Mobilizing Local
Knowledge in Local
Disaster Risk Reduction
Strategies

Aaron Opdyke PhD, PE
Lecturer | Humanitarian Engineering
School of Civil Engineering
Faculty of Engineering

The University of Sydney

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What is a Local Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy?
“A local disaster risk reduction and resilience strategy is theplanning tool to integrate and mainstream a DRR approach within
local development, and to guide and make coherent local plans
and actions.”

Why are they important?
Disaster risk is context specific; it is experienced in particular places
and times, in ways that shape local patterns of exposure,vulnerability, adaptive capacities and resilience.

UNDRR (2018). Implementation guide for local disaster risk reduction and resiliencestrategies: A companion for implementing the Sendai Framework target E.
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Sendai Framework Progress
Target (e): Substantially increase the number of countries
with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by2020

Indicator E-2: Percentage of local governments that haveadopted and implemented local disaster risk reduction
strategies in line with national strategies

As of 2018, 60% of local governments have adopted local
strategies in 32 (of 195) countries reporting
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RA 10121 – DRRM Act (2010)
At subnational levels, the Disaster Risk Reduction andManagement Act mandates:
1) the establishment of a Disaster Risk Reduction andManagement Office (DRRMO) in every province, city andmunicipality;2) the creation of a Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction andManagement Committee (BDRRMC) in every barangay (thesmallest administrative division); and3) the development of Local Disaster Risk Reduction andManagement Plans (LDRRMPs). Mandated establishment ofMunicipal Disaster Risk Reduction and ManagementOffice(MDRRMOs)

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Case Study: Municipality of Carigara (Philippines)

Sasakawa Award Nominee 2018

The University of Sydney

Page 5Base Mapping
Administrative Boundaries
49 barangays

Buildings
16,971 structures

Population
54,084 people surveyed

Roads and Pathways
31,085 meters

Waterways
36,715 meters

Land Cover
12,703 hectares

BEFOREThe University of Sydney

Page 6Base Mapping
Administrative Boundaries
49 barangays

Buildings
16,971 structures

Population
54,084 people surveyed

Roads and Pathways
31,085 meters

Waterways
36,715 meters

Land Cover
12,703 hectaresAFTERThe University of Sydney

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The University of Sydney

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The University of Sydney

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Flood Map (Before – DOST)The University of Sydney

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Flood Map (After – Community)

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Flood Map (After – Community)

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Example Flood Hazard Map

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Example Storm Surge Hazard Map

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Example Landslide Hazard Map

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Mobilizing Local Knowledge in DRR

Local Institutions

Local Knowledge
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Mainstreaming DRR in Development PlanningMaster Drainage
Planning

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Lessons Learned– Define who is responsible for disaster risk
Important to define accountability in places of administrative
boundary disputes– Leverage open-source technologies
Use of freely available technologies (e.g. OpenStreeMap,QGIS, Field Papers) acted as tool to institutionalize local
knowledge– Find opportunities to integrate DRR efforts
Identify priority issues facing local communities and use theseas an entry point to institutional planning
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Conclusions
How can we leverage the knowledgeembedded in local DRR strategies in thedecade ahead?
1. Utilise community-led datacollection as a multiplier
2. Emphasise process over product3. Focus not only on risk reduction but
also halt disaster risk creation

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Aaron Opdyke PhD, PE
Lecturer | Humanitarian Engineering
aaron.opdyke@sydney.edu.au@aaronopdyke

Questions?

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