1. Integrated Research on Disaster Risk
IRDR
Integrated Research on Disaster Risk
Presentation to UN ISDR S&T Meeting
Pavia, April 2011
Professor Gordon McBean
Chair, Science Committee, Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR)

2. ICSU Planning Group
Assessment - despite all the existing or already planned activities on natural hazards, an integrated research programme on disaster risk reduction, sustained for a decade or more and integrated across the hazards, disciplines and geographical regions, is an imperative. The value-added nature of such a programme would rest with the close coupling of the natural, socio-economic, health and engineering sciences.

3. The executive summary of the ICSU Priority Area Assessment on Capacity Building in Science (2005a) stated that a great challenge is ‘a development problem…the widening gap between advancing science and technology and society’s ability to capture and use them.’

4. The increases in costs of disasters are taking place in both developed and developing countries, which suggest that reducing the risks from hazards is not simply a matter of economic growth and development.
There is a great shortfall in current research on how science is used to shape social and political decision-making in the context of hazards and disasters.

5. These issues also highlight the need for more systematic and reliable information on such events. An aim of the Programme would be to both generate new information and data and to leave a legacy of coordinated and integrated global data and information sets across hazards and disciplines, with unprecedented degrees of access.

6. Integrated Research on Disaster Risk Addressing the challenge of natural and human-induced environmental hazards (IRDR) An integrated approach to research on disaster risk through: an international, multidisciplinary (natural, health, engineering and social sciences, including socio-economic analysis) collaborative research programme. - Sept/2008

7. Integrated Research on Disaster Risk
Scope
Geophysical, climate and weather-related trigger events
Earthquakes – tsunamis – volcanoes – floods – storms (hurricanes, cyclones, typhoons) – heat waves – droughts – wild-fires – landslides – coastal erosion – climate change (increases of extreme events)
Effects of human activities on creating or enhancing disasters, including land-use practices
Space weather and impact by near-Earth objects
NOT technological disasters, warfare
Scientific Objectives → → → → → → →

8. Objective-1:
Characterization of hazards, vulnerability and risk
1.1: identifying hazards and vulnerabilities leading to risks;
1.2: forecasting hazards and assessing risks; and
1.3: dynamic modelling of risk
HFA-2. Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning.

9. Objective 2:
Effective decision making in complex and changing risk contexts
2.1: Identifying relevant decision-making systems and their interactions
2.2: Understanding decision making in the context of environmental hazards; and
2.3: Improving the quality of decision-making practice.
HFA-1. DRR-national priority.
HFA-5. Strengthen disaster preparedness

10. Objective 3:
Reducing risk and curbing losses through knowledge-based actions
3.1: Vulnerability assessments;
3.2: Effective approaches to risk reduction
HFA-4. Reduce the underlying risk factors.
HFA-3. knowledge - culture of safety and resilience

11. Cross-Cutting Themes Capacity building
Case studies and demonstration projects
Assessment, data management and monitoring
HFA-2. Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks
HFA-5. -HFA-1. … .
IPCC Special Report
on Climate Extremes

12. IRDR ICL-Landslide risk GEM-Earthquake risk assessment
ICSU-WMO-IOC/Unesco - World Climate Research Program
Climate extremes
WMO - World Weather Research Program
Storms, floods
Socio-Economic Research Activities
IRDR
UNESCO-IOC-Tsunami risk
ICSU-ISSC-UNU International Human Dimensions Program
Integrated Risk Governance
Land-Ocean Interactions in Coastal Zone
ICSU
Regional Programs
IUGG-ENHANS
CODATA
ICL-Landslide risk
GEM-Earthquake risk assessment
ICG-Earthquake/Landslide risk
UNISDR-Drought risk
IFI-Flood risk
ICPAC-Climate risk
RFMC-Wildland fire risk

13. IRDR FORIN ICSU-WMO-IOC/Unesco - World Climate Research Program
Climate extremes
WMO - World Weather Research Program
Storms, floods
Socio-Economic Research Activities
IRDR
UNESCO-IOC-Tsunami risk
ICSU
Regional Programs
IUGG-ENHANS
CODATA
ICSU-ISSC-UNU International Human Dimensions Program
Integrated Risk Governance
Land-Ocean Interactions in Coastal Zone
FORIN

14. IRDR Initial Projects:
FORIN – IRDR forensic disaster investigations
more penetrating investigations that will delve in greater depth into the root causes of disasters. These have been termed forensic disaster investigations
driven by the common hypothesis that neither the past nor the current, local, national and global programmes and activities are being guided or supported by a sufficiently strong, in-depth and profound knowledge about natural disaster and their underlying root causes.

15. IRDR FORIN RIA ICSU-WMO-IOC/Unesco - World Climate Research Program
Climate extremes
WMO - World Weather Research Program
Storms, floods
Socio-Economic Research Activities
IRDR
UNESCO-IOC-Tsunami risk
ICSU
Regional Programs
IUGG-ENHANS
CODATA
ICSU-ISSC-UNU International Human Dimensions Program
Integrated Risk Governance
Land-Ocean Interactions in Coastal Zone
FORIN
RIA

16. RIA – Risk Interpretation and Action
Interpretation of risk - how actors attempt to make sense of experience and information from various sources as a basis for decision.
“What is likely to happen?”.
“What do people (especially those at risk) think is likely to happen?”
“And what will they do about it?”.

17. RIA – Risk Interpretation and Action
Assessment of risk :
estimation of the likelihood, and likely magnitude, of a hazard event or set of interconnected events (from a physical science perspective);
evaluation of the vulnerability/resilience of the physical infrastructure in the area at immediate risk ;
consideration of social and behavioural factors - greater or lesser risk, - those that may constrain or facilitate appropriate protective action in response to such an event (or a warning thereof).
Role of Health – concerns, response, ...?

18. IRDR FORIN RIA Disaster Loss Data Disaster Assessment
ICSU-WMO-IOC/Unesco - World Climate Research Program
Climate extremes
WMO - World Weather Research Program
Storms, floods
Socio-Economic Research Activities
IRDR
UNESCO-IOC-Tsunami risk
ICSU
Regional Programs
IUGG-ENHANS
CODATA
ICSU-ISSC-UNU International Human Dimensions Program
Integrated Risk Governance
Land-Ocean Interactions in Coastal Zone
FORIN
RIA
Disaster Loss Data
Disaster Assessment

19. Disaster Loss Data Project
... need for more systematic and reliable information on such events. ... generate new information and data and to leave a legacy of coordinated and integrated global data and information sets across hazards and disciplines, with unprecedented degrees of access.
Disaster Assessment report
integrated research assessment report similar to the “Disasters by Design” concept and similar in style to the IPCC.

20. IRDR FORIN RIA Int’l Center of Excellence Disaster Loss Data
ICSU-WMO-IOC/Unesco - World Climate Research Program
Climate extremes
WMO - World Weather Research Program
Storms, floods
Socio-Economic Research Activities
IRDR
UNESCO-IOC-Tsunami risk
ICSU
Regional Programs
IUGG-ENHANS
CODATA
ICSU-ISSC-UNU International Human Dimensions Program
Integrated Risk Governance
Land-Ocean Interactions in Coastal Zone
FORIN
Int’l Center of Excellence
RIA
Disaster Loss Data
Disaster Assessment

21. IRDR International Centre of Excellence
Agreement between the Academy of Sciences, located in Taipei, and the International Council for Science
 The Centre shall serve as a global platform for conducting disaster risk reduction research, using an integrated multi-disciplinary approach from the perspective of both of the natural and social sciences.
exchange of scholars, ideas and information, collaborative research, and education and training.
Both domestic and international components.

22. CITIES AT RISK CONFERENCE II
April 11-13, 2011
Conference - key themes:
(i) Knowledge base for Risk Characterization and Communication;
(ii) Assessing Risk and Vulnerabilities;
(iii) Developing Urban Adaptation Strategies;
(iv) Adaptation Measures and Practices.
Outputs
Monograph
A multi-authored review paper for a journal
Outcomes
consolidated network of city-based teams working on CAR issues
number of follow-on actions/activities (e.g., CCAR/IDRC; CAR/USAID; other, such as ICE/IRDR?) and identification of a capacity building
research effort at ICE/IRDR

23. IRDR FORIN RIA Int’l Center of Excellence National Initiatives
ICSU-WMO-IOC/Unesco - World Climate Research Program
Climate extremes
WMO - World Weather Research Program
Storms, floods
Socio-Economic Research Activities
IRDR
UNESCO-IOC-Tsunami risk
ICSU
Regional Programs
IUGG-ENHANS
CODATA
ICSU-ISSC-UNU International Human Dimensions Program
Integrated Risk Governance
Land-Ocean Interactions in Coastal Zone
FORIN
Int’l Center of Excellence
RIA
National Initiatives
e.g., CCaR
Disaster Loss Data
Disaster Assessment

24. Coastal Cities at Risk (CCaR): Building Adaptive Capacity for Managing Climate Change in Coastal Megacities
PI – A. Snidvongs, (Chulalongkorn University and Southeast Asia START Regional Research Center) and G. McBean
Vancouver, Bangkok, Manila, Lagos
Objectives:
 The overall objective of the Coastal Cities at Risk (CCaR) Program is to develop the knowledge base and enhance the capacity of mega-cities to successfully adapt to and when necessary cope with risks posed by the effects of climate change, including sea level rise, in the context of urban growth and development.
 A. Advance knowledge of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction:
B. In the selected sites, develop strategies and methodologies for climate change adaptation:
C. Enhance practitioner and academic capacity and transfer knowledge:

25. Other examples
Joint Research Centre of the European Commission—doing research together on RIA and FORIN
UK, German, ... National studies
Japanese National IRDR Cttee – Science Council of Japan, DPRI, ICHARM, ...
Confederation of Academies of Engineering and Technological Societies (CAETS).

26. Disaster Risk: Integrating Science and Practice
IRDR 2011
Disaster Risk: Integrating Science and Practice
Oct 31-Nov 1-2, 2011
Sponsors: ICSU, ISSC,
UN-ISDR
Scientific Committee
Consultative
Forums
IPO
Beijing
BENOUAR, Djillai, Algeria
CARDONA, Omar Darío, National University of Colombia, Manizales, Colombia
CHAN Kin Sek, Raymond, Civil Engineering and Development Department of Hong Kong, China
CUTTER, Susan, University of South Carolina, USA
EISER, Richard, University of Sheffield, UK –
JOHNSTONE, David, Massey University, New Zealand
LAVELL, Allan, FLACSO, Costa Rica
McBEAN, Gordon, Inst. for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, University of Western Ontario, Canada – CHAIR
PATEK, Maria, Vienna, Austria – Austrian Service of Torrents and Avalanche Control
SIWAR, Chamhuri, Malaysia
TAKEUCHI, Kuniyoshi, ICHARM, Japan
VOGEL, Coleen, University of the Witswatersrand, South Africa –
WIRTZ, Angelika, Geo Risks Research, Munich Re, Germany
>
+ ICSU, ISSC, UN-ISDR, CEODE ex officio

27. IRDR Legacy
An enhanced capacity around the world to address hazards and make informed decisions on actions to reduce their impacts.
Societies to shift focus from response-recovery towards prevention-mitigation, building resilience and reducing risks, learning from experience and avoiding past mistakes.

28. Integrated Research on Disaster Risk
Thank you