Importance of protecting and improving ecosystems for reducing disaster risk - A report by NIDM

The interception of ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ approach manifests conflicting situations in ground despite of visible synergies in top level policies. ‘Sustainability quest’ is the emerging concern in disaster management as a consequence of improved understanding of ‘disasters’ as environmental processes or rather as ‘environmental extremes’. Challenges of water, climate-change and increasing pressure over the finite land have intricately woven the natural geo-environmental processes to aggravate and turn into disasters.

Recognizing the benefits of the new epoch of 2nd paradigm shift in disaster management, that is ‘ecosystem approach to disaster risk reduction (Ecodrr)’ offers the benefits of community based approach as well due to its emphasis on livelihood, health and food security within the framework of vulnerability reduction. The suggested planning framework at district level, to have an integrated district plan, opens avenue for a much awaited ‘environmental action plan’ mandate at state, district and local levels. This shall help facilitate the DRR infusion with sustainable development agenda in much acceptable sense – in the governance as well as in community actions. It aims at reducing externality in dependence, improving self-reliance and local strengths for disaster mitigation and preparedness.