Disaster mitigation THE ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD) The OECD is a forum where Members come together to discuss critical issues, opportunities and policy options and to arrive at harmonised approaches through consensus. Established in 1960, it is the successor to the Organisation for European Economic Co- operation, created in 1948 to help with the revitalisation of war-torn economies of Western Europe. Since its origin, the OECD has promoted democratic, pluralistic institutions and market-oriented policies which aim: — to achieve the highest sustainable economic growth and employment and a rising standard of living in Member countries, while maintaining financial stability, and thus to contribute to the development of the world economy; — to contribute to sound economic expansion in Member as well as non-member countries in the process of economic development; and — to contribute to the expansion of world trade on a multilateral non- discriminatory basis in accordance with international obligations. Current Member countries of the OECD are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Commission of the European Communities participates in OECD work. THE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE (DAC) The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) is a specialised committee of the OECD, whose Members have agreed to secure the expansion of the total volume of resources made available to developing countries and to improve aid effectiveness. Created in 1960, the Committee undertakes periodic peer reviews that critically analyse aid programmes. Members also consult on broader aspects of development policy encompassing a range of economic, financial, trade, environmental and structural issues. The DAC is the principal international forum where bilateral donors adjust the pattern of their aid in light of changing priorities and new perspectives on the development process. In 1989 the DAC created a Working Party on environment to strengthen the contribution of aid policies and programmes to sustainable development. As of 1994, the Members of the Development Assistance Committee are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Commission of the European Communities. OECD 1994 Cover design: A. Galievsky Readers are encouraged to reprint this document, giving credit to the original OECD DAC source and providing a copy to the Publications Co-ordinator, Development Co-operation Directorate, OECD, 2, rue André Pascal, Paris, 75016 France. 2 Disaster mitigation Contents List of Acronyms ....................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 5 Terms and concepts.................................................................................................... 7 Organisational and procedural arrangements with aid agencies .............................. 11 Context ................................................................................................................ 11 Country strategies ............................................................................................... 13 Project identification .......................................................................................... 13 Project appraisal/design ...................................................................................... 13 Organisational arrangements .............................................................................. 14 Staff training and awareness-raising .................................................................. 15 Disaster mitigation at the country level: approaches ................................................ 15 Familiarisation with existing and planned mitigation activities ....................... 15 The co-ordination and timing of new mitigation activities ............................... 16 Strengthening of national policy and mitigation-related institutions................ 17 Encouraging disaster mitigation in the private sector ....................................... 18 The role of NGOs and community-based organisations.................................... 19 Supporting an expansion of insurance cover ..................................................... 20 Disaster mitigation at the country level: specific techniques ................................... 21 Early warning systems ........................................................................................ 21 Land-use zoning.................................................................................................. 21 Building codes .................................................................................................... 22 Incentives ............................................................................................................ 22 Free or subsidised provision of assets ................................................................ 22 Public awareness raising and training ................................................................ 22 Mitigation plans .................................................................................................. 23 Notes ........................................................................................................................... 23 Annex 1: Natural Hazards and Disasters: Types and Characteristics ...................... 25 Annex 2: The Effects of Disasters ............................................................................. 42 Annex 3: Disaster Statistics ....................................................................................... 47 Annex 4: Selected Documentation ............................................................................ 54 3 Disaster mitigation List of Acronyms AOSIS Alliance of Small Island States. CGIAR Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. CRED Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Univer- sity of Louvain, Belgium. DAC Development Assistance Committee of the OECD. DHA See UNDHA. ECHO European Community Humanitarian Office. EM-DAT Disaster Events Database, University of Louvain, Belgium. FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. IDNDR International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction of the United Nations. MM Modified Mercalli scale of seismic intensity. MSK Medvedev-Sponheuer-Karnik scale of seismic intensity. NGO Non-governmental organisation. OFDA Office of United States Foreign Disaster Assistance. SAR Search and Rescue teams. UNDHA United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (formerly UNDRO). UNDP United Nations Development Programme. UNDRO The former United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation (see UNDHA). UNSSO United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office. WHO World Health Organisation. of the United Nations. WFP World Food Programme of the United Nations. WMO World Meteorological Organisation of the United Nations. 4 Disaster mitigation GUIDELINES ON DISASTER MITIGATION Introduction Natural hazards are an integral part of the environment in which we live. Extreme atmospheric, hydrological and geophysical events may occur at any time in various parts of the world and, in those economies and societies which are vulnerable to their effects, the events frequently become disasters involving substantial loss of life and social and economic disruption. Many developing countries are particularly prone to one or more of these types of extreme events (see Maps in Annex 1). In addition, principally as a result of their poverty, developing countries are especially vulnerable to natural hazards. Hazard events which would cause limited damage and few casualties in a rich country often cause extensive damage and substantial loss of life in a developing country context. Thus natural disasters usually occur with greater severity in developing countries and claim a higher death toll. One recent estimate is that 95 per cent of all disaster- related deaths occur in developing countries. Disasters also often have a significant negative impact upon the economies and development prospects of developing countries because of the destruction of public and private capital, the disruption of production and trade and the diversion of scarce resources to relief and rehabilitation efforts. In some countries where pre-existing social tensions render them highly vulnerable, natural hazards can exacerbate such tensions and lead to political instability and civil strife. Whilst a strong correlation exists between per capita income and a country’s vulnerability to natural hazards, economic growth per se does not automatically reduce the level of vulnerability, and vulnerability may actually increase during early stages of development. Developed countries are less vulnerable because they have invested in both structural and non-structural measures to mitigate the impact of the natural hazards they face. Whilst developing countries can expect to remain vulnerable to hazards, their level of vulnerability can be substantially reduced by the adoption of a selection of the mitigation measures developed and in common use in more developed