Due to natural vulnerabilities and human factors, losses and damages from disasters continue to rise in South Asia. There is also growing evidence for links between climate change and disaster risks. In response, there have been calls to bring together climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) policy development. This is crucial in order to address the risks efficiently and to promote sustainable development pathways. However, progress towards such convergence has been uneven.
Six research projects across three countries of South Asia examine progress, research needs and potential mechanisms for improving implementation of CCA and DRR.
Under this broad research theme, the research teams investigated institutional arrangements and governance structures, policy innovations that promote convergence of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into policy and practice, and the changing nature of development factors, all of which shape vulnerability to disasters.
A broad observation was the weak institutional coordination between DRR and CCA agencies as well as broader development planning. Significant localised improvements came from facilitating communication across administrative scales and with local communities. Yet, the idea that movement toward sustainable development requires addressing combined natural and anthropogenic hazards has not yet penetrated to the institutional levels where disaster response planning commonly takes place.
Due to natural vulnerabilities human factors, losses damages from disasters continue to rise in South Asia. There is also growing evidence for links between climate change disaster risks. In response, there have been calls for bringing together climate change adaptation (CCA) disaster risk reduction (DRR) policy development, in order to address the risks efficiently to promote sustainable development pathways. However, progress towards such convergence has been uneven. We report on six research projects awarded in three countries of South Asia to examine progress, research needs potential mechanisms for improving implementation of CCA DRR. Some significant localised improvements in CCA-DRR were generated, primarily through facilitating communication across administrative scales with local communities. We observed a common tendency toward weak institutional coordination between agencies charged with disaster response those charged with climate change planning (as well as development planning more broadly). The idea that movement toward sustainable development requires addressing combined natural anthropogenic hazards has not yet penetrated to the institutional levels where disaster response planning commonly takes place. We close by identifying further knowledge needs proposing recommendations for steps toward convergence of disaster risk reduction climate change adaptation.
Key research lessons about mainstreaming climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in South Asia
There is little doubt that climate change will increase disasters throughout South Asia thus requiring long-term climate change adaptation...
OPINION: Exploring resilience in climate compatible development
Mihir Bhatt, CDKN’s Senior Advisor in India, considers what we can learn about resilience from CDKN’s South Asia research programme.
FEATURE: What have we learned about mainstreaming climate and disasters in Asia?
PHOTO STORY: Projects across Asia hope to unite disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation efforts
Five CDKN-funded projects under way across South Asia aim to integrate disaster risk reduction measures with efforts to adapt to climate change.
The Catalyst Of Change (SEEDS)
Mainstreaming DRR & CCA Into Development Planning In Gorakhpur (GEAG)
Getting Climate Smart For Disasters (ICSD, IC India)
Koshi At The Face Of A Changing Climate (NDRI)
Mainstreaming DRR & CCA In The Indus Ecoregion (WWF)
Linking DRR, CCA & Sustainable Landscape Development Goals in the Eastern Himalayas (ATREE)