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Learn about natural disasters, impacts of climate change, and ways to mitigate effects on vulnerable populations through community development. Understand the importance of early warning systems, disaster management, and cross-sectorial coordination.
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THE EMERGING TRENDS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT What are some of the effects of climate change to vulnerable communities BY CALVIN PEMBERTON Architect/Planner P.O. Box 1476, Bird Rock, Basseterre, ST.KITTS Tel: 869-662-7327 E-mail: capemberton@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION: The term “community development” has been used to describe many activities, including everything from credit union to housing associations/corporations, community centers, education and training schemes, and trading enterprises. The relationship between government and the community and civil society; and engagement of community and civic society in “profitable” activity.
INTRODUCTION Cont… The credit unions was introduced as a community based and volunteer alternative for people excluded from borrowing from banks. Housing corporations came about to deliver affordable housing to low income and people and those in need for habitable shelter. It has been accepted that the best way to deal with poverty was not simply to raise income levels but to help the poor to better themselves through education, job training and other forms of self-help.
INTRODUCTION Cont… To effectively improve and sustain development and to mitigate or reverse the undesirable trends or effects of the natural disasters in vulnerable communities, we need to: • Define disasters; • Critically examine the effects of natural disasters associated with vulnerable areas; and • Analyze the causes of these disasters and associated impacts.
Natural Disasters Definition and General Consideration : A Disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a society, causing widespread human, property or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected society to cope using only its own resources.
Natural Disasters (Cont….) Plants and animals including humans are enacted within the global theatre of natural disasters arising from a variety of natural processes: • Volcanic eruptions; • Earthquakes; • Tropical storms; • Floods; • Droughts; • Land/Mud slides; • Hurricanes etc.
Impacts of Natural Disasters on Vulnerable Populations and Their Management The effect of a disaster on populations may either be direct or indirect. Direct Impacts • Direct impacts of a disaster involves injury, death to human beings, plants and animals, and damage to property. Indirect Impacts • Indirect impacts are through after - shocks effect from reduced economic resources caused by the disaster and disrupted ecosystems.
Climate and Natural Disasters • Statistics show that over 70% of all natural disasters experienced in vulnerable areas all over the world are related to extreme climate events. Occurrence of one or more of climate related disasters may trigger other disasters (e.g. landslides, floods, storm surge ) • An increasing body of observations gives a collective picture of a warming world and other changes in the climate system. • Cause:rise in concentration of the main anthropogenic greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere (carbon dioxide, methane and oxides of nitrogen) which affect the earth’s radiation budget and lead to warming of the earth’s surface.
Impacts of Natural Disasters (cont..) Floods • Floods are mainly triggered by severe thunderstorms, cyclones, the El-Nino related phenomenon or monsoons. • In low-lying coastal areas, storm surges, tsunamis or rivers swollen by exceptionally high tides can cause flooding. • Floods can threaten human life and property.
Impacts of Natural Disasters (cont..) Landslides • Land slides occur when heavy rains send large amounts of earth, rock, sand or mud flowing swiftly down mountain slopes. • Land slides are intensified where vegetation is scarce due to bush fires, overgrazing, deforestation, impacts of droughts, illegal sand mining, etc.
Conclusion and Way Forward • In order to mitigate the effects of natural disasters in vulnerable areas, it is necessary to understand the dynamics of the processes involved and give accurate and timely early warnings; • Over 70% of natural disasters in vulnerable areas are climate related. Hence, management of these disasters will need the integration of weather and climate Monitoring in the process. • Capacity building in areas of observing the ocean and the atmosphere for accurate and timely forecasts of extreme climate events is necessary. • Cross-sectorial multi-hazard approach and coordination between various agencies is necessary in the effective management of coastal disasters.
