This document summarizes presentations from a session at the 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference in 2014. The session discussed integrating climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. One presentation proposed a framework for this integration and highlighted challenges in the Australian policy context, including fragmentation and lack of implementation. Another discussed the important role of local governments in building resilience but noted they have been slow to act. A third discussed how media can both help and hinder resilience efforts by influencing policy and public perceptions.

1. Towards a framework for integrated
climate change adaptation (CCA) and
disaster risk reduction (DRR) action
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Dr Jason von Meding, The University of
Newcastle, Australia

2. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Session Participants
• Dr Jason von Meding- Towards a framework for integrated
climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction
(DRR) action
• Dr Helen Giggins- The role of local government in building
resilience and reducing vulnerability to slow-onset disasters
• Dr Graham Brewer- A double-edged sword: the influence of
the media upon resilience-oriented outcomes
• Dr Ksenia Chmutina- Understanding the role of the private
and public stakeholders in slow onset disaster resilience
framework

3. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Session Objectives
• Present a collective research agenda
• Promote an under-researched area
• Build alliances between academia/NGOs/Government
agencies
• Provoke thought and idea generation

4. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
DRR/CCA Policy: The Australian Context
• High level of politicisation
• Reluctance of stakeholders to buy-in and commit
• Little movement from talk>action
• Particular interest in mining industry engagement at UoN
• Policy fragmentation

5. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Vulnerability in Australia
• Multiple hazards- natural and man-made
• Economic dependence on resource extraction
• High level of potential climate change impacts
• Policy fragmentation
• Volatile debate on science

6. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Governance
• Various reports, committees, action plans at all levels but little
implementation
• DRR/CCA agenda can be conflicting
• Coordination of strategic policy implementation at all levels of
government has been ineffective
• Do key stakeholders engage proactively to shape policy?
• So, who is responsible for DRR/CCA ultimately?

7. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Influence of Political Sphere
• Public perception and awareness
• Ultimately should be responsible for DRR/CCA
• International accountability or lack thereof

8. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Influence of Political Sphere
• Public perception and awareness
• Ultimately should be responsible for DRR/CCA
• International accountability or lack thereof
‘Climate
science is
crap’
Allowing environmental
damage to Great Barrier Reef Minister for
Science

9. The role of local government in
building resilience and reducing
vulnerability to slow onset disasters
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Dr Helen Giggins, The University of Newcastle,
Australia

10. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Local Context
• More than 85% of Australians live within 50km of the coast
(ABS 2001)
– Particularly vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal erosion
• Urban planning and community-level engagement is primarily
a local/regional Government responsibility
• Traditionally they have been slow to act to properly prepare
for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change
Adaption (CCA)

11. Lack of Community Education and Engagement
• Attempts at DRR have been met with hostility and wariness by
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
the broader community
• Australian Examples:
– Hunter Region - fear of dropping property prices due to
proposed future building restrictions in low level areas
around the coast and lakes
– Regional Victoria - inability to build in certain ‘high risk’
areas in the wake of the Black Saturday ‘Bushfires’

12. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Role of Researchers
• Researchers can play a part in informing local authorities of
how to better implement policy and engage the community in
DRR
• Inform policy to allow all levels of Government to work
together to prevent “Policy-Induced Risk”
• Educate the broader community to the “Cost of Doing
Nothing”

13. A double-edged sword: the
influence of the media upon
resilience-oriented outcomes
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Assoc. Prof. Graham Brewer, The University of
Newcastle, Australia

14. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Context
• Regional focus but global relevance
• Conflicting interests
– Community/industry
– Employment/environment
– Government
• Federal
• State
• Local
– Opportunism/environmentalism
• Media outlets
– Relevance
– Audience
– Profitability

15. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
The problem: role and influence of media
Beneficial
• Role
– Informer/educator
– Campaigner
– Entertainer
• Influence
– Trigger to/supporter of good
policy
– Disseminator of
‘uncomfortable truths’
– Champion of change agents
Detrimental
• Role
– Mis-informer
– Campaigner
– Entertainer
• Influence
– Trigger to/supporter of poor
policy
– Reinforcer of popular
stereotypes
– Soapbox for the fringes

16. Climate change denial: an Australian perspective
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
• Platform for climate change denial
– “If it’s in the papers/on the box/on the net it must be true”
– Reinforces the legitimacy of personal opinion and its parity with
scientific findings… from the person in the street right up to the leader
of a country
– Federal government downwards
– Legitimise personal positions/play to interests of those working in
extractive industries and those who stand to lose out as a
consequence of climate change acceptance
• Outcomes
– Rolling back of climate change policies
– Stifling of renewable energy industries
– Confusion in other parts of the economy

17. Disaster aftermath: policy impacts in Australia
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Beneficial
• Disaster reportage
– Informative
– Coordinative
– Lifesaving
– Fundraising
– Mobilises volunteer relief
Detrimental
• In-theatre media presence
– Available to those with an
issue to pursue (private,
community, and political)
– Political knee-jerk (policy
development ‘on-the-hoof’)

18. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Lessons/warnings
• Media responsibilities
– Balance, but…
– Not all opinions are of equal value (and should not be presented as
such)
– Scientific opinion is not simply op-ed
• Media-informed policy-induced disasters
– Misinformed policy development
– Hastily developed/implemented policy
– Policy neglect

19. Understanding the role of the
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
private and public
stakeholders in slow onset
disaster resilience framework
Ksenia Chmutina and Lee Bosher
School of Civil and Building Engineering,
Loughborough University
UK

20. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Introduction
Disasters often occur because risk reduction
measures have not been considered or
undertaken, despite there being previous
knowledge of existing hazards and threats (Bosher,
2014).
DRR measures should be methodically built into
the design, construction and operation process
rather than added on to a construction project as
an ‘afterthought’.

21. Stakeholders’ engagement in DRR activities
• Construction stakeholders are traditionally
associated with a range of activities, such as
restoration of public services after the event.
• BUT: they have a much boarder role to anticipate,
assess, prevent, prepare, respond and recover.
• Multi-stakeholders participation is important!
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org

22. DRR in design, construction and operation process (DCOP)
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Stage Stage name Generic phases Stage description
1 Preparation Appraisal
Design briefing
Identification of client’s needs and objectives, business case and possible
constraints on development. Identification of procurement method,
procedures, organisational structure and range of consultants and others
to be engaged for the project.
2 Design Concept
Design development
Technical design
Outline proposals for structural and building services systems, outline
specifications and preliminary cost plan. Development of concept design
to include structural and building services systems, updated outline
specifications and cost plan. Application for detailed planning
permission. Preparation of technical design(s) and specifications.
3 Pre-construction
phases
Product information
Tender documentation
Tender action
Preparation of detailed information for construction. Preparation and/or
collation of tender documentation. Identification and evaluation of
potential contractors and/or specialists for the project.
4 Construction
phases
Project planning (mobilisation)
Construction to practical
completion
Issuing of information to the contractor.
Provision to the contractor of further Information as and when
reasonably required. Review of information provided by contractors and
specialists.
5 Use Post-practical completion Administration of the building contract after Practical Completion and
making final inspections. Assisting building user during initial occupation
period. Review of project performance in use.

23. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Case study: Nottingham
• Main hazards: flooding
• Main threat: crime.

24. Stakeholders’ involvement in DRR activities in England
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
DCOP Stage Stakeholders formally involved
Pre-construction
Urban planners/ designers
Client
Developer
Civil and structural engineers
Emergency/risk managers
Local authorities
Contractors
Utilities companies
Material suppliers
Construction
Architects/ designers
Civil/ structural engineers
Contractors
Utilities companies

25. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Nottingham stakeholders
For more information see: Chmutina, K., Ganor, T. and Bosher, L., 2014. The role of urban design and planning in risk
reduction: who should do what and when? ICE – Urban Design and Planning

26. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Main findings:
• There is an apparent disconnect between the stakeholders
who should be involved and those who are involved in
reality.
• Although some of the stakeholders are involved in DRR,
their inputs are not always formal and clear.
• While the early phases of DCOP are understood as being
essential for DRR, stakeholders’ engagement does not
necessarily take place sufficiently in advance of
construction.

27. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Conclusions
• There is a lack of consensus on the role of the stakeholders
and the level of participation in DRR.
• Stakeholders are not sufficiently informed about who and who
is not involved in DRR activities.
• Many stakeholders have no particular experience in dealing
with DRR.
• Lack of clear policy on the integration of DRR in DCOP.
• Pre-construction phase is critical for consideration of DRR
measures in DCOP.
• DRR interventions considered too late (i.e. during construction)
tend to be more expensive and less effective

28. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Thank you!
Dr Jason von Meding- Jason.VonMeding@newcastle.edu.au
Dr Helen Giggins- Helen.Giggins@newcastle.edu.au
Dr Graham Brewer- Graham.Brewer@newcastle.edu.au
Dr Ksenia Chmutina- k.chmutina@lboro.ac.uk

29. 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
‘Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice‘ • 24-28 August 2014 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Points for discussion
• Do these experiences reflect the situation in your country?
• Who are the critical stakeholders that should be engaged?
• How can we/should we integrate DRR/CCA policy?
• To what degree is slow-onset disaster risk appreciated and
considered in your country?