Urban Risk and Resilience Anshu Sharma http://picasaweb.google.com/dukebrac
1 megacity in the world in 1950; 17 in Asia Pacific alone now
Upto 80% city dwellers living in sub-standard conditions
Migration storms feared due to climate change
Megadisasters waiting to happen…
Stresses affecting millions every day
Urban Risk Chain
• Housing gap
• Migration
• Densities
• Squatters and slums
• Pressure on land
• Vulnerability
Disaster = Hazard x Vulnerability The Nature of Urban Risk
• Economic opportunities outweigh risk • Cost saving shortcuts enhance risk • The Risk Barometer
Every community has its level of Acceptable Risk. This level is higher in urban communities than rural ones. It is higher in slums than other urban. The Urban Concern is Increasing
• Significant Urban Disasters include – Floods – Cyclones and Storm Surges – Earthquakes – Tsunamis – Heat waves – Drought – Accidents
• Climate change related catastrophic events
• Urban Pressures are increasing: With half of the population living in cities soon
The Urban Concern is Diversifying
• Urban Risks now include – Terror attacks – Ethnic violence – Epidemics – Lack of safe shelter – Lack of basic services
• Climate change is bringing in unpredictability
• A broader, community based, perception of `RISK’ is evolving, and Policy needs to be accountable to this
Stress Factors
• Urban population • Urban setting and planning • Urban structures • Compact urban forms • Dependence on rural areas • Urban primacy • Urban informal settlements • Urban economic imbalances • Urban services • Urban environment • Urban management
(Surjan, Shaw, 2008) In the Life of a City
• Eopolis • Polis • Metropolis • Megalopolis • Tyrannopolis • Necropolis
http://geobytesgcse.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html
The City is a living organism. It is born, it grows, it gets sick, it heals, it consumes, it excretes, and it dies. Transforming Risks
• Small and Medium Towns
• Peri Urban Areas
(www.geocases.co.uk) Sectors of Concern: Physical
• Densities • Controls and Loopholes • `Unengineered’ development • Development vs. Maintenance • Water • Sanitation • Hazardous Landuses • Transportation
Sectors of Concern: Social
• Diversity • Public Health (and mental health) • Women • Children • Inclusion • Conflict
Sectors of Concern: Economic
• The Rich and the poor • Working conditions • Financing urban management • Welfare state vs. User pays • Accountability - polluter pays • Culture of risk taking, fatalism and denial
Sectors of Concern: Institutional
• Web of authorities • Participation • Last mile • Risk Reduction is a development issue
Equal and Opposite Reactions
Urban Planning Saving Options Provisions (with risk tradeoffs) • Master Plan • Suburbs • Zoning Regulations • Slums / Squatters • Building Codes • Unengineered Buildings • Welfare Infrastructure • Pvt. Service Providers • Administration Systems • Local Political Leaders • Financial Institutions • Pawn Brokers
FORMAL INFORMAL As less as 20 % population Up to 80 % population Household Resilience
Household members use resourcesutilise tomeet basic needs and build assets over time
Resources/ services Assets Water, food Basic Health needs Social Shelter Physical Shocks and Water Education Human Pressure stresses Health Financial Shelter Control of resources Natural Education by structures and processes, Political eg of water by authorities Food Participation Household Assets buffer households from Resources used to shocks and stresses and improve meet basic needs household members access resources
Access to resources Barrier to access of through productive/exchange activities: position in society: selling labour, goods ……. Culture, gender, religion, status
David Sanderson, 2008 Shocks and Stresses
Shocks Stresses • Earthquakes • Drought, Water Stress • Storm Surges • Sanitation • Tsunamis • Public Health • Flash Floods • Slumming • Riots, Terror Attacks • Small scale events (like • Accidents waterlogging) • Fires • Sea level rise • Secondary Impacts • Migration flows
Attract Attention Are invisible disasters Where have all the people gone?
Orissa, India (Greenpeace) ClCh and Household Resilience
Household members use resourcesutilise tomeet basic needs and build assets over time
Resources/ services Assets Water, food Basic Health needs Social Shelter Physical Shocks and Water Education Human Pressure stresses Health Financial Shelter Control of resources Natural Education by structures and processes, Political eg of water by authorities Food Participation Household Assets buffer households from Resources used to shocks and stresses and improve meet basic needs household members access resources
Access to resources Barrier to access of through productive/exchange activities: position in society: selling labour, goods ……. Culture, gender, religion, status
David Sanderson, 2008 Making DRR a priority
Dialogues, local capacity building, institutional strengthening, participation Improving Risk Information and EW
assessments, mapping, improving early warning systems Building a culture of safety and resilience awareness generation, education, training, scenario building, CBDM, research, school safety Reducing the risk in key sectors environmental, social, physical, structural, economic Strengthening preparedness
assessment based common understanding, public education, planning, training, e-learning, preparedness actions with multiple stakeholders
Thank You!