2.2. Understanding Disaster Risk and Climate Change

The policies act on the guidelines of reconstruction overall reflect a build back better approach, they have addressed these aspects. One is building obviously, it is a safer building practice and it has to adhere with the earthquake resistance, this is one of the prime.

The concept of 'Build Back Better' refers to rebuilding in a way that strengthens resilience against future disasters. Here, the focus is on constructing buildings that follow safety standards, particularly on earthquake resistance. This means ensuring that structures are designed to endure seismic activity, minimizing potential damage in future earthquakes.

Imagine a community that rebuilds a school after it was damaged in an earthquake. Instead of simply restoring it to its original state, the town invests in better materials and designs that can withstand stronger quakes in the future, thereby ensuring safety for the students and staff.

The second is decentralization; the decentralization and the coordination mechanisms. Then, use of local resources; using the local labour, local skills, local materials.

Decentralization involves spreading authority and decision-making closer to the community level. This means local governments or organizations may have more power and responsibility in managing reconstruction efforts. Utilizing local resources, such as labor, materials, and skills, not only saves costs but also empowers communities economically and socially.

Think of a local pottery business that was shut down after a disaster. Instead of bringing in external builders, the community decides to use local artisans from the town to rebuild their community center, which provides jobs for residents and helps revive the local economy.

This is where we talk about the self-driven reconstruction, how we can engage the people in the recovery process in the reconstruction process so that they can build their capacities.

Self-driven reconstruction emphasizes the importance of involving communities in their own recovery efforts. By engaging local people in the rebuilding process, they develop skills and knowledge that help them address their needs more effectively. This empowerment leads to stronger community resilience against future disasters.

Consider a village where residents organize a workshop to teach each other construction skills for rebuilding houses. As they learn and work together, they not only repair their homes but also foster a sense of unity and skill-sharing that prepares them for future challenges.

Mainstreaming DRR and mobilization of stakeholders; so how we can mainstream the DRR into the development process and how we can mobilize the stakeholders.

Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) means integrating risk considerations into development planning and implementation. This involves identifying and involving the stakeholders—like local government, NGOs, and community leaders—to ensure that disaster risk reduction is part of every aspect of the development process.

Imagine city planners deciding to include flood risk assessments in building permits for new homes. By doing this, they work with various stakeholders to create better drainage and prevent future flooding, thus embedding DRR into their urban planning.

Then, there is how we can ensure that there is a uniformity in the grant division and we call it as GESI, addressing GESI especially in the South Asian context one is called gender, equality and social inclusion.

GESI refers to ensuring that all groups, particularly marginalized ones like women and lower social classes, are included in disaster recovery efforts. This means evaluating how resources are distributed based on gender and social status to ensure equitable recovery and empowerment opportunities.

Suppose a disaster relief program provides funds for rebuilding homes. GESI principles would ensure that a portion of those funds is specifically allocated to support single mothers or women-headed households, recognizing their unique challenges and helping them regain stability.

Maintaining a goodwill, scaling up and scaling out of learning from good practices during construction.

Learning from past experiences involves documenting effective practices in reconstruction efforts and applying them to future initiatives. It also emphasizes the importance of maintaining positive relationships with communities and stakeholders through transparent activities.

Imagine a community that successfully implemented sustainable energy solutions in their rebuilding efforts after a disaster. By documenting this success and sharing it with other communities, they can help others adopt similar practices, thereby enhancing resilience across wider areas.

So, this is where the NRA, the National Reconstruction Authority, it brings 4 important because all these whether through the policy, the act or the reconstruction bylaws, they are talking about 4 important concerns.

The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) plays a crucial role in coordinating different policies and mechanisms necessary for effective reconstruction. It focuses on understanding disaster risks, including the impacts of climate change, and ensures a cooperative approach involving various stakeholders at different levels.

Think of the NRA like an orchestra conductor who ensures that each musician (government bodies, NGOs, community groups) plays in harmony, coordinating their efforts to create a symphony that effectively manages disaster risk and recovery.

One is, you need to link with the climate change and DRR, that is an important component because risk disaster, risk is specific to a particular place but climate change, it is a time taking process and it is very gradual.

Linking climate change with disaster risk reduction is essential as changing climate conditions may increase the frequency and intensity of disasters over time. Understanding how these two elements interact helps in planning better and more sustainable strategies for recovery.

Think of it like the gradual increase in sea levels as a result of climate change, which risks flooding in coastal communities. Awareness and planning around this gradual change can help communities build better protective structures before disasters happen.

Then, addressing the livelihood needs of the people during rebuilding and reconstruction.

It is important to consider the livelihood needs of communities during reconstruction efforts. This means understanding the traditional work people do and enhancing these opportunities during the rebuild phase to ensure economic stability and growth.

Consider a fishing community that lost boats and gear in a disaster. During recovery, helping them build new boats and providing training on sustainable fishing techniques can ensure their livelihoods are restored while also promoting environmental practices.

Decentralization and the governance, which actually, how the information is passed out, how things are managed and how things are coordinated.

Decentralization in governance refers to distributing authority and responsibilities to local levels. This enhances communication and decision-making efficiency, allowing local actors to respond quickly and appropriately to disaster-related challenges.

Imagine a scenario where villagers directly report water shortages to their local council rather than through layered bureaucracies. Decentralization ensures that solutions are formulated based on immediate community needs, leading to faster and more effective responses.

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