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DISASTERS - NEW RISK REPORT &
INDEX 2011
HELPS IDENTIFY VULNERABILITY - WOMEN
Photo: David Swanson/IRIN
The World Risk Index (WRI),
explained Jörn Birkmann, scientific head of the WRI project at the UN
institute, is unique in defining risk as the interaction between a natural
hazard and the vulnerability of a particular community. It helps plan not only
short-term responses but also long-term interventions.
WRI takes into account social, political, economic and ecological factors to
determine the capacity of an affected community to respond. It looks at four
main components, which in turn take into account at least 28 variables.
1. Exposure to a natural hazard (sudden as well as slow-onset natural disasters
like droughts).
2. Susceptibility, which is understood as the likelihood of society and
ecosystems to be damaged should a natural hazard occur. Existing economic,
infrastructure, nutrition and housing conditions are taken into account.
3. The capacity to cope, which looks at the state of governance, disaster
preparedness and early warning systems, medical services, and social and
material security levels. "Governance is a critical issue as it is
politically sensitive which is why it is overlooked by many similar indices,
but the fact is you need a stable government that has the capacity to deliver
to help people become resilient," said Birkmann. He illustrated his point
by contrasting the impact of the recent earthquakes in
4. Adaptation strategies - implying the capacities and strategies which help
communities address the expected negative consequences of natural hazards and
climate change.
The five most
vulnerable
countries
|
Vulnerability (%) |
|
|
76.19 |
|
|
75.8 |
|
|
75.14 |
|
|
73.50 |
|
|
72.88 |
|
“Information on coping capacities is relevant for short-term
responses, but where long-term programmes and planning is concerned, it is
useful for NGOs to know about the area’s adaptation capacity,” said Peter
Mucke, managing director of Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft (Alliance Development
Works), a consortium of five German NGOs which worked with the UN University on
the study. "So while we come to know which countries need short-term
responses like food, at the same time we need know where we have to provide
food-for-work programmes or strategies to provide water in the long term."
Afghan example
The tool is uncomplicated. “The index gives you all that information at a
glance - showing the strength of a particular area’s capacity to adapt or cope
in percentages, which is useful to communicate the strengths and weakness of a
particular area when you are seeking funding from donors,” said Birkmann.
For instance,
No risk index can be flawless: In the case of
WRI is dependent on the availability and quality of the data it uses. It covers
173 out of 192 countries.
WRI’s methodology could be used to focus in on any community of any size in the
world.