Role of various stakeholders
in disaster risk reduction
Takako Izumi
International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS)
Tohoku University
Program Coordinator of APRU (Association of Pacific Rim Universities)
Multi-Hazards ProgramDisaster Management Cycle• Emergency response plan,
Evacuation drills,
Trainings, Education,
Early warning

Response

事前準備• Rescue, evacuation,relief goods
Response distribution, response
to immediate needs

Preparedness

災害対応
Response

災害軽減

復興

Mitigation

Recovery• Improved
infrastructure,
Building code, Hazardand vulnerability
assessment• Economic andlivelihood recovery,
Health and safety,Housing

From Response to DRR
The Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004:
Casualties: nearly 230,000

What made the damage worsen?
- Lack of early warning system- Limited knowledge on tsunami

The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) in 2005:- Adopted by 168 countries- A guideline for 10-year DRR strategy

International / Regional levels
UN agencies:• UNISDR to support the implementation, follow-up andreview of the coordinate the DRR initiatives.
• Other UN agencies to support disaster response
coordination (UNOCHA) and recovery (UNDP) USD 1 for DRR
can save spending USD 7 for response.
International NGO: Advocacy, Fundraising, Project
implementation
Regional organizations (ASEAN, ADRC etc): Focus on regionaland cross boundary issues, Strengthen regional collaboration
and Identify regional solutions/guidelines
Donor agencies (USAID, AUSAID, DFID etc): Improve quality
and accountability of humanitarian aid/DRR

National level
Government:• States have the overall responsibility for reducing disasterrisk. DRR is a common concern for all States and the extent
to which developing countries are able to effectively enhanceand implement national DRR policies and measures….(SFDRR).
• Necessary to empower local authorities and local
communities to reduce risks including through resources,incentives and decision making responsibilities.

National NGO: Project implementation; Close to communities
and understand local culture.

Local level
Local government:• Lead local DRR planning and implementation• Develop policies and guidelines related to DRR
including a disaster management planCommunities:• Participate in discussion and implementation ofDRR policies and programs• Organize awareness raising campaign andactivities as well as evacuation drillOthers
Academia:• Focus on the disaster risk factors and scenarios• Support action by local communities and authorities• Support the interface between policy and science for decisionmaking

Media:• Contribute to the raising of public awareness and disseminate
accurate disaster risk, hazard and disaster information• Support early warning systems• Stimulate a culture of prevention and strong community
involvement in public education campaigns and consultations

Others
Private sector:• Integrate disaster risk management into business models
and practices• Engage in awareness raising and training for theiremployees and customers• Engage in and support research and innovation for disasterrisk management• Share and disseminate knowledge, practices and nonsensitive data
• Actively participate in the development of normative
frameworks and technical standards that incorporate
disaster risk management

Role of academia/universities• SFDRR calls for “Academia, science andresearch entities and networks to: focus on
the disaster risk factors and scenarios;
increase research for regional, national andlocal application; support action by local
communities and authorities; and support
the interface between policy and science fordecision-making”

Specifically, what are the expectedroles and actions of academia anduniversities?

Challenges and Needs
in Science and Technology(from the UNISDR Science and Technology Conference on DRR)

1. Scientific findings should be framed andpresented in a concise and understandable
fashion;
2. Assumptions and uncertainties need to be better
clarified and communicated;
3. There is a need for translating scientific findings
into concrete actionable steps and tools forscience-based decision-making;4. There is a need for enhancing the role of social
science to better understand the governance ofdisaster risks.

UNWCDRR APRU session• Enhance collaboration, especially between the private sector andacademia;• Multi-stakeholder collaboration including with local schools andcommunities is necessary for making data and technology useful, sableand accessible;• Social science elements as such as psychology, cultural studies,
communications, ethics and history must be incorporated because
most problems are currently considered to involve social rather thanengineering aspects.

APRU Multi-Hazards:
Kyoto declaration
1.

2.
3.
4.
5.

Strengthen capacities of scientific community through fostering young
researchers and encouraging multi-disciplinary / trans-disciplinary
implementation researchContinue our support to S-T innovations to be included into national
policy / decision making on DRR
Foster greater collaboration with local institutions and local
governments for S-T based decision making
Learn from the experiences of good practices in the regional and tofoster further collaboration with various stakeholders
Contribute to organizing/supporting periodic Science and Technology
conferences/events on DRR at national/regional levels.

APRU universities case studies• Education/training for DRR (Tohoku University, Universityof the Philippines, University of Hawaii Manoa)• Learning from events (sharing lessons-learnt from majordisasters) (Tohoku University)• Providing early warning systems and disaster management
tools (University of California Davis, University of Oregon,
University of Hawaii Manoa)• Strengthening disaster risk governance (Tohoku University)• Engineering solutions for disaster relief (University ofMalaya)

Key objectives and goal ofthe MH program
Contribute to developing a disaster
resilient society
1. Contribute to international and regional
discussions and DRR related policy making
process; (Participated in the discussions at the Asian Ministerial
Conference on DRR and the UN World Conference on DRR and being a memberof UNISDR-Asia Science, Technology and Academia Advisory Group (ASTAAG)

2. Strengthen DRR research and education incollaboration with APRU member universities.
(Summer school, Annual symposium, campus safety program)

MH Program Website
CONTENTS• What’s new?
• About
MH Program
IRIDeS
APRU
Core Group Members• Annual Events
Summer School• Activities
Special events(UNWCDRR)
Campus safety program
Statement

http://aprumh.irides.tohoku.ac.jp/app-def/S102/apru/

THANK YOU

IRIDeS, Tohoku University468-1 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai
980-0845 Japan
Tel: +81-22-752-2094
Email: izumi@irides.tohoku.ac.jp