UPSC Mains — Previous Year Question
Question
What is disaster resilience? How is it determined? Describe various elements of a resilience framework. Also mention the global targets of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030).
Model Answer
The United Nations defines disaster resilience as the ability of a system, community, or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate, adapt to, transform, and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient manner, preserving essential basic structures and functions.
How Disaster Resilience is Determined
- Hazard and Vulnerability Assessments (HIRA): Evaluating local geophysical, hydrometeorological, and climate exposures alongside socioeconomic vulnerabilities (poverty, housing types, age demographics).
- Coping and Absorptive Capacities: Assessing the strength of engineered infrastructure, redundancy in power and water grids, and availability of emergency healthcare to absorb shocks without systemic failure.
- Institutional and Governance Preparedness: Measuring administrative capabilities, functioning early-warning platforms, and coordinated contingency operating procedures.
- Socioeconomic Recovery Speed: Evaluating access to disaster insurance, emergency credit reserves, social safety nets, and institutional plans to restore livelihoods post-disaster.
Core Elements of a Resilience Framework
- Risk Identification & Early Warning: Advanced Doppler radar systems, sensor-linked sirens, and multi-hazard forecasting (e.g., India’s Common Alerting Protocol – CAP and SACHET platform).
- Resilient Physical Infrastructure: Enforcing disaster-resistant building bylaws, constructing coastal multi-purpose cyclone shelters, and developing green infrastructure (restoring urban wetlands and mangroves).
- Inclusive Governance & Community Participation: Training local volunteer cadres (e.g., Aapda Mitra Scheme) and empowering local Panchayati Raj Institutions to manage evacuation shelters.
- Adaptive Social Protection: Utilizing direct benefit transfer databases to deliver emergency cash assistance and livelihood rehabilitation following disaster events.
- The “Build Back Better” Principle: Ensuring post-disaster reconstruction incorporates upgraded engineering and structural standards to prevent recurring vulnerabilities.
Global Targets of the Sendai Framework (2015–2030)
| Sendai Target | Specific International Mandate |
|---|---|
| Target A | Substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030, aiming for a lower average per 100,000 global mortality rate between 2020–2030 compared to 2005–2015. |
| Target B | Substantially reduce the number of affected people globally by 2030. |
| Target C | Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030. |
| Target D | Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services (health and educational facilities) through resilience planning. |
| Target E | Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020/2030. |
| Target F | Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through sustainable support to complement national actions. |
| Target G | Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information to people by 2030. |
Implementing the Sendai Framework requires shifting from reactive relief to proactive disaster risk reduction, integrating resilience into development planning.