Ecosystems, their Services and Disaster Risk Reduction – Examples from Coastal

Areas

Fabrice Renaud

United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security, Bonn, Germany

2nd GEOSS Science and Technology Stakeholder Workshop 28-31 August 2012, Bonn

Disasters Impacts on Development Gains

2Source: Ghesquiere &  Mahul (2010): Financial Protection of the State against Natural Disasters: A Primer. Policy Research Working Paper 5429, The World Bank

Disasters Impacts on Development Gains (cont’d)

3Source:  Cummins and Mahul (2009), as quoted in Ghesquiere &  Mahul (2010‘): Financial Protection of the State against Natural Disasters: A Primer . Policy Research Working Paper 5429, The World Bank

Links betweeen disasters and the environment

UNEP & UNISDR (2008)

4

Hyogo Framework for Action

World Conference on Disaster Reduction which was held in 2005 in Kobe

5 Priorities for action. Relevant on in our context:• Reduce the underlying risk factors

2 Relevant activities:• Environmental and natural resource management with components

that include:o Sustainable use and management of ecosystems;o Implement integrated environmental and natural resource management

approaches that incorporate disaster risk reduction;o Linking disaster risk reduction with existing climate variability and future

climate change.• Land-use planning and other technical measures with a component on

incorporating disaster risk assessment into rural development planning and management.

Mid-term review of HFA: least progress what in this Priority for Action at the national level

5

Ecosystem ServicesSource: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. 2005. Human Well-being: Synthesis. Island Press, Washington, DC

6

Exposure: Buffering the Populations2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

Following the tsunami, the fact that some ecosystem components had previously been degraded by human interventions was blamed for the damages & losses:• Costal vegetation in general and mangroves in particular• Sand dunes• Sea grasses• Coral reefs

It was assumed that these features would have protected the population by:• Reducing the energy of the waves• Reducing the exposure of the populations (increased distance from

coastline)

7

Destruction of Natural Buffers

Specific effects of some ecosystem components are scientifically debated when it comes to the tsunami

Photo by Marcus Kaplan

8

Did Natural Features Limit the Impact?

Kathiresan & Rajendra. Estuarine, Coastal & Shelf Sci 65:601-606

Kerr et al. Estuarine, Coastal & Shelf Sci 67:539-541

• Performed stepwise regression analysis on data from Kathiresan• Conclusion: vegetation area contributes little to explanation of variation in mortality

Kathiresan & Rajendra. Estuarine, Coastal & Shelf Sci 67:542

• Did not really address the statistical questions put forward by Kerr et al. but stood by their conclusions

Vermaat & Thampanya. Estuarine, Coastal & Shelf Sci 69:1-3

• Performed an ANOVA with distance and elevation as covariates• Conclusion: interpretation by Kathiresan and Rajendra holds

Vermaat & Thampanya. Estuarine, Coastal & Shelf Sci (in press)

• Erratum Mistake in stats: mortality and property loss were not less behind mangroves

9

Some Factors at Play – but much more Research needed

There are many potential factors to consider incl.:• Bathymetry• Topography• Distance of settlement• Coastal vegetation• Impact angle• Distance from epicentre

Chatenouy & Pedduzzi:• Depth of sea floor at 10km• Length of proximal slope• % protection from seagrass• Distance from fault line• % protection from coral

Source: Chatenoux & Peduzzi. Natural Hazards. DOI 10.1007/s11069-006-0015-9

10

Earthquake and Tsunami impact in Sendai, Wakabayashi Ward, Arahama District

11

23/09/2003 17/04/2011

04/10/2011 29/03/2012

Photo Credit: Tohoku Construction Association . Do not reproduce

Coastal Forests in Sendai

12

Photo Credit: Fabrice Renaud/UNU-EHS Do not reproduce

Ecosystem and DRR in the context of the Great East Japan Earthquake

The Earthquake Disaster Reconstruction Plan (City of Sendai, 2011)

• Puts some emphasis on the environment• Addresses agricultural issues• “Restore the beautiful coast”• Utilising “costal prevention forests” explicitly

mentioned

13

Ecosystem and DRR in the context of the Great East Japan Earthquake

14

Source: Sendai City Earthquake Disaster Reconstruction Plan (2011)

Devastation in Minamisanriku & plans for relocation

15

Some points of reflection

Extreme events affecting Indonesia, Sri Lanka & Japan -> lead to different reconstruction processes & thus development pathways

In all cases, considering ecosystems in the rebuilding process is a “no regrets” solution• Ecosystems might not stop the next tsunami but…• They will mitigate other higher frequency hazards• Provide livelihoods for communities relying on them• Increase recreational/cultural value of the landscape

The use of ecosystems for DRR can also contributes to:• Sustainable development• Reduce cost of (engineered) DRR infrastructure

Further research required to provide adequate advice to policy makers (Renaud, Sudmier-Rieux & Estrella, 2013)

16

Application of the SUST Model in the Case of the 2004 Tsunami

Source: Ingram et al. 2006. Post-disaster recovery dilemmas: challenges in balancing short-term and long-term needs for vulnerability reduction. Environmental Science & policy 9:607-613

Data Requirements

Geospatial data are extremely valuable to assess:• The presence/state of coastal ecosystems or their

components such as sand dunes, coastal vegetation, etc.

• Tracking changes in such systems (temporal and spatial dimensions)

• Determining impacts on ecosystems so as to restore ecosystem services as rapidly as possible

18

Thank You

UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITYInstitute for Environment and Human

Security(UNU-EHS)

Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 10D-53113 Bonn, Germany

Phone: ++ 49 (0) 228 815-0211Fax: ++ 49 (0) 228 815-0299E-Mail: renaud@ehs.unu.edu

www.ehs.unu.edu

19