DISASTERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT: A REVIEW

OF OPPORTUNITIES

N. M. Prusty

C. Kelly

Introduction

This presentation Reviews the integration of environmental

issues into disaster response Identifies 6 opportunities to increase the

integration of environment into disaster response

Where we are at Rapid environmental impact assessments

are done, but results not always used Environment Advisors are assigned some

disasters but not all disasters Field personnel may have environment-

related questions but getting answers is not systematic or linked to decision making

Recovery plans often avoid environmental reviews reasons of expediency. The result is often avoidable environmental damage and a waste of resources and funding

Opportunity One FORCE RESULTS FROM

ASSESSMENTS 

Assessment tools available but results not always used

Identify a champion to  push assessment results If no champion, there a need to use advocacy to

force attention to assessment results, e.g., through environmental NGOs

If there is no champion or advocacy, the assessment will be a waste of time and resources

Opportunity Two  ANY ENTRY POINT IS BETTER THAN NONE

Given the challenges of integrating environmental issues into disaster response, any entry point is better than none

The timing of the entry point is not as critical as ensuring that the related actions are successful

Success on one issue will lead to more opportunities to address environmental issues

Opportunity ThreePICK THE BEST POSSIBLE FRUIT

Taking action on assessment results involves balancing (a) the greatest need to be done and (b) what will have the greatest impact when it is done

The idea is not the push for the perfect outcome, or the easiest outcome, but the outcome which best matches the needs identified by the assessment, the disaster survivors and the resources and institutional support available: the best possible outcome

Opportunity Four

DEMONSTRATE VALUE Environmental impact assessments can

identify problems with relief and recovery assistance

Don’t focus just on finding problems but also on finding solutions

Demonstrate the value of assessments in improving the impact of relief and recovery assistance

Opportunity Five

CHANGE FROM THE FIELD UP Identify who at the field level can accomplish

environmentally positive actions Provide these change agents with the

knowledge and tools to accomplish environmentally positive actions

Pro-environment policies are worthless if field personnel don’t have the means and methods to implement them

Opportunity SixKNOWLEDGE AS POWER, AND A FOOT IN THE

DOOR Many post disaster reconstruction challenges

relate to location within the environment An ecosystem services approach can be

useful in defining how best to site and provide recovery assistance.

Demonstrating how to improve one aspect of recovery provides a foot in the door to address other recovery-related environmental issues

Conclusions Integration of the environment into disaster response

is a “glass half full”: progress has been made, but there is more to do

Opportunities to move forward include: 1. Effectively using assessment results

2. Finding entry points into the relief and recovery process

3. Focusing on the best possible match of reducing negative environmental impacts and recovery programming

4. Demonstrating the clear value of an environmental perspective on recovery

5. Ensuring field personnel know about how to effectively integrate an environmental perspective into their work

6. Using knowledge about the environment to influence and shape the recovery agenda

DISASTERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT: A REVIEW

OF OPPORTUNITIES

N. M. Prusty (nmprusty@yahoo.co.in)

C. Kelly (disasterkelly@yahoo.com)

Thank You