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 • Megacities (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 Social needs 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 Social needs 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! .