2012 WORLD EARTH DAY42nd ANNIVERSARY OF

PROMOTING THE PROTECTION OF EARTH’S ENVIRONMENTS

APRIL 22, 1970 – APRIL 22, 2012

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of

North Carolina, USA

WHAT IS THE GOAL?

TO FOCUS GLOBAL EFFORTS TO OVERCOME INERTIA

AND MOVE TOWARDS:

INTEGRATION OF SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY

DESIGN OF PARADIGM SHIFTS TO COPE WITH ALL ENVIRONMENT –IMPACTING

EVENTS

PLANET EARTH’S ENVIRONMENTS AT RISK

• Oceans • Polar regions• Deserts• Grasslands • Wetlands• Mountains• Forests• Water • Cities

THE ONGOING CHALLENGE

SUCCESS IS VITAL TO QUALITY OF LIFE AND HEALTH FOR 7

BILLION PEOPLE

THE YEARS PRIOR TO 2012 HAVE BEEN MAINLY CHARACTERIZED BY INERTIA

2012 WAS THE BEST EARTH DAY EVER

ONE BILLION PEOPLE IN 192 COUNTRIES PARTICIPATED IN OVER

1 BILLION “ACTS OF GREEN”

EVERY LOCAL JURISDICTION CAN EVERY LOCAL JURISDICTION CAN

ACHIEVE THE CAPACITY TO MONITOR, ACHIEVE THE CAPACITY TO MONITOR, PREVENT-MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO PREVENT-MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO RISKS TO EARTH’S ENVIRONMENTS RISKS TO EARTH’S ENVIRONMENTS

POSED BY DISASTERS POSED BY DISASTERS

LOCAL, LOCAL, REGIONAL, & REGIONAL, &

GLOBAL GLOBAL SCALESSCALES

LOCAL, LOCAL, REGIONAL, & REGIONAL, &

GLOBAL GLOBAL SCALESSCALES

DATA BASES DATA BASES AND INFORMATIONAND INFORMATIONDATA BASES DATA BASES AND INFORMATIONAND INFORMATION

HAZARDS: GROUND SHAKING GROUND FAILURE SURFACE FAULTING TECTONIC DEFORMATION TSUNAMI RUN UP AFTERSHOCKS

•HAZARD MAPS•INVENTORY•VULNERABILITY•LOCATION

RISK ASSESSMENTRISK ASSESSMENT

RISK

ACCEPTABLE RISK

UNACCEPTABLE RISK

ANTICIPATORY ANTICIPATORY DECISIONS DECISIONS

•MONITORING•PREVENTION & MITIGATION•ADAPTATION

ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROTECTION

PROTECTING EARTH’S ENVIRONMENTS PROTECTING EARTH’S ENVIRONMENTS PROTECTING EARTH’S ENVIRONMENTS PROTECTING EARTH’S ENVIRONMENTS

THE KNOWLEDGE BASE

Best Practices for MPA Actions

Gateways to a Deeper Understanding

Real and Near- Real Time Monitoring

Vulnerability and Risk Characterization

Anticipatory Actions for all Events and Situations

Situation Data Bases

Interfaces with all Real- and Near Real-Time Sources

Cause & Effect Relationships

CAPACITY BUILDING

Close Gaps in Knowledge and Implementation

Seek out, Enlist, and Enable “Partnerships”

Transfer Ownership of the Knowledge Bases

Introduce New Technologies

Towards Disaster Intelligent Communities

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Engage Partners in MPA Learning Experiences

Enlighten Communities on Their Risks

Build Strategic Equity Through “MPA” Scenarios

Multiply “Partnerships” by Regional Twinning

Update Knowledge Bases After Each MPA Scenario

DESIGN PARADIGM SHIFTS FOR: DESIGN PARADIGM SHIFTS FOR: Monitoring, Prevention-Mitigation, and Monitoring, Prevention-Mitigation, and Adaptation on local and regional scalesAdaptation on local and regional scales

DESIGN PARADIGM SHIFTS FOR: DESIGN PARADIGM SHIFTS FOR: Monitoring, Prevention-Mitigation, and Monitoring, Prevention-Mitigation, and Adaptation on local and regional scalesAdaptation on local and regional scales

Natural Phenomena that Impact Earth’s Environments

Every Year, Planet Earth is Impacted by:

Earthquakes

Natural Phenomena that Impact Earth’s Environments

Some of Planet Earth’s Earthquakes also cause:

Tsunamis

Natural Phenomena that Impact Earth’s Environments

Every Year, Planet Earth’s Environments are Affected by:

The Eruption of Volcanoes

Natural Phenomena that Impact Earth’s Environments

Planet Earth’s environments are affected by:

Landslides

Natural Phenomena that Impact Earth’s Environments

Every Year, Planet Earth’s Environments are affected by:

Tropical Storms, Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones

Man-made Phenomena that Impact Earth’s Environment

Planet Earth’s Environments are Impacted by:

Building and

Development that Reclaims and Creates land.

Man-made Phenomena that Impact Earth’s Environment

Planet Earth’s Environments are Impacted by:

Building and

Development that Reclaims and creates land.

Man-made Phenomena that Impact Earth’s Environment

Planet Earth’s Environments are Changed by:

Construction and Development That Controls Water

Technological Hazards that Impact Earth’s Environments

Planet Earth is changed by:

Building and Development that Expands a city’s Footprint and Skyline.

Man’s Actions that Impact Earth’s Environments

Planet Earth is Easily Damaged by Man’s actions of:

Deforestation

Man’s Actions that Change Earth’s Environments

Planet Earth is easily damaged by:

Pollution of air, water, and soil.

GLOBAL EARTH OBSERVING SYSTEM

(GEOS)

Facilitating Scientific Monitoring for Prevention & Mitigation, and Adaptation

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION: EYES IN SPACE

GLOBAL EARTH OBSERVING SYSTEM (GEOS)

• SUPPORTED BY 50 COUNTRIES

• A NETWORK THAT WILL CONTINUOUSLY MONITOR THE LAND, SEA, AND AIR

• A STEP FORWARD IN UNDERSTANDING THE EARTH AND MONITORING FACTORS RELATED TO GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

GLOBAL EARTH OBSERVING SYSTEM (GEOS)

• 50 SATELITES COLLECT ENVIRONMENTAL DATA

• 68 MOORED BUOYS OPERATED BY USA AND JAPAN MONITOR THE EQUATORIAL PACIFIC

• 1,288 BUOYS OPERATED BY 14 NATIONS MONITOR TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY

• SYNTHETIC APERATURE RADAR WILL HELP FORECAST VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS

FACTORS THAT FACILITATE A PARADIGM SHIFT

• POSITIVE MEDIA ACTIONS—POSITIVE ACTIONS WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS.

• SALIENCE—WILL ATTRACT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE COMMUNITY’S/REGION’S LEADERS AND PROVIDE A BASIS FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

• AVAILABILITY OF POLITICAL LEADERS AND SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS—TO FORM THE CRITICAL MASS.

• PRE-EXISTENCE OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND PUBLIC POLICY—A BASIS FOR LEGAL MANDATES FOR MONITORING, MITIGATION, AND ADAPTATION.

EMPHASES BASED ON A LARGER SOCIAL CONSTRUCT OF THE

ISSUES

POLICY EMPHASIS 1: FOCUS ON THE NATURE AND APPROPRIATENESS OF MOVING FROM “THINKING TO ACTION” BY PARTNERSHIPS AND THE WAYS TO ENLIST SUPPORT FOR EACH PROPOSED ACTION

SIX THINKING HATS FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT

SIX ACTION SHOES FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT

EMPHASES BASED ON A LARGER SOCIAL CONSTRUCT OF THE

ISSUES

POLICY EMPHASIS 2: FOSTER REALISTIC CHANGE BY INTEGRATING THE BEST PRACTICES FOR MONITORING, PREVENTION-MITIGATION, AND ADAPTATION BASED ON EXISTING LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

EMPHASES BASED ON A LARGER SOCIAL CONSTRUCT OF THE

ISSUES

POLICY EMPHASIS 3: CREATE, ADJUST, AND REALIGN POLICIES AND PARTNERS UNTIL YOU CAN CREATE THE KIND OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUN ITIES IN EACH REGION

MAKING MONITORING, PREVENTION-MAKING MONITORING, PREVENTION-MITIGATION, AND ADAPTATION WORKMITIGATION, AND ADAPTATION WORK

MAKING MONITORING, PREVENTION-MAKING MONITORING, PREVENTION-MITIGATION, AND ADAPTATION WORKMITIGATION, AND ADAPTATION WORK

EXPERIENCE WITH PREPAREDNESS

EXPERIENCE WITH MONITORING AND WARNING

EXPERIENCE WITH DISASTER SCENARIO PLANNING

EXPERIENCE WITH RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION

EXPERIENCE WITH PREVENTION, MITIGATION, AND ADAPTATION

PARTNERSHIPS DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF 2010 AND BEYOND

PARTNERSHIPS DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF 2010 AND BEYOND

WE STILL HAVE A LIFETIME OF WORK TO DO