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The impact of climate disasters (e.g., floods, storms, or landslides), which are generally of low intensity and high frequency, should not be overlooked in developing countries. Global experiences related to the damage due to these disasters indicate that such events can be devastating in communities that are vulnerable to hazardous impacts. Cumulative effects of climate disasters are a sign of a potential catastrophe. Moreover, the recent increase in these events poses additional issues that increase the cost of local public administration, including emergency operation and infrastructure recovery. This chapter explains key problems related to climate disasters that are increasing, particularly in the local area of developing countries, and clarifies the need to incorporate climate disaster risk reduction into public development planning and practice. The chapter also provides descriptions of the research location, approaches of the study, and the structure of this book.

Using the same checklist as that in the previous chapter, this chapter evaluates the current status of policy initiative on incorporating climate disaster risk aspects in local development planning in Costa Rica. The chapter identifies opportunities and challenges of this local initiative for reducing climate disaster risk. In addition, the study discusses the influence of national policy on local development planning.

As South Africa (SA) increasingly becomes overwhelmed by natural disasters, understanding disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies, institutions, processes and practices and their effects on disaster risk management (DRM) are incumbent The study reviews and empirically analyses policies, institutional frameworks and processes for disaster management in SA. Content analysis is applied to review topical secondary data, while a structured questionnaire informed by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction is used to collect quantitative data from a random sample of 228 disaster policy actors from five disaster-stricken metropolitan cities in five provinces in SA, namely North-West, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Empirical data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Research findings reveal that SA is endowed with rich institutional policy and legal frameworks for DRM, based on the concepts of decentralisation and stakeholder participation. A positive and strong correlation between institutional framework, disaster risk identification and prioritisation, knowledge creation and management (KCM) as well as the disaster governance and DRM in SA (p = 0.000). Although the coefficient of KCM is not statistically significant, DRM behaviour was influenced at 87.2% by all four variables. Based on the recent disaster experiences and the above results, we advocate for DRR to be continuously prioritised at national and decentralised levels, to enhance effective preparedness, mitigation, disaster response and resilience building practices in SA.

Community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) initiatives have strong roots in Philippine society not only because of the country's contributory vulnerability to disasters but also because of a culture of community cooperation known as bayanihan and a history of social movement driven by the citizens’ discontent with bad governance leading to social injustice and environmental degradation (Heijmans, 2009). CBDRM in the Philippines has been a mechanism for change within civil society (Allen, 2006; Heijmans, 2009). In this way, community-based approaches are a fundamental form of empowerment of participants and a compelling strategy for enforcing the transmission of ideas and claims from the bottom up (Allen, 2006).

The purpose of this paper is to assess the role of institutions dealing with disaster risk in Delhi and propose possible solutions for disaster risk reduction.

The approach to assess the role of institutions is based on the Climate Disaster Resilience Index (CDRI) questionnaire survey. It evaluates roles based on variables such as mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, effectiveness of crisis management framework, knowledge dissemination and management, institutional collaboration with other stakeholders, and good governance.

The findings show the institution's limitations and strengths to face hydro‐meteorological disaster risk in Delhi. It further identifies possible areas for disaster risk reduction.

The methodology is new and it only incorporates disasters that are hydro‐meteorological. The study does not include man‐made, geological, and biological disasters.

The paper is unique in its approach to identify gaps in the current approach in managing disaster risk in Delhi and puts forward the possible ways to deal with disaster risk. Moreover, very few studies have been done in this area.

The purpose of this paper is to study an articulated warning system that provides information about the heritage at risk and encourages a dialogue between the heritage sector, civil defense agencies and local communities.

The databases from the National Heritage Institute, National Civil Defense, National Geological Service and National Early Warning System were investigated and the local community provided input which helped form a participatory risk mapping strategy for a warning system in the heritage sector.

There is little knowledge of the Brazilian heritage that is at risk and a lack of coordination between the cultural heritage and DRR sectors. This means that there is a need to organize the geo-referenced databases so that information can be shared and the public provided with broader access. As a result, there can be a greater production, dissemination and application of knowledge to help protect the cultural heritage.

The findings can be included in the debate about the importance of framing disaster risk management (DRM) policies in the Brazilian heritage sector.

The findings and maps of the case study in the town of São Luiz do Paraitinga involve the heritage sector, civil defense agencies and local people and can be used for disaster risk preparedness.

A DRM program is being formulated in Brazil. However, the kind of strategy needed to incorporate the heritage sector in this program stills needs to be planned, and the knowledge of the cultural heritage at risk is a key factor when faced with this new social and scientific challenge.

Cultural heritage is about people, their history and their identity. Protecting cultural heritage from natural hazards by connecting it with disaster risk management (DRM) directly benefits local communities. Cultural heritage also has a global dimension, and collaboration and support from the international community to protect it is vital. Culture and heritage differ among countries, as do natural hazards, but practitioners face some common challenges, such as the need to create awareness. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

This paper presents: a brief overview of the current connection between DRM and cultural heritage in the global context; an analysis of how international knowledge-exchange initiatives can help countries improve the resilience of their heritage sites, using Bhutan as an example; and a proposal to keep this topic moving forward in both the international and national agendas for sustainable development and resilience.

International knowledge exchanges may help to find solutions, and Bhutan is a good example. This small, hazard-prone country in the Himalayas, has strong traditions and heritage, and is aware of its vulnerabilities and risks. Learning from Japan’s extensive experience, Bhutan has been working with international experts to improve the resilience of its cultural heritage sites.

The ultimate aim is that this paper serves as an inspiration for other countries, as well as international organizations such as the World Bank, to keep strengthening ties between DRM and cultural heritage.

The 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) constitute an overarching global milestone for creating a better sustainable future worldwide. The risk component of the agenda under the SFDRR must be better embedded into the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and integrating disaster risk management policy with broader development objectives at national and subnational levels in many countries is still a work in progress. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the progress between the SDGs and the SFDRR in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and its complementary features

Comprehensive and contextualized analyses of the progress of SFDRR and SDGs related to the LAC region need to be fully addressed to examine synergies and trade-offs with the two global agendas. Based on empirical evidence from United Nations global reports, a literature review of DRR and DRM, as well as development planning evidence, this paper addresses the implications of building coherence between the SDGs and the SFDRR in the region.

Interplay and connections of the two agendas are highlighted together with an analysis of coherence among indicators. Despite the richness of several indicators, the examined evidence suggests that derived from the current progress, indicators are unable to completely reflect the dynamics among disaster risk drivers for both the SFDRR and the SDGs in the region.

Data availability at UNIDSR as well as at the regional level can limit the scope of the research. When comparing and matching the agendas, results could be further improved upon new releases of data. SFDRR and SDGs have also ground for improvement and countries are doing well but still slow.

The paper offers new insights and findings for decision/policy makers in Latina America and the Caribbean.

The paper offers an overall understanding of the progress and coherence among SFDRR and SDGs global frameworks and provides insights to identify the gaps and opportunities that need to be addressed to integrate disaster risk reduction into sustainable development planning at national and regional scales in LAC.

Drawing on the results of the previous chapters, this chapter looks at current progress in terms of climate disaster risk incorporation into development planning and practice at three levels (national government, municipalities, and communities) and analyzes gaps, challenges, and opportunities. The chapter also discusses potential factors for enhancing local disaster risk management (DRM) capacity by collaborating with three levels of stakeholders.

Due to climate change and a considerable increase in man-made disasters, disaster risk management has gained a lot of importance. This article aims to summarize the proceedings of two days of discussion on natural and human-induced disasters organized by National Institute of Disaster Management at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. The objective is to evolve a holistic national strategy for inclusion of disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies and programs into the mainstream of developmental activities. The libraries worldwide are witnessing a series of disasters, and DRR is one of the much-discussed topics within the library community. The literature on disaster risk management in libraries is scanty, and with less research being done, needs urgent attention. The library conferences in India and abroad hardly address the theme “DRR”; therefore, this report will be of interest to librarians and policy makers for libraries.

This report includes selected presentations and discussion during thematic and plenary sessions and provides a review of some of the events of the first session of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR). The author's observation/participation and discussion on vital areas, namely disaster resilience, capacity building, risk insurance, global warming and climate change, created insight in preparation of this report.

A multi-stakeholder NPDRR has been constituted by the Government of India, with Home Minister as Chairman, in Resolution No. 47-31/2012-DM-III on 26 February 2013. The event was attended by various stakeholders such as policy makers, administrators, professional disaster managers, UN organizations, multilateral organizations, scientists, technocrats, academicians, corporate and private sectors, community leaders, representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions (grass roots-level institutions in India preferably called a “village panchayat”), and NGOs. India is amongst 80 countries which have a national platform on disaster risk management like the NPDRR. The theme generated a lot of discussion on risk financing mechanisms, long-term recovery and rehabilitation, and holistic strategy for multi-hazard DRR.

This is an important topic in the area of disaster risk management which includes disaster resilience, capacity development, and policy planning. This discussion forum facilitated the enhancement of knowledge and the integration of DRR into the mainstream of development.