2. Integration of Climate Change and Disaster Risk

When we say about from the CRED report 2015, this is what the map you get the EM-DAT has recorded about 240 climate-related disasters per year before 2000. When compared to the 341 per year so that there is a 44% of increase and if you look at it when we see the number of natural disasters here, mostly in the Chinese you can see that China, India, Mexico the later on you can find part of Russian and African continents.

The data from the CRED report published in 2015 indicates a significant increase in the number of climate-related disasters. Before the year 2000, there were approximately 240 such disasters each year, which rose to about 341 per year afterwards, reflecting a 44% increase. This increase highlights how countries like China, India, and Mexico, as well as parts of Russia and Africa, have become more vulnerable to these climate-induced events.

Think of it like a sports team that gets better over the years. Initially, they won only a few games (240 disasters), but as they practiced and faced more opponents, their success rate increased dramatically (341 disasters). Similarly, climate change has led to an increase in challenges for countries that must now deal with more frequent and severe disasters.

If you look at the classification of the disasters, It is just a geophysical disaster which we are talking about the earthquake or the tsunami or these are most of the landslides which are more related to the geophysical aspects of it, and they are very less. But whereas here it is going almost these are climatically whether it is a hydrological or meteorological aspects so this is where the climate-induced.

Disasters can be classified into different types, primarily geophysical and climate-induced. Geophysical disasters, like earthquakes and tsunamis, are relatively few but have devastating impacts. In contrast, climate-induced disasters, which include hydrological (like floods) and meteorological events (like hurricanes), are becoming more frequent. This shift indicates that climate change is increasingly influencing the types and occurrences of disasters we face.

Imagine a box of assorted chocolates. The geophysical disasters are like the rare flavors you find at the bottom— there's not many, but their impact is strong. On the other hand, climate-induced disasters are like the popular flavors on the top that everyone loves—they're more common and occur more frequently, much like the rising challenges we face due to climate change.

And there is a need that we need to integrate that climate change and the disaster risk and how we have to work in hand-in-hand to work with it. And that is where like many of the international conventions, frameworks held by United Nations, IPCC the Intergovernmental Panel on climate change have recognized that there is a relationship between disaster risk and climate change in a rational manner.

To effectively address the growing threats posed by climate change and related disasters, it's crucial to integrate climate action with disaster risk management strategies. Many international organizations, including the United Nations and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), have acknowledged the link between these two issues, emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts to mitigate risks and adapt to changing conditions.

Think of it like a fire drill at a school. Just having a good fire alarm system (disaster risk management) isn't enough if the building's structure is flammable (climate change issues). To truly ensure safety, students must learn drills while also having a fire-safe building and an emergency plan, showcasing the integration of both safety measures.

Similarly, the conceptual approach of the SREX report, where SREX which talks about putting the disaster risk in the center, and how the settlements are exposed and vulnerability component and also the long-run weather and climatic events put these settlements into vulnerable conditions.

The SREX report emphasizes a central focus on disaster risk, examining how various settlements are exposed to vulnerabilities. It highlights that long-term weather conditions and climate events increase the risk faced by these communities, thus necessitating an understanding of relationships between urban planning and climate change impacts.

Imagine a neighborhood built on a floodplain. While it might seem nice because of the river view, the SREX report suggests that this area is vulnerable to flood risks due to its location. To protect residents, planners must take both current vulnerabilities and future climate changes into account, similar to how one would consider safety measures for a house built next to a river.

The main important point here is linking the CCA climate change adaptation, and the disaster risk reduction is one of the important crucial steps to achieve the sustainable development.

Connecting Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) with Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is crucial for fostering sustainable development. This linkage involves considering how communities can adapt to changing climate conditions while also implementing strategies that reduce their risk of disasters. This integrated approach not only improves resilience but also ensures resources are used efficiently.

Consider a diversifying farm. By planting various crops (CCA) and also installing irrigation and drainage systems (DRR), a farmer can both adapt to changing weather and reduce the risk of crop failure. This holistic strategy supports stable growth and sustainability, illustrating the importance of linking these concepts.

So this particular aspect has not been laid so far. And before getting into any further discussion, I think we need to understand what are the major differences and challenges for integrating DRR and CCA. So one is you have John Berkman, and many other authors have listed out these are the fundamental differences and similarities you know how they have these challenges bringing them together.

Despite the understanding of the need for integration between Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, significant challenges remain. These include differing timeframes and scales—CCA often focuses on long-term changes, while disaster management tends to address immediate risks. A clear understanding of these differences is essential for effective collaboration between stakeholders.

Think of organizing a marathon (disaster management) and a community garden (climate adaptation). While both are valuable, the marathon needs quick access to permits and volunteers (immediate focus), whereas the garden requires long-term planning and sustainability (long-term focus). Harmonizing both events involves carefully managing both approaches to ensure everything runs smoothly.

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