, urban poor populations are include, high population densities, concentrated, and supporting infra- The urban poor are exposed to a va- the presence of vulnerable groups, structure, such as drainage, has least riety of hazards. Every year, the wet the insecure livelihood strategies of capacity. In addition, peri-urban ar- season results in flooding of low- residents, low WASH coverage and eas lack the flood defences afforded land areas, where the poorest typi- poor quality housing. These factors to more central urban areas. cally reside, which is compounded have important implications for vul- Urban poor communities cope by periodic river flooding – most nerability across and within urban with annual flooding by adopting recently in 2011 and 2013. Floodwa- poor settlements. an array of strategies, from building temporary floating walkways to poor located in lowland areas could • Mainstream community-based temporarily relocating their houses be severely affected. WASH into DRR programmes, so to higher ground. Over time, many Government Disaster Risk Reduction that flood waters are not contami- households have upgraded their (DRR) policies are focused on pre- nated with human waste in areas homes with stilts to raise them venting and responding to specific not serviced by sewerage systems above high water levels. Some of hazards, particularly river flooding, and the communities studied also at- rather than complex and emerging tempted to increase their resilience hazards, such as development-in- • Develop appropriate DRR inter- by building flood defences and duced threats. ventions through participatory raising the level of nearby roads The study proposes a number of processes that recognise the spe- to provide a safe zone to relocate policy options for the Urban Poor cific context of hazards, vulner- houses during floods. The financial Poverty Reduction Working Group abilities and capacities related to costs associated with such strate- (led by Phnom Penh Municipality urban poor settlements. gies have increased household and UNICEF) and Joint Action Group debt with microfinance institutions for DRR to consider: (MFIs), and the resilience of households to hazards is severely con- • Mainstream DRR into urban plan- strained by endemic poverty, with ning so that urban development many households, especially those does not increase the vulnerability headed by women and the elderly, of urban poor populations; unable to adapt to the increasing flood risk. Despite such issues, many • Implement regulations that limit have adapted to the extent that they the negative environmental im- prefer living with floods rather than pacts of rapid urban development, relocating far from their livelihoods. including the rigorous application The findings of this study suggest and enforcement of Environmen- that urban poor settlements are vul- tal Impact Assessments (EIAs); nerable to a potential mega flood disaster. It is thought that even the • Increase the capacity of hard infra- recent 2011 flood was not on the structure, such as piped water cov- scale of a 100-year flood event. If erage and drainage systems, and/ such an event were to occur, low- or rehabilitate ecosystems such as capacity flood protection in peri-ur- wetlands to attenuate flood waters ban areas may be breached and the in peri-urban areas; ACRONYMS CCDM Capital Committee for Disaster Management CDF Community Development Fund CDRI Cambodia Development Resource Institute DIPECHO The European Commission’s Disaster Preparedness Programme DRR Disaster Risk Reduction EIA Environmental Impact Assessment IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency KCDM Khan Committee for Disaster Management MFI Microfinance Institution NCDM National Committee for Disaster Management NGO Non-Governmental Organisation PHVCA Participatory Hazard Vulnerability and Capacities Assessment PIN People in Need PPM Phnom Penh Municipality PPWSA Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority STT Sahmakum Teang Tnaut SCDM Sangkat Committee for Disaster Management UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNISDR United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction GLOSSARY ADAPTATION The adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or ex- ploits beneficial opportunities. CAPACITY The combination of all the strengths, attributes and resources avail- able within a community, society or organisation that can be used to achieve agreed goals. DISASTER A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources. DISASTER The concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systemat- RISK ic efforts to analyse and manage the causal factors of disasters, includ- REDUCTION ing through reduced exposure to 11 hazards, lessened vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and improved preparedness for adverse events. EXPOSURE People, property, systems or other elements present in hazard zones that are thereby subject to potential losses. HAZARD A dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage. RESILIENCE The ability of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient manner, including through the preservation and restoration of its essential basic structures and functions. SENSITIVITY

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