Disaster risk reduction in climate action

Disasters have been described as catastrophic events with atmospheric, geological, and hydrological origins (e.g., droughts, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, landslides) that can cause fatalities, property damage and social environmental disruption.

What does this mean for a country like Nigeria, where 40.1 percent of its population live in poverty and recovery from any major disaster would prove very difficult? Where the crop yield in its continent has been projected to fall by 10-20 percent by 2050? Where its Hydrological Services Agency annual flood forecast shows that 302 local government areas out of the total 774 will be affected by flood with its attendant health risks with no real efforts being made by concerned authorities to control the situation?

In 2014, the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) estimated that 1,298,848 people were left homeless due to natural disasters and a major consequence of this displacement is the increased spread of infectious diseases and mortality rates. The economic burden of natural disasters for low and middle-income countries increases foreign aid dependency, and causes a reprioritization of the nation’s available resources, often at the detriment of other important areas, to ensure the survival of its citizens. The long-lasting psychological effects of these disasters on survivors is another reason to prevent them from occurring.

When Suleiman Adamu, the Minister of Water Resources, said that the government is constructing dams, reservoirs and artificial lakes to control water flow in streams, I wondered if a standard communication channel existed between residents of the highlighted flood risk areas and his ministry to prevent a repetition of the negative trends of previous years. Combating the impact of climate change also involves regulating emissions, promoting the use of renewable energy and halting desertification.

Some disaster risk reduction methods have been described including risk prevention, retention and transfer, preparedness, response and recovery. Risk analysis, using the disaster cycle, helps to identify the hazards in a specific area, and how it will affect the businesses, buildings, and people there to adequately prepare to forestall the event or reduce its impact. This involves using sturdy eco-friendly materials to build, planting trees, cleaning drainage systems to prevent flooding and implementing land-use restrictions that deter people from living in flood-prone areas.

Conducting a cost-benefit analysis will determine what type of pre-disaster financing (e.g., microinsurance, wealth-index insurance, etc.) that will be adopted to reduce the post-disaster financing (loans, grants, emergency relief) requirement. Preparing for disasters by relocating families from susceptible areas, establishing early warning systems and training personnel to administer emergency services will reduce morbidity and mortality by a wide margin. Early response examines affected areas and prevents further losses from being incurred.

During this year’s celebration of World Environment Day, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation appealed to Nigerians to support their long-term action plan to rehabilitate the forest estates of the country and the Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammad Mahmood, decried the alacritous forestation, adding that policies and legislations are being formulated to address these challenges. It is no longer news that climate change caused by human activities can trigger extreme weather conditions, limit economic growth and adversely affect our well-being. Therefore, this piece reminds all stakeholders, private and public organizations and the general population to engage in activities that will maintain the ecological integrity of our country.