2 Sendai-concepts
Cameron McCormick and SADC-DRM
To understand Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR ) and the Sendai Framework , it is important to understand a few key concepts.
Official terminology was created in 2009 (UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction Terminology), aimed at promoting common understanding and use of disaster risk reduction concepts and supporting the disaster risk reduction efforts of authorities , practitioners and the public. This terminology was later updated (2016) following the request of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (paragraph 50), which recommended the establishment of an open-ended intergovernmental expert working group on Indicators and Terminology Related to Disaster Risk Reduction (OIEWG, 2016) [ see associated links and downloads at bottom of page ].
Here are some of the basic key concepts:
- Ability
- Adaptability
- Disaster
- Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
- Disaster risk management
- Losses
- Preparation
- Prevention
- Resistance
Ability
Capacity is the combination of all strengths, attributes and resources available within an organization, community or society to manage and reduce disaster risks and build resilience .
Capacity can include infrastructure, institutions, human knowledge and skills, and collective attributes such as social relationships, leadership, and management.
Adaptive capacity is a widely used concept in relation to DRR: the ability of people, organizations and systems, using available skills and resources, to manage adverse conditions, risks or disasters. The ability to cope requires continued awareness, resources and good management, both in normal times and during disasters or adverse conditions. Adaptive capacities contribute to disaster risk reduction.
Disaster
A disaster is a serious disruption to the functioning of a community or society on any scale due to hazardous events interacting with conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity, leading to one or more of the following: losses and human, material, economic and environmental impacts.
Note that Emergency is sometimes used interchangeably with the term disaster, as, for example, in the context of biological and technological hazards or health emergencies, which, however, can also relate to dangerous events that do not result in serious operational disturbances. of a community or society.
Other key disaster-related concepts considered in the Sendai framework: disaster damage, disaster impact, small-scale and large-scale disaster, frequent and infrequent disasters, slow-onset and sudden-onset disaster.
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
Disaster risk reduction aims to prevent new and existing disaster risks and manage residual risks, all of which contribute to building resilience and thus achieving sustainable development.
Disaster risk reduction is the policy objective of disaster risk management, and its goals and objectives are defined in disaster risk reduction strategies and plans.
Disaster risk management
Disaster risk management is the application of disaster risk reduction policies and strategies to prevent new disaster risks, reduce existing disaster risks and manage residual risks, contributing to building resilience and reduction of disaster losses.
Disaster risk management actions can be distinguished between forward-looking disaster risk management, remedial disaster risk management and compensatory disaster risk management (also called residual risk management).
Losses
Losses may result from a disaster.
Types of losses: human, material, economic and environmental losses.
Preparation
The knowledge and capacities developed by governments, response and recovery organizations, communities and individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to and recover from the impacts of probable, imminent or actual disasters.
Prevention
Activities and measures to avoid existing and new disaster risks.
Prevention (i.e. disaster prevention) expresses the concept and intention of completely avoiding the potential negative impacts of hazardous events. Although some disaster risks cannot be eliminated, prevention aims to reduce vulnerability and exposure in contexts where, therefore, disaster risk is eliminated.
Resistance
Resilience is the capacity of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate, adapt, transform and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and effective manner, including through the preservation and restoration of its essential structures and functions through risk management.
