Tarek:
Some diversity might ensue from a read of Lewis, James (1999)
"Vulnerability to a cyclone: Damage distribution in Sri Lanka" Case Study
IV in "Development in Disaster-prone Places: Studies of Vulnerability" IT
Publications, London pp87-108....
... not so very long ago.
James Lewis
At 10:45 21/11/03 -0600, you wrote:
>Gupta, A. and Shah, H., 1998. The Strategy Effectiveness Chart: a Tool for
>Evaluating Earthquake Disaster Mitigation Strategies. Applied Geography,
>18(1): 55-67 illustrates a nice methodological framework for the measuring
>the degree to which
>earthquake mitigation measures are successful. I see no reason why the
>methodology cannot be extended to include other types of
>hazards.
>
>
>
>Tarek
>
>==========================================================
> T A R E K R A S H E D, Ph.D.
>==========================================================
>Assistant Professor of Geographic Information Science and Associate
>Director,
>Center for Spatial Analysis: http://www.csa.ou.edu/
>Department of Geography, University of Oklahoma
>100 E. Boyd Street, Sarkeys Energy Center 680, Norman, OK 73019, USA
>Phone: (405) 325-5104, Fax: (405) 325-6090
>Email: [log in to unmask], Webpage: http://geography.ou.edu/people/rashed.html
>==========================================================
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "John Twigg" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Friday, November 21, 2003 8:40 AM
>Subject: 'MEASURING MITIGATION': A METHODOLOGICAL REVIEW - AND A REQUEST FOR
>ASSISTANCE
>
>
>> Although those working on natural disaster reduction believe that disaster
>> mitigation 'pays' - in the broadest sense of the word - there is
>> surprisingly little hard evidence in support of this statement. This is a
>> critical gap in risk management. Many agencies remain reluctant to commit
>> significant funds to risk reduction until it can be proved that it is a
>> cost-effective use of resources.
>>
>> Planning and appraisal methods used in development and mitigation projects
>> tend to by-pass the question. For example, although structural mitigation
>> measures usually undergo cost-benefit (CBA) and related analysis, the
>costs
>> and benefits of incorporating a wider range of mitigation features into
>> development projects more generally are often ignored. Similarly,
>> environmental impact assessment (EIA) guidelines used in development
>> projects do not require assessment of the potential impact of natural
>> hazards on a project, and so do not identify possible mitigation needs
>that
>> should be addressed.
>>
>> Monitoring and evaluation of risk reduction initiatives tends to be short-
>> term, tied to project cycles. It focuses on the initiatives' outputs (e.g.
>> numbers trained in disaster planning, area sown with drought-resistant
>> seeds), rather than their impact (e.g. the extent to which lives, assets
>> and livelihoods are better protected during disasters).
>>
>> A new project managed by the ProVention Consortium
>> (http://www.proventionconsortium.org/) seeks to address these problems by
>> developing guidelines on how project appraisal methodologies can be
>adapted
>> to consider risks from natural hazards, and on appropriate ways of
>> monitoring the impact of risk reduction.
>>
>> The first stage of the project is a review of existing methodologies and
>> practices across a range of agencies, geographical locations, scales of
>> operation and development/disaster contexts. It comprises desk research,
>> interviews and surveys.
>>
>> This work is being carried out by two independent researchers, who would
>> welcome any help that development and disaster management agencies can
>> give. They are particularly keen to obtain:
>> (1) copies of project planning and evaluation methodologies
>> (2) 'good practice' examples of hazard risk appraisal in project
>> planning
>> (3) 'good practice' examples of evaluations of the impact of risk
>> reduction measures
>>
>> If you can provide such material, know where it might be found, or have
>> other ideas about information that might benefit the project, please
>> contact the research team: Charlotte Benson ([log in to unmask]) or John
>> Twigg ([log in to unmask]).
>>
>>
>
>
*********************************************************
James Lewis
Architect RIBA
Visiting Fellow in Development Studies
University of Bath
Consultant in natural hazards and human settlements
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