GFDRR – SDV
Elena Correa
February 4, 2010
Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery
(GFDRR) approved the proposal to study existing
resettlement programs for disaster risk reduction in
four LAC countries. The main objectives are to identify
main lessons-learned and prepare a tool-kit for
planning and implementing resettlement programs for
disaster risk reduction.
SDV included this activity in the work program (FY0910) of the Social Sustainability and Safeguards team
and allocated staff weeks to implement this initiative
Initial research
Dianna Moyer
Paivi Koskinen-Lewis
Case studies
Ignacio Zeltmeister y Rómulo Pérez (Argentina)
Marilia Scombatti y Ronaldo Marques(Brazil)
Narzha Poveda (Colombia)
Eduardo Aguirre (Guatemala)
Sergio Carmona (technical reviewer)
Toolkit
Fernando Ramírez
Margarita De Castro
Elena Correa
TTL
Elena Correa
Global and LAC natural disasters trends and
consequences
LAC – Vulnerability factors
DRR - A preventive approach
Preventive Resettlement
Brief summary of the case studies
Outline of the toolkit
Number of Natural
Disasters
Graph 1: Total Disaster Occurence (1970-2009)
5000
3,926
4000
3,533
3000
2,592
2000
1000
1,656
843
0
1970-1979
1980-1989
1990-1999
Decade
Estimated natural disasters 2000-2009 (projections for 2009 based on decade average)
Actual 1970-2008 natural disasters
Source: EMDAT, Emergency Events Database 2009
2000-2008
People Affected by Natural Disasters 1970-2009
7,000,000,000
No.of People
6,000,000,000
5,000,000,000
4,000,000,000
3,000,000,000
2,000,000,000
1,000,000,000
0
70 79
80 89
Decade
World Population
90 99
People Affected
00 09'
LAC region is hit on average by 40.7 major disasters per
year (1)
LAC is one of the most highly natural disaster prone
regions in the world, second only to Asia (2)
(1) ECLAC, IDB 2000
(2) Center of Research of Natural Disaster, 2004
Number of Natural Disasters
Graph 5a: Occurrence of Natural Disasters in LAC by Decade (1970-2009)
700
654
600
589
500
452
400
300
200
100
314
167
0
1970-1979
1980-1989
1990-1999
2000-2009
Decade
Occurrence of Natural Disasters in LAC by decade (1970-2008)
Estimated Occurence 2000-2009 (projections for 2009 based on decade average)
Source: EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database Created on: Apr-19-2009. Data version: v12.07
Graph 6: Natural Disasters Occurence by Type in LAC (1970-2008)
Complex Disasters; 2;
0%
Drought; 84; 6%
Wind Storm; 415;
27%
Earthquake; 151;
10%
Extreme Temperature;
49; 3%
Wild Fires; 38; 2%
Wave / Surge; 3; 0%
Flood; 598; 40%
Volcano; 62; 4%
Slides; 120; 8%
Source: EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database Created on: Apr-19-2009. - Data
version: v12.07
Number of People Affected
Graph 9: Total People Affected in LAC by Natural Disasters by Decade (1970-2009)
70,000,000
61,199,976
60,000,000
50,000,000
40,000,000
43,760,927
43,091,035
39,384,834
37,594,450
30,000,000
20,000,000
10,000,000
1970-1979
1980-1989
1990-1999
2000-2009
Decade
People Affected by Natural Disasters in LAC 1970-2008
Estimated People Affected 2000-2009 (projections for 2009 are based on decade average)
Graph 7: Deaths by Natural Disaster Type in LAC (1970-2008)
Wind Storm;
41,402 ; 17%
Wild Fires; 104 ;
0%
Wave / Surge; 10 ;
0%
Drought; 73 ; 0%
Volcano; 21,990 ;
9%
Earthquake;
122,140 ; 48%
Slides; 11,374 ; 5%
Flood; 49,913 ;
20%
Extreme
Temperature;
2,031 ; 1%
Source: EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database Created
on: Apr-19-2009. - Data version: v12.07
Natural factors
Four active tectonic plates
Significant portion of the earth’s seismic and volcanic
activity takes place there
Land slides relate to the geological age of mountains
ranges
Flooding related to a complex river basin systems
Tropical storms and hurricanes (Atlantic and Pacific
Ocean)
El Niño and la Niña phenomena exacerbate certain
weather patterns
Rapid urbanization
From 41% of urban population in 1950 to 78% in 2007
Poverty
40 percent of population lives in poverty
Poverty and vulnerability to disasters are inherently linked
Environmental degradation
Deforestation
Loss of natural drainage systems in urban areas
Lack of adequate solid waste management and disposal
Climate change
Lack of effective policies to reduce vulnerability
Lack of land use planning
Inadequate quality of construction building codes
Weak enforcement of regulations when they exist
Lack of housing programs for low income population
Lack of preventive strategies
Reactive responses instead of proactive responses
Prevention is perceived as a cost rather than an investment
(only 20% of decision makers ranked prevention as a high priority )
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure”
Components
Measures
Risk assessment
Studies, monitoring, modeling, maps, databases, information
systems, perception surveys
Risk reduction
Planning and awareness: Land use planning, construction codes and
regulations, public information and education.
Physical intervention in the territory: retro fitting, home
improvements, vulnerability reduction, preventive resettlement.
Financial protection
Financial mechanisms (credits, reserve funds, taxes, etc.)
Financial transfer mechanisms (insurances, etc.)
Emergency preparedness
and response
Early warning systems
Emergency and contingency plans
Technology, communications and logistic infrastructure
Shelter – Temporary Resettlement
Post - Disaster
Reconstruction
Specific norms and regulations
Strategies
Reconstruction plans
Permanent Resettlement
Resettlement becomes a risk reduction measure when
it is not possible to mitigate the risk through other
interventions (structural, non-structural)
Preventive resettlement should be articulated into a
comprehensive risk reduction strategy and should be
planned and implemented properly
If not, it is inefficient, unsustainable and leads to frustration
of people and governments
If yes, it becomes an opportunity to safe lives, assets and
improve the standards of living of people living in high risk
areas
Preventive resettlement diminishes the damage, losses
and impacts caused by natural disasters in both
monetary and non-monetary terms on human life,
structures and assets
Monetary
Direct
Non - Monetary
Indirect
Direct
Indirect
Human life
(deaths,
injuries)
Saving
Saving
Saving
Saving
Structures
(private, public,
productive)
Cost
Saving
Saving
Saving
Assets (private,
public)
Saving
Saving
Saving
Saving
Characteristics of the hazard
Pertinence of Resettlement
Spatial distribution of the
hazard
The larger the area of influence of the hazard, the
greater the amount of population exposed, then
resettlement becomes very complex
Energy of the impact
The greater the energy of the impact, higher
vulnerability and lower possibility of mitigating it, the
higher pertinence of resettlement
Level of uncertainty
The lower level of uncertainty, the higher pertinence of
resettlement
Possibility of mitigation
The lower possibility of mitigation through other
measures, resettlement becomes the only possible risk
reduction measure
Preventive Resettlement
Description and analysis of the national context
Natural hazards, events, consequences
Population, geographical distribution, poverty
Institutional and legal frameworks for disaster risk reduction and
recovery
Resettlement case study
Event that originated the resettlement
Disaster risk reduction strategy and articulation of resettlement into the
main strategy
Institutional arrangements
Sources of funding
Resettlement options
Results
Control of recovered areas
Lessons learned
Flooding hazards
11, 911 families (69,000 persons)
120 cities, 7 provinces
Resettlement strategy
Self – construction
Institutional Organization
Coordination of national and local levels
Main lesson learned
The self – construction strategy which generate important value added
Possibility of intervene large areas
Sao Paulo - Flooding hazards
7,544 families (69,000 persons) from several slums (favelas)
Resettlement strategy
New developments (large vertical solutions)
Resettlement in the same neighborhoods but in safe areas
Cash compensation
Institutional Organization
Municipal institutions (2)
Main lesson learned
Cash compensation is not an adequate option
Resettlement in large vertical solutions entails several social problems
Resettlement in same neighborhoods are the best option
Department of Sololá – Panajab and Tzanchaj counties
915 families (5,400 persons) – Mayan descendants
287 affected by the hurricane Stan
628 preventive resettlement
Resettlement strategy
Land acquisition and construction of new settlement
Participation of indigenous leaders, communities
Institutional Organization
Inter - institutional coordination, participation of academia, NGOs,
Main lesson learned
Legacy issues matter
Importance of trust between government and affected communities
Importance of cultural dimension
Accountability mechanisms
Bogotá – Landslides hazards
1,069 families (4,600 persons)
Part of of a larger resettlement program of families living in high riskareas (15,000 families)
Resettlement strategy
Use of real state market (city and places of origin of families)
Construction of new developments through alliances with private
investors and NGOS
Construction by the implementing agency
Institutional Organization
An institution responsible of preparing and implementing resettlement
plans
Inter - institutional coordination
Main lesson learned
Resettlement incorporated into a comprehensive risk reduction strategy
A long term vision and an effective strategies
Effective land use planning
Importance of several resettlement options
Recurrent Flooding and the Housing Problem
in Argentina
The Provinces of La Plata river
basin face recurrent flooding
Five of the ten worst floods in
the XX Century have occurred
since 1983
Rapid urbanization
90% people live in urban areas
Lack of housing programs for
poor people
Human settlements in floodprone areas
Objectives
Improve the security of economic assets and persons living in floodprone areas by constructing defense facilities to reduce future losses
due to floods, and by strengthening national and provincial institutions
and systems for dealing with future floods
Components
Structural measures (dikes, pumping stations, control gates, flood
storages)
Housing program: Resettlement of families living in flood-prone areas
About 12,000 families (120 urban areas, 7 provinces)
Implementing agencies
Ministry of Federal Planning, Public Investment and Services; Provinces;
Municipalities
Land provided by the
municipality
Training provided by local
governmental institutions
(23.822 persons were trained in
construction. After the project, 41%
reported temporary jobs thanks to
the new skills)
Design of houses adapted to
cultural characteristics of each
region and prepared by the
technical team of the Ministry
Construction materials:
subsidized by the program,
and delivered through
alliances with local providers
through vouchers
Community organization and
strengthening of social
networks. 100 families
organized 5 constructing
teams to build 20 houses each
team
Before
After
Time frame: 1992 – 2004
Total cost: U$ 420 million
Housing component: US$ 31 million
Maximum cost per house: $13,300
Minimum size: 42 m2 (continuous expansion housing units)
Public services: water, energy, sewerage
Source of funding: external credit (WB), national and
municipal resources
Municipalities assigned the
use of flood-prone areas
(parks, soccer fields, green
areas)
Municipalities committed to
control the flood-prone areas
Trust the client’s proposals (during several months the WB
did not endorse the self-construction strategy and promoted
different solutions –pre-built houses, tents – which caused
delays)
Self-construction is possible and generates an
important value added (beneficiaries with new labor skills,
stimulus for the local economy, high level ownership and selfesteem in beneficiaries)
It is possible to assist populations in a large area and
living in different municipalities (coordination between
national and local levels)
Dependency on external credits cause delays and
interruptions in the program implementation
Bogota. Nueva Esperanza. A experience of
resettlement, rehabilitation and development
44.5 million inhabitants
75% of population live in urban areas (2005)
Major natural disasters
Earthquakes in 1983, 1992, 1994, 1999
Volcano eruption and mud slide 1985
Armed conflict
1946 – 1966
1985 – to date
Major disasters generated the preparation of a “National Disaster
Preparedness and Response System” (SNAPD) in 1988.
SNAPD is a very comprehensive system (policies, hazards assessment and
monitoring, mapping, early warning systems, information systems and a
national disaster prevention and assistance plan)
A National Disaster Fund was crated in 1984. It receives resources from oil
and mining royalties and the national budget
A housing subsidy policy was created in 2005 for poor families living in highrisk areas
Disaster risk reduction was incorporated in the land use planning law (1997)
Preventive resettlement was incorporated as a disaster risk reduction
measure (about 130,000 people had been resettled)
Bogota is the capital of the country
7.5 million inhabitants
Main hazards: flooding and land slides
Bogota has developed a comprehensive Disaster Preparedness
and Response System (inter- sectoral and inter-institutional)
The land use plan incorporated risk reduction
strategies
Slum upgrading programs
Housing and building retrofitting programs
Information systems
Monitoring systems
A fund for prevent disasters and assist affected people
(funded by the 0.5% of the taxes collected by the city)
Control of human settlements in high-risk areas was
included in the disaster risk reduction strategy as well
as resettlement of people living in high risk areas.
Responsibility for these programs was assigned to
specific institutions
A housing subsidy program for people living in high risk
areas was created
9.154 families were identified living in high-risk areas
in 1997, 82% of them had been resettled as of 2008
Population in high-risk: 1,069
families (4,600 people)
without legal titles
Land use and geological
studies determined that the
neighborhood was invading a
a natural park, creeks’ buffer
zones and located in a highrisk area (landslides)
A rehabilitation, reconstruction and sustainable
development plan was prepared
Land and environmental recovery
Community organization and participation
Resettlement of families
Real state market in the city and in the places of origin
New developments
Built by private investors or NGOs
Built by the implementing agency
Fair housing
Before
After
Before
After
Social assistance before,
during and after
relocation
Health and education
Productive projects
Access to educational and
health services
Integration with host
communities
House maintenance and
improvements
Monitoring and evaluation
systems
Control of new
settlements
Reforestation
Community participation
Environmental guides
Sustainable disaster risk reductions programs
(articulated with land use planning and development plans,
control of human settlement in high-risk areas, permanent
sources of funding, legal frameworks, institutional capacity)
Importance of sectoral and institutional coordination
Several resettlement options facilitates the process
Resettlement went beyond physical relocation and
incorporated development programs
Importance of contingency plans to relocate people in
case of emergency
Resettlement into a comprehensive disaster risk
reduction strategy
Module 1. Design of a risk reduction strategy and
definition of preventive resettlement
Module 2. Preparedness phase
Module 3. Resettlement planning
Module 4. Resettlement implementation
Module 5. Evaluation
Module 6. Control and use of recovered areas