EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 74786 Analysis of Disaster Risk Management in Colombia A Contribution to the Creation of Public Policies Coordinators and Editors Ana Campos G., Niels Holm-Nielsen, Carolina Díaz G., Diana M. Rubiano V., Carlos R. Costa P., Fernando Ramírez C. and Eric Dickson THE WORLD BANK COLOMBIA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Analysis of Disaster Risk Management in Colombia A Contribution to the Creation of Public Policies Coordinators and Editors Ana Campos G., Niels Holm-Nielsen, Carolina Díaz G., Diana M. Rubiano V., Carlos R. Costa P., Fernando Ramírez C., and Eric Dickson THE WORLD BANK COLOMBIA THE WORLD BANK COLOMBIA Executive Summary Analysis of Disaster Risk Management in Colombia: A Contribution to the Creation of Public Policies Copyright © 2011 by International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20433, USA Internet: www.worldbank.org/co All Rights Reserved This book was originally published by The World Bank in Spanish as Resumen Ejecutivo. Análisis de la gestión del riesgo de desastres en Colombia: un aporte para la construcción de políticas públicas. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this book are entirely those of the authors and should not be attributed in any manner to the World Bank or Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), to its affiliated organizations, or to members of its Board of Executive Directors or the countries they represent. The World Bank and Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) do not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accept no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this volume do not imply on the part of the World Bank Group any judgment on the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this publication is copyrighted. The World Bank and Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) encourage dissemination of its work and normally will promptly grant permission to reproduce portions of the work. For permission to reprint individual articles or chapters, please fax a request with complete information to Fernanda Zavaleta, Communications Officer – The World Bank Colombia and Mexico, fax (55) 5480-4222. All other queries on rights and licenses should be addressed to the Communications Officer. The World Bank Design: Marcela Godoy Proofreading and editing: Zuzana Johansen, Carolina de Los Angeles Ferrer. Cover photo: Floods. Municipality of Chia (Cundinamarca, Colombia), 2011. Image credit: Regional Autonomous Corporation of Cundinamarca. Photos: Gabriel J. Arango Z., Nilson Correa B., Colombian Geological Survey, Colombian Ocean Commission. Executive Summary. Analysis of Disaster Risk Management in Colombia: A Contribution to the Creation of Public Policies. -- Bogota, Colombia: The World Bank: GFDRR, 2012. 48 p. : il. 333.3109861/A56 1. Resettlement prevention – Natural disasters – Colombia – Public policies – 2. Natural disasters – Resettlement prevention – Colombia – Public policies. – 3. Colombia – Resettlement prevention – Natural disasters – Public policies PREFACE Like many countries in latin america, Colombia faces great challenges that seriously threaten its development. Factors such as population displacement from rural to urban areas, environmental degradation, and rapid changes in land use amplify these challenges. These socioeconomic conditions, together with the country’s tendency to be affected by natural phenomena such as earthquakes, floods, and landslides, among others, aggravated by human activity and varying climate conditions, confirm a continuous construction process and risk accumula- tion. The materialization of these risks on disasters affects the country’s develop- ment, obstructing and delaying the achievement of the social welfare goals set by the Government. As a result of the immense losses caused by the La Niña phenomenon in 2010-2011, and within the scope of the agenda on disaster risk management that the World Bank has maintained since 1999 with the Colombian Government, the National Planning Department requested the support of this institution to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the risk management policies and make short- and long-term strategic recommendations to help reduce the disaster’s impact on the population and the economy. This is the first time that a Disaster Risk Management Analysis is carried out in Latin America within the context of development policies in a country where traditionally the Bank has conducted these types of studies from an environmental perspective or from the different sectors. This report, which is not limited to analyzing the risk causes or measuring their growth, is the result of a joint effort with multiple public and private agents. It goes into depth in the institutional advances in risk management at different govern- ment levels, and explains how this issue has been incorporated in the territorial and sectoral public administration. Additionally, it indicates the immense opportunities to articulate disaster risk management in current planning, investment, monitoring and control instruments, and makes evident the need to define public and private responsibility as part of the strategy in reducing the State’s fiscal vulnerability. In summary, the study shows that if the country does not want stagnation in its economic growth due to more frequent losses and at a greater scale, a radical change is essential in development policies and in territorial and sectoral management prac- tices. Therefore, this document defines a set of recommendations so that disaster risk management becomes a State policy, emphasizing that improving land use and land occupation conditions is a priority in reducing the impact of disasters. v We wish to express our gratitude on behalf of the World Bank to the Gov- ernment of Colombia for the trust given to us in requesting that we carry out this study. Likewise, I am grateful to everyone who contributed in one way or another with their formulations and comments. Special thanks as well to the Global Facil- ity for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) for their financial support in making this study possible. I invite State authorities, responsible for policy and development processes, to incorporate the criteria for risk reduction in all their practices, to encourage the participation of those who have not traditionally been involved in this problem, and to to technically and financially join the local and regional governments in creating new intervention strategies in order to build a country based on safety criteria in facing disaster risks. GLORIA GRANDOLINI Director for Mexico and Colombia World Bank vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Analysis of Disaster Risk Management in Colombia: A Contribution to the Creation of Public Policies is the result of World Bank work started in March 2011 at the request of the Colombian government through the National Planning Department. Numerous entities and professionals interested in the subject participated and an important group of collaborators made possible the materialization of the current document. The team especially wishes to thank Gloria M. Grandolini (Country Director, Colombia and Mexico - World Bank), Ede Jorge Ijjasz-Vásquez (Sector Manager for the Sustainable Development Department for Latin America and the Caribbean Region - World Bank), Guang Zhe Chen (Sector Manager for Urban, Water and Sanitation, and Disaster Risk Management for Latin America and the Caribbean Region - World Bank), Geoffrey Bergen (Resident Representative in Colombia - World Bank) and Daniel Sellen (Sector Manager for the Sustainable Development Department for Colombia - World Bank) for their unconditional support. Project Coordinators The project was developed under the leadership of Niels Holm-Nielsen (Disaster Risk Management Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean Region - World Bank) and Eric Dickson (Project Manager for Colombia). Leading Authors and Editors The paper was prepared by a groups of World Bank specialists in disaster risk management led by Ana Campos García, Carolina Díaz Giraldo, Diana Marcela Rubiano Vargas, Carlos Rufino Costa Posada, and Fernando Ramírez Cortés - World Bank. Team The complete work team included: OSSO Corporation’s Andrés Velásquez, Fernando Ramírez Gómez, Cristina Rosales Climent, Nayibe Jiménez Pérez, Diana Mendoza González, William Burbano, Natalia Díaz Ayala, Jorge Eduardo Mendoza Cifuentes, Henry Adolfo Peralta Buriticá, and Mauricio Bautista Arteaga. Individual consultants in different disciplines: Víctor Manuel Moncayo Cruz, Carmenza Saldías Barreneche, María Isabel Toro Quijano, Amparo Velásquez Peñaloza, Juanita López Peláez, Jaime Iván Ordoñez Ordoñez, Jorge Alberto Serna Jaramillo, José Edier Ballesteros Herrera, Carlos Eduardo Vargas Manrique, Doris Suaza Español, Leonardo Morales Rojas, Elvira Milén Agámez Cárdenas, Ernesto Betancourt Morales, Ana María Torres Muñoz, and Alejandro Vega; and the following World Bank officials: María Clara Ucrós, Daniel Alberto Manjarrés, Karina M. Kashiwamoto, and Ana F. Daza. Reviewers The team received support and comments from Daniel Sellen (World Bank), Diego Arias Carballo (World Bank), Lars Christian Moller (World Bank), Mauricio Cuéllar Montoya (World Bank), Andrew Maskrey (UNISDR), Ricardo Mena (UNISDR), Allan Lavell (Senior Consultant in Disaster Risk Management), Omar Darío Cardona Arboleda (Senior Consultant in Disaster Risk Management), and Lizardo Narváez Marulanda (Consultant in Disaster Risk Management). National Government Collaborators The Colombian Government through the National Planning Department (DNP), National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), and the following Ministries: Environment and Sustainable Development (MADS); Housing, Cities, and Territory vii (MVCT); Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR); Transportation (MT); Mines and Energy (MME); Health and Social Protection (MSPS); Finance and Public Credit (MHCP); and National Education (MEN), helped the team to carry out the present study. In addition, entities such as the Colombian Geological Survey (SGC); the Colombian Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology, and Environmental Studies (Ideam); the Colombian Ocean Commission (CCO); the National Statistics Department (DANE), and the Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute (IGAC), offered fundamental contributions in preparing the study and actively participated in its review. It is important to mention the contribution of some officials of these institutions and other entities: Hernando José Gómez Restrepo (DNP), Mauricio Santa María Salamanca (DNP), Juan Mauricio Ramírez Cortés (DNP), Carolina Urrutia Vásquez (DNP, from July 2011), Giampiero Renzoni Rojas (DNP, up to July 2011), Alexander Martínez Montero (DNP), Nilson Correa Bedoya (DNP), Claudia Patricia Satizabal Robayo (DNP), María Salomé Ruíz Alvarado (DNP), Jean Philippe Penning (DNP), Pedro Luis Jiménez (DNP), José Alejando Bayona (DNP), Augusto César Pinto (DNP), Nicolás Pérez Marulanda (DNP), Samuel Zambrano (DNP), Camilo Jaramillo (DNP), Katty De Oro (DNP), Julio César Jiménez (DNP), Carlos Iván Márquez Pérez (UNGRD), Richard Alberto Vargas Hernández (UNGRD), Perla Haydee Rueda (UNGRD), Jairo Enrique Bárcenas Sandoval (UNGRD), Marta Lucía Calvache Velasco (SGC), María Mónica Arcila Rivera (SGC), María Luisa Monsalve Bustamante (SGC), Iván Darío Gómez (IGAC), Camila Romero Chica (CCO), Ricardo Lozano (Ideam), Ernesto Rangel Mantilla (Ideam), Omar Franco (Ideam), Claudia Milena �lvarez Londoño (Ideam), Dorotea Cardona Hernández (Ideam), María Constanza García (MT), Gloria Sánchez (MT), Juan Camilo Granados (MT), Carla Viviescas (MT), Magda Constanza Buitrago Ríos (MT), Lyda Milena Esquivel Roa (Invías), Carlos Castaño (MADS), Luis Alfonso Sierra (MADS), Javier Pava (MADS), Luis Roberto Chiape (MADS), Claudia Lucía Ramírez (MVCT), Carlos Ariel Cortés (MVCT), Claudia Mora (ex-Water Viceminister), Augusto Ardila (MSPS), Luis Eduardo Arango (MHCP), Sandra Rodríguez (MHCP), Lina Marcela Tami (MADR), Samira Alkhatib (MADR), Elizabeth Arciniegas (MADR), Eudes de Jesús Velásquez (MADR), Juan Carlos Ortega (Agrarian Bank), Mara Bigitthe Bravo (MEN), Dinora Carolina Cortés (MEN), Juan Pablo Morales (MEN), and Andrés E. Taboada (MME). Likewise, the study included the participation of many other representatives from the entities mentioned above during the course of the interviews and the workshops. Collaborators Organizations such as the Colombian Federation of Municipalities (FCM), the Association of Regional and Autonomous Sustainability Corporations, the Colombian Agrarian Society (SAC), the Colombian Construction Chamber (Camacol), the Colombian Federation of Insurers (Fasecolda), and the Colombian Infrastructure Chamber (CCI), aided in the collection of data, offered important contributions in its preparation, and actively participated in the study. The team is especially grateful to Fernando Enciso Herrera (FCM), Ramón Leal Leal (Asocars), Maria I. Vanegas (Asocars), Rafael Mejía López (SAC), Luis Fernando Forero Gómez (SAC), Camilo Congote Hernández (Camacol), Carlos Varela (Fasecolda), Juan Martín Caicedo Ferrer (CCI), and Sandra Silva Serna (CCI). The team would also like to extend its appreciation to those who provided valuable input for the information they received from interviewing numerous public and private entities in case studies in the following cities: Bogota, Cali, Medellin, Barranquilla, Manizales, and Cucuta, and regions such as La Mojana and Canal del Dique, as well as the Sinu and Bogota River basins. Funding Finally, special thanks to the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) for funding the base studies of this report. viii CONTENts PREFACE v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii 1. Introduction 1 2. MAIN conclusions of the analysis of disaster risk management in Colombia 5 3. Six MAIN challenges to achieve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia and thirty proposed activities to accomplish it 21 bibliography 43 ACRONYMS 47 ix figures Figure 1. Four factors that set risk growth trends in Colombia and increase the State’s fiscal responsibility 7 Figure 2. Disasters and losses registered per decade 16 Figure 3. Six strategies to improve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia 23 Graphs Graph 1. Comparison of the total investment in risk management at national, departmental, and municipal level, 1998-2010 8 Graph 2. Area and population exposed to landslides, earthquakes, and floods in Colombia 9 Graph 3. Registered number of disaster events in cities studied, 1970-2011 12 Graph 4. Percentage of disaster events in cities studied, 1970-2011 12 Graph 5. Social agents responsible for taking prevention and response measures to disasters 19 Tables Table 1. Recommendations to strengthen governance in the field of disaster risk in Colombia 40 x Introduction 1 Floods. Municipality of La Virginia (Risaralda, Colombia), 2011. Image credit: Gabriel Jaime Arango Zapata. Disasters happen all over the world, but their economic, social and environmental repercussions have continuously increased and, they have had greater overall impacts in developing countries. Disasters can overshadow years of investment for the countries development, but at the same time the risks causes may be rooted in errors and problems arising from the same development processes. (World Bank 2006) Colombia has been a pioneer in Latin in this area on a short-and long-term basis. In America in developing a comprehensive vi- order to carry this out, the study sought to (i) es- sion in risk and disaster management, which tablish the risk situation and impact of disasters has resulted in a relative decrease in casualties. in recent decades; (ii) identify legal, institutional, However, damage to property, infrastructure, and conceptual advances in risk management in and livelihoods continues to increase. Advances the country; (iii) review the status and develop- in monitoring, early warning systems, as well as ment of investment in risk management; (iv) ana- the organization of national and local entities for lyze the role of territorial and sectoral entities in emergency response have resulted in a reduction risk management; and (v) identify gaps and chal- in the loss of life caused by natural phenomena. lenges in defining the responsibilities of the pub- However, efforts to contribute to territorial secu- lic and private sectors. The aim of the results of rity, social welfare, and environmental sustainabil- the study is to provide useful inputs for both the ity have not been sufficiently effective to prevent consolidation of the National Development Plan exposure and vulnerability. This has been evident (PND) 2010-2014 “Prosperity for All,� as well as after the increase of economic losses in recent to lead the recovery and reconstruction process events, especially during La Niña 2010-2011. associated with the recent episodes of the La Niña The situation experienced at the begin- phenomenon, and the formulation of public poli- ning of President Santos’ term (2010-2014) cies that favor long-term development sustain- represents a major challenge for his govern- ability in Colombia. ment regarding the recovery of the affected The report Analysis of Disaster Risk population and their economic activities, and Management in Colombia is the result of an for strengthening the organization and policy interinstitutional and intersectoral work coor- in disaster risk management. In this context, dinated by the National Government, through the Government of Colombia, through the Na- the National Planning Department and the tional Planning Department (DNP), requested National Unit for Disaster Risk Management assistance from the World Bank in the prepara- (UNGRD) in association with the GFDRR tion of the Analysis of Disaster Risk Manage- and the World Bank. The technical team that ment in Colombia. The Bank in turn managed prepared the study was formed by a group of the funding for the implementation of the study national and regional experts in risk manage- with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction ment. In addition, the project received the sup- and Recovery (GFDRR). port and collaboration from the Ministries of The objective of the analysis is to evalu- Mines and Energy, Education, Agriculture and ate the progress of risk management in Colom- Rural Development, Transportation, Environ- bia and to propose recommendations that will ment and Sustainable Development, Housing, enable the Government to set up public policies Cities, and Territories, Finance, and Health and Introduction 3 Social Protection. Likewise, the following enti- and regulatory frameworks, institutions and or- ties participated: the Colombian Federation of ganization structures, investments, advances, Municipalities, the Association of Regional Au- and insights related to the subject. tonomous Corporations (Asocars), the Agricul- Analysis of Disaster Risk Management tural Society of Colombia (SAC), the Colombian in Colombia is structured in two different for- Chamber of Construction (Camacol), the Co- mats. This Executive Summary, which presents lombian Federation of Insurers (Fasecolda), the a synthesis of key findings and recommenda- Colombian Chamber of Infrastructure (CCI), tions, is addressed mainly to national, regional, and the National Roads Institute (Invías), as well and local authorities and decision makers and as national entities including the National Sta- to national and international organizations, tistics Administration Department (DANE), the as well as to civil society and the private sec- Colombian Geological Survey (SGC, previously tor that support disaster risk management in Ingeominas), the Colombian Hydrology, Me- Colombia. A detailed and complete Report, teorology, and Environmental Studies Institute structured into six chapters, including a tech- (Ideam), and the Agustin Codazzi Geographical nical analysis, is addressed to those responsible Institute (IGAC). for implementing disaster risk management Multiple strategies were used to carry policies, as well as to professionals, research- out this work in order to evaluate advances in ers, and experts in the subject. risk management, the perception of the State This analysis starts from the acknowl- and civil society related to the results achieved, edgment of the great challenge that govern- and the main challenges to be faced in the ments face in having to control and reduce future. Previously developed conceptual ap- disaster risks, and the efforts that the Colom- proaches and other innovative concepts, which bian Government has made in the last two sought ways to describe what should be the ar- decades to meet this objective. Identifying and ticulation between disaster risk management prioritizing recommendations for improving and public management, provided a conceptual and strengthening effective risk management as framework to guide the structure of this report. public policy required that the analysis would Furthermore, various research instruments be critical and at the same time positive. In this were designed based on fields of application sense, the study highlights the existing gaps at sectoral, territorial, and community levels, and limitations as a means to identifying gov- including the collection and evaluation of spe- ernment opportunities in order to redirect cur- cialized documents, workshops, interviews, and rent risk management policies. The World Bank case studies systematized in eight sectors1 and team is grateful for the confidence and willing- ten territorial areas2. Self-assessment surveys ness shown by the Colombian National Govern- were conducted with representatives from 173 ment in carrying out this work. municipalities, 12 departmental governments, 23 Regional Autonomous Corporations (CAR) and, 17 national entities. Furthermore, risk per- ception surveys were taken from 1,150 people in 1 Sectors: transportation, energy, drinking water and sanitation, housing, eight of the most important cities in the country. agriculture, education, environment, and health. 2 Territorial areas: Cities of Bogota, Medellin, Barranquilla, Cali, Manizales This allowed documenting and analyzing the and Cucuta; regions of La Mojana and Canal del Dique; and basins of the evolution of risk management concepts, policy Sinu and Bogota rivers. 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies 2 Main Conclusions of the Analysis of Disaster Risk Management in Colombia Gaitan settlement. Municipality of Manizales (Caldas, Colombia), 2011. Image credit: Nilson Correa Bedoya. The main conclusion from the results of trend. However, the most conspicuous aspects of the Analysis is that disaster risk in Colombia the results are from the viewpoint of the authors, is increasing due to an inadequate territorial, interviewees, and survey respondents, and from sectoral, and private management, rather than the aforementioned, it will be possible to extract due to external factors such as climate change. elements that will help strengthen risk manage- Figure 1 summarizes four factors that explain this ment in the country. Figure 1. Four factors that set risk growth trends in Colombia and increase the State’s fiscal responsibility The conceptual advances on The gaps in the field of The absence of a clear policy the relationship between Risk is constantly disaster risk management and the background in which risk management and accumulating in cities and policies and sectoral plans the State generally assumes development have not been rural areas due to lack of threaten the sustainability the responsibility, discourages raised to the level of State implementation and control of investments, both in citizens and the private policy nor have they been of the municipal land use productive and service sector from undertaking incorporated as an integral part planning policies and sectors, thus contributing to their role in risk reduction of the public administration, instruments and inadequate an increased exposure and and management and thus thus contributing to the growth watershed management vulnerability resulting in greater fiscal costs of risk conditions 1 The conceptual advances on the relationship between risk management and development have not been raised to the level of State policy nor have they been incorporated as an integral part of the public administration, thus contributing to the growth of risk conditions. Despite Colombia’s long history in or- in this matter have been addressed by planning ganizing and designing risk management in- instruments such as the National Plan for Di- struments,3 the conceptual advances achieved saster Prevention and Response (PNPAD) and and the efforts carried out to update the Sys- some Conpes documents. However, the level of tem with this information have failed to per- the implementation of the guidelines and con- meate government practices. The concretion tents of these instruments has been ineffective. of risk reduction policies, cross-cutting in both sectors and territories, requires surmounting the reactive tendency to disasters. There is no 3 National System for Disaster Prevention and Assistance (1985), Na- national policy on disaster risk management tional Plan for Disaster Prevention and Assistance (1999), Conpes and as a consequence the Government’s actions Document (2001). MAIN conclusions of the analysis of disaster risk management in Colombia 7 There has been progress in incorpo- are fundamental differences in the budgeted rating risk management in the planning amount and the items financed. While the instruments, providing it with political rel- nation has focused its efforts on disaster man- evance. Despite this, the fulfillment of com- agement and risk knowledge, being the main mitments is deficient and disarticulated. financial entity of these activities, the munici- Since the PNPAD formulation, the subject palities have focused mainly on risk reduction, has been incorporated into the Development particularly in areas such as reforestation and Plans (PD) of the last four presidential terms, watershed conservation, which supply clean emphasizing on risk knowledge, strengthen- drinking water. National investment has had ing the system, reducing fiscal vulnerability, two growth cycles related to major disasters, and risk transfer. However, although the de- namely the Coffee-Growing region earthquake scription of the activities and challenges is (1999) and the La Niña phenomenon of 2010- quite clear and consistent with the needs, the 2011. However, municipal investment shows an definition of goals and indicators established inverse performance, evidencing the nation’s for each one of these axes does not reflect the intense intervention in the reconstruction scope proposed and only partially covers the process, without requiring any compensation proposals outlined. and thus discouraging the local authorities’ Observing the resources allocated to responsibilities. The departments revealed sig- comply with the goals set at different govern- nificantly lower investments during 1998-2010 ment levels, it can be concluded that there (Graph 1). Graph 1. Comparison of the total investment in risk management at national, departmental, and municipal level, 1998-2010 1,800,000 1,600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 2010 COP$ million 1,000,000 National DRM expenditure Departmental DRM expenditure 800,000 Municipal DRM expenditure 600,000 400,000 200,000 0 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Source:  Authors’ chart from information provided by DNP-SDAS, 2010 8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies Box 1. Approach to disaster risk in Colombia From the distribution of the level of the population exposed to phenomena such as floods, earthquakes, and landslides, it is concluded that 86% is exposed from high to medium seismic hazards, 28% to potential severe flooding, and 31% to high and medium landslide hazards (Figure 2). In terms of the area, 36% of the territory is exposed to high seismic hazard, mostly in the Pacific and Andean regions (departments of Huila, Choco, Valle del Cauca, Narino, Risaralda, Cauca, and Quindio), which means that 960 municipalities, including those with the largest populations, are exposed. Some 12% of the national territory is located in areas with increased vulnerability to floods, distributed in 79 municipalities, mainly in the departments of Valle del Cauca, Atlantico, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Antioquia, Cordoba, Cesar, Cauca, and Meta. On the other hand, 18% of the national territory is located in areas, that have high landslide risk, especially in the departments of Quindio, Risaralda, Caldas, Nariño, Cauca, Arauca, Meta, Huila, Cundinamarca, Boyaca, Tolima and Santander. Graph 2. Area and population exposed to landslides, earthquakes, and floods4 in Colombia Flooding Flooding Landslide Landslides Earthquake Earthquake 100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100 100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100 Percentage Area (10 km ) Percentage Population (million) High Medium Low High Medium Low Source: OSSO Corporation, 2011 from OSS O-EAFIT Corporation, 2011 The existing institutionalization for risk lations, which has been reflected in the weak management at the national level, despite its incorporation of the subject in Land-Use Plans long history, takes on a protectionist approach (POT) and Land Use Planning and Watershed and has negligible articulation with other ter- Management (POMCA). ritorial agencies. In addition, critical factors Seismic hazard management is strong, such as the following are identified: multiple since it has greater legal and institutional in- functions and great responsibilities versus inef- struments that define acceptable risk levels, fectual leadership in the former Directorate for scope of studies and designs, and the roles and Risk Management (now UNGRD), not pertain- responsibilities of public and private actors. For ing to sectoral or territorial levels, irregular and nearly twenty years, authorities have incorpo- limited operation of advisory Committees, and rated seismic resistance standards, which have the possibility of creating parallel structures in established criteria in carrying out microzoning the System under a state of emergency in case of a severe public catastrophe. Overall, insufficient backing in territorial risk management from the 4 Quantification of the areas and population exposed to landslide, accord- ing to the floodplain map of Ideam (2010), the landslides hazard nation- majority of governorships and the CAR is due al map by Ingeominas and Ideam (2010), and seismic hazard areas of the to the divergence in interpreting current regu- Seismic Resistance Standard, 2010. MAIN conclusions of the analysis of disaster risk management in Colombia 9 studies and setting minimum requirements, and not occur at the same level of detail in the cases those responsible for the design, construction, of floods and landslides, in view of the growing and technical supervision of new buildings and number of impacts caused by these phenomena. reinforcing existing ones. This situation does 2 Risk is constantly accumulating in cities and rural areas, due to lack of implementation and control of the municipal land use planning policies and instruments and inadequate watershed management Planning in Colombia faces the chal- thority in regional planning or a balanced sys- lenge of articulating the different existing tem that integrates the instruments of different instruments, especially those related to en- character and level, municipal risk growth vironmental and territorial management, in both urban and rural areas is the result of such as the POMCA, the POT, and the PD at decisions and actions related to disarticulate municipal and departmental levels. Having territorial use and occupation by different ac- a consistent and updated diagnosis (including tors. Regional planning competency is shared the institutional, organizational, regulation, among the departments and the CAR. The de- and financial framework for risk management, partments have the responsibility to guide lo- and information on specific risk conditions) cal planning in a supramunicipal context and is the starting point for the planning process. to coordinate the formulation and implemen- Subsequently, there should be an integration of tation of the PD and the Departmental Water risk management with other dimensions of de- Plans (PDA). In turn, the CAR have the au- velopment. Policies, strategies, and especially thority to (i) formulate planning and water- priority programs should be defined within the shed management instruments, which may not annual investment plan and ensure that goals always coincide with departmental boundar- and indicators facilitate monitoring and con- ies; (ii) regulate the use of rural land by means trol activities. These elements should be incor- of issuing licenses for the right to use water, porated into the POMCA as instruments with which interferes with the constitutional duty greater hierarchy and scale in watersheds and assigned to the municipalities to regulate land more specifically addressed to the POT and in- use; and (iii) approve the environmental pro- corporated into the PD to assure investment. posals of the municipalities’ POT that the CAR Therefore, overcoming the current disarticula- rarely review when granting licenses. In so far tion of planning instruments is a critical step as planning, land use planning, and rural land for disaster risk management. This would al- use, these are loosely referred to in the POT, so low the integration of policies, prioritization of the decisions are taken by the CAR or they are investments, and the strengthening of mecha- made at a national sectoral level. The regional nisms for monitoring and control. territorial management responsibility is dilut- The ambiguity in regional compe- ed among various actors, not only at a national tencies in planning and land use planning or regional level, but also among private enti- increases risk. Whereas there is no single au- ties involved in the geographic area. 10 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies There are factors associated with poli- Municipal government agencies are expected cies, territorial planning, and control mech- to respond to variations in the quality of life, anisms that are affecting the way in which both in urban and rural areas. However, many risks have been shaped and emergencies and of these agencies are not prepared to meet the disasters have taken place in the history of basic needs of their inhabitants in regard to the country’s cities. Some of the factors con- housing, employment, availability of utilities, tributing to the above are weak planning, lack education, health services, and transportation of control policies, land speculation, monopo- (Díaz 2007). Indicators such as the Unsatis- lization of construction materials and supplies, fied Basic Needs (UBM) Index and the Pover- and the particularities in the administration ty Line Index, or overcrowding levels, support of local territories, which have only had com- the aforementioned statements. Furthermore, petence over land use since the 1991 Consti- the quantitative and qualitative housing defi- tution. On the one hand, the needs of land cit is concentrated in the poorest classes, occupation, under an unplanned city model, which gives rise to a vicious cycle regarding oblige overcoming the natural limits of hab- access to adequate and safe housing for the itability, demanding greater interventions to most vulnerable population groups. achieve stability. On the other hand, the ab- In some cities in the country, accumula- sence of an urban-regional land policy and the tion of risk has also been observed in formal belated interventions in regulation and control construction areas as well as in upper-class influence a disarticulated expansion process areas. Environmental problems generated by that affect territorial reality in biophysical, so- land speculation and conflicting uses within cial and, economic terms. This is evidenced suburbanization processes have been re- through spontaneous participations, plot by vealed.5 In Medellin, Cali, and the Bogota plot, and making clear the difficulty of respond- Savannah, there have been emergencies in ing with effective housing solutions and provid- formal construction areas, which implies that ing more and better public facilities. In addition, risk is created not only in illegal settlements activities related to the exploitation of building built without appropriate construction tech- materials without planning, control, or proper niques, but also in developments that have not recovery have greatly contributed to instability undergone any type of local or regional plan- in hillside areas and environmental degrada- ning. Additionally, the desire for economic tion, especially in the outskirts of cities. gain by landowners has taken precedence over A high exposure to diverse and po- the planning and investment required for pre- tentially dangerous phenomena has been paring and installing the service infrastruc- identified in Colombian cities. There has ture and equipment needed for construction been a gradual increase in the occupation in suburban areas. of areas that are unsuitable for ensuring sustainable development. As a result, the population is under elevated hazard levels. However, in addition to spatial exclusion fac- 5 Known as the growth processes of cities, through which suburban tors, economic and social exclusion factors areas are created. From the spatial point of view, these areas are ad- jacent to spaces of continuous urban building, and they are used as are also observed, which are found to cor- transitional areas between cities and rural areas, where both functions relate to an accumulation of risk conditions. are in competition. MAIN conclusions of the analysis of disaster risk management in Colombia 11 Colombian municipalities show a grow- finance, and execution, while those that are in ing trend in disaster occurrence, although in category 1 show medium competence, although some cases, progress has been made in signifi- in most cases they have the resources to carry cantly reducing their impact and frequency. out adequate territorial administrational orga- Biophysical and geographical factors in munici- nization. As for the municipal categories 2 to 6, palities that determine vulnerability to certain these have a more critical situation due to tech- types of hazards, along with inadequate pro- nical, human, and financial limitations. Graphs 3 cedures for territorial intervention, marginal and 4 indicate the total number of events in case human settlements, and social and economic studies of the cities according to phenomenon segregation, generate numerous vulnerabili- type in numbers and percentages. ties, which have had disastrous consequences Land use planning is not a recent pro- throughout the history of Colombian cities. Cas- cess in the country. However, its progress es such as Cali, Medellin, Cucuta, or Barranquilla has not been uniform among municipali- show that the risk factors in the cities are accu- ties. A negligible level of acknowledgement mulating and taking shape in a greater number in hazard scenarios and their management of events and damage concentration. In other needs, gaps in hazards and vulnerability iden- cases such as Manizales and Bogota, due to the tification, lack of articulation in investment risk management actions, the impacts associat- instruments, and weaknesses in monitoring ed with disasters have diminished, but there are and controlling mechanisms confronting the still critical conditions that demand the sustain- POT implementation are some of the obsta- ability of such policies. In general, special cat- cles that reduce the effective incorporation of egory municipalities have an immense capacity risk management in land use planning. Spe- in incorporating risk management in planning, cifically, the situation is more critical in mu- Graph 3. Registered number of disaster events in cities Graph 4. Percentage of disaster events in cities studied, studied, 1970-2011 1970-2011 Disasters in numbers Disasters in percentage Manizales Manizales Cucuta Cucuta Barranquilla Barranquilla Cali Cali Medellin Medellin Bogota Bogota 0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Other Man-Made Technologies Fires Other Man-Made Technologies Fire Volcanic Eruptions Floods and Meteorology Volcanic Eruptions Flood and Meteorology Landslides Earthquakes Landslides Earthquakes Source: Authors’ chart from information provided Source: Author’s chart from information provided by OSSO-EAFIT Corporation, 2011. by OSSO-EAFIT Corporation, 2011. 12 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies nicipalities in categories 2 to 6 given their low amounts of risk management investment in the technical competence, thus requiring backup last two cities did not have significant impacts, of appropriate incorporation of risk manage- despite being minor in comparison to other ment in the POT6. urban centers in the same category; the invest- Municipal Development Plans are in- ment was disarticulated and scattered. struments that allow moving from policy Apart from the weakness in incor- to risk management practice, guiding the porating risk management into territorial territorial planning and, in turn, executing planning, there is also an absence of real ar- the necessary actions. The PD have a politi- ticulation with environmental instruments, cal makeup, so that the incorporation of risk where the POMCA should provide guide- management requires a consensus process with lines for the preparation of municipal POT different social agents. Starting from a techni- and comprehensive watershed analysis. The cal assessment prepared and properly updated, 83 POMCA adopted at the time of the PND the preventive, corrective, and reactive actions 2010-2014 formulation are long-term plans, for risks are defined and should be integrated have their own watershed analysis, use scenar- into the annual investment plans through poli- ios and guidelines for their management and cies, strategies, and programs, using their cor- administration, but have not yet adequately in- responding monitoring and control system. In corporated the risk management component. turn, municipalities in categories 2 to 6 state Most of the POMCA only describe the types the need to strengthen the use and effective- of phenomena currently existing in watersheds ness of this planning instrument, by targeting without exposing a special analysis of hazards technical criteria, having the awareness that and much less of risks, so the contribution of- will allow continuity at the political level, and fered to land use is very limited. It is therefore a the budgetary provision to ensure comprehen- priority to promote a comprehensive perspec- sive disaster risk management. tive between risk management and environ- Financing and investment instruments mental management to complement the efforts in risk management are rarely used and the and initiatives associated with natural phe- resources basically correspond to the current nomenon risk control and management. revenues of the municipalities (37%), fol- lowed by transfers from the General Partici- pation System (SGP) (21.1%). The cities that invested in risk management between 2002 and 2008 were Bogota, Medellin, and Maniza- les, amounting approximately to 43% of the to- tal investment at the municipal level7. The per 6 Therefore, efforts have been made through Fiscal Vulnerability Reduc- capita investment in risk management in Bo- tion Program to Natural Disasters, where the national government between 2006 and 2011 provided technical assistance to 792 munici- gota averaged COP$21,238, and in Manizales it palities (equivalent to 72% of municipalities) for the inclusion of the risk was COP$16,981. Likewise, Medellin invested analysis in the municipal POT and municipal PD, of which 379 munici- palities already have an action plan. In addition, 36 municipalities have during that period COP$14,712 per capita, and hazard and/or risk zoning studies. Cali COP$10,713, in contrast with cities like 7 The information for the investment analysis in disaster risk management for this publication is supported by the databases provided by the DNP Barranquilla, where the per capita investment with Sustainable Territorial Development Directorate (DDTS), which in- amounted to only COP$5,278. Specifically, the clude investment data at the municipal level (period 2002-2008). MAIN conclusions of the analysis of disaster risk management in Colombia 13 3 The gaps in the field of disaster risk management policies and sectoral plans threaten the sustainability of investments, both in productive and service sectors, thus contributing to an increased exposure and vulnerability. Institutional and sector-specific ca- portation sector, municipalities are responsible pacity in risk management is heterogeneous for the tertiary network, which generally has and quite limited. Although regulations such the greatest vulnerabilities. as Decree 919 of 1989 and the 3146 Conpes There have been major developments Document request the creation of agencies in the availability of information in the with specific functions for risk management fields of energy and education, while other in several Ministries, the only national sec- areas show limited risk knowledge, which is toral entities that have disaster prevention a key element in designing sectoral policies. and response offices are Invías, the Depart- The energy sector offers real-time informa- ment of Water and Sanitation, and the Minis- tion on hydroelectric reservoir levels and try of Health and Social Protection. Currently, weather forecasts, resulting in making timely the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Devel- decisions to avoid service shortages. In rela- opment is seeking alternatives to create an tion to the education sphere, an infrastructure Agrarian Risk Management department and inventory is being processed. It has defined the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable mechanisms for post-emergency damage as- Development has also considered the possi- sessment, which were implemented in the bility of establishing a department for disaster census of the damages suffered by the La Niña prevention and response. 2010-2011 phenomenon and have shown to The role of municipalities and depart- be valuable instruments that provide a timely ments in the implementation of sectoral response to this sector’s needs during the last policies is essential, since they are adminis- emergency. In other areas, the availability of trators of their territory, responsible for pro- systematic and prior information at a detailed viding public services and risk management. level required to make decisions is limited. The lack of policies and instruments for risk Unfortunately, in other sectors the lack management in the different sectors as well of application of technical and design stan- as support, complementarity, and competen- dards to ensure proper location and quality cies that transfer strategies to local authorities of infrastructure is influencing the systems’ may be considered as one of the main factors vulnerability. Weak technical regulation and in producing risks. For example, according to mechanisms that allow incorporating security Law 136 of 1994, regarding housing, and mu- criteria from the projects’ pre-feasibility as well nicipalities are required to regulate land use, as the infrastructure design, construction, and control and inspect construction and the sale operation of different services and production of residential properties. However, only 35 systems generate risk conditions. This is espe- cities have Urban Curators and about 90% of cially critical in road systems, safe drinking Colombian municipalities (categories 5 and 6) water, and sanitation. The weather conditions do not have trained personnel or resources to of the country, its difficult topography, and perform these tasks properly. As for the trans- the young geology of the Andes are quite de- 14 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies manding, but the real causes of the disaster im- On the other hand, the damage caused pacts in the road infrastructure are its design, by extreme weather conditions in the agri- prevention, and maintenance deficiencies. culture sector is due to the vulnerability of The increase and accumulation of vul- this sector when facing these conditions. nerability to residential buildings facing haz- These resulted from the lack of clear respon- ardous phenomena in Colombia are mainly sibilities and strategies for risk reduction, as due to the growth of informal housing, the they were addressed in the PND 2010-2014. breach of standards in design and construc- Thus far, the measures taken by the govern- tion, its location in hazardous areas, the pos- ment to manage the impact of disasters in the sible presence of adverse natural phenomena, agriculture sector have been more of provid- and the lack of strategies to intervene in con- ing a response to the effects than of working structions prior to the first seismic resistance on prevention and mitigation of risk factors. standard (1984). According to DesInventar in- The strategies implemented are supported formation (OSSO-EAFIT Corporation 2011), primarily by providing direct compensation out of the 190,000 houses destroyed by disas- or financial relief to the affected farmers after ters in the country during the period 1970- the occurrence of the phenomena. The only 2011, the greatest losses were caused by floods measure available that could be considered as (more than 79,000 units), while earthquakes preventive is the agricultural insurance sub- affected a total of 51,000 houses, landslides sidy. Despite the efforts made by the govern- almost 18.000, volcanic eruptions 5,400, and ment, its popularity has been very low due other events such as gales and fires, among to insufficient disclosure of information and others, 35,000. It can be concluded that 51% little awareness of the benefits of this insur- of residential buildings destroyed between ance. Analysis considers that the Ministry of that period (those affected by floods, land- Agriculture and Rural Development requires slides, and volcanic eruptions) were the result the design of much more comprehensive risk of their location in areas unsuitable for hous- reduction strategies and measures that take ing developments, while 26% of households into account rural land use planning, the im- destroyed (by two earthquakes) can be associ- provement of productive infrastructure, and ated with construction deficiencies. the adaptation of agricultural species. MAIN conclusions of the analysis of disaster risk management in Colombia 15 Box 2. The historical impact of disasters in Colombia Cumulatively, over the past forty years, disasters in Colombia have caused losses amounting to US$7.1 billion8, that is, an average annual loss of US$177 million. Between 1970 and 2011, the country has registered more than 28,000 disaster events, of which about 60% were reported from the 1990s on. Additionally, during 2010 and 2011, in just 15 months an equivalent figure amounted to one quarter of the registries and fatalities in the previous decade. There is a noticeable increase in the disaster event occurrence, increasing from 5,657 registered between 1970 and 1979, to 9,270 registered between 2000 and 2009, which is related not only to the availability and quality of the information sources, but mainly to the increase of the population and the property exposed. Figure 2. Disasters and losses registered per decade 1970-1979 1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-2009 2010-2011 5,657 5,123 6,465 9,270 2,187 4,025 28,316 3,957 2,180 519 1,710.541 4,727.790 9,204.412 9,284.073 2,823.885 23,060 29,317 88,956 41,689 7,403 25,584 15,873 191,828 470,987 358,378 Disasters Deaths Victims /A ected Destroyed Houses A ected Houses Source: The authors’ figure from information provided by OSSO-EAFIT Corporation (2011). Although geological events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions cause great losses in a concentrated territory and elapse in a relatively short time, the hydrometeorological phenomena cause high-frequency impacts that over time mean even higher cumulative losses. In the period 1970-2011, major disasters have caused housing losses of approximately US$2 billion9, while intermediate and small disasters reported losses in the same category of approximately US$5 billion, totaling 2.5 times more than the previous events (OSSO Corporation 2011). 8 Corresponds to housing economic losses (millions of dollars, 2010), due to geologic and hydrometeorological phenomena between 1970 and 2010 (OSSO Corporation 2011). 9 Losses in the housing sector for seven major disasters: Popayan Earthquake, 1983; Volcano Eruption of Nevado del Ruiz, 1985; Atrato Medio Earthquake, 1992; Páez Earthquake, 1994; El Niño phenomenon, 1997-1998; Coffee Growing Region Earthquake, 1999; La Niña phenomenon, 2010-2011. Source: OSSO Corporation (2011) based on Cardona et al. (2004); CAF (2000); ECLAC (1999); ECLAC (2011). 16 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies 4 The absence of a clear policy and the background in which the State generally assumes the responsibility, discourages citizens and the private sector from undertaking their role in risk reduction and management, thus resulting in greater fiscal costs. In relation to losses or damages suf- for harmful disaster consequences caused by fered from disasters, although the Consti- dangerous physical phenomena, provided that tution assigns the State the duty to protect the damages in whole or in part, exclusively or people “in life, honor, property� in case of concurrently, have been caused by the action or natural or socio-natural events, the Council omission of the State. of State has ruled that the government can Despite this State obligation, the lack only be responsible when damage is caused of clarity in some standards, their interpre- by an act or omission (failure) of public en- tation by the courts, and weaknesses in the tities. Under the Constitution, the authorities defense of the State, have led to controversial are set up “to protect all persons residing in decisions, generating contingent liabilities Colombia, in life, honor, property, beliefs and and escalating the nation’s fiscal vulnerability. other rights and freedoms and to ensure the There are many examples where the ruling by fulfillment of the State’s and individuals’ social the judges has obligated municipalities to take duties� (Article 2 CP), which is a broad state- actions that may be considered controversial. ment and subject to interpretation. However, For example, the city of Cali was condemned to the Council of State, in pronouncing judgment bear full responsibility for the failure of a retain- dated June 24, 1994, on the tragedy of the ava- ing wall in a stratus 6 building whose costs lanche that destroyed Armero, concluded that exceeded COP$10 billion. Moreover, a judge the State may possibly have had responsibility ordered the municipality of Bogota to carry only if the trial judge proved (i) a service fail- out mitigation works in an area that was in the ure, (ii) unlawful damages to individuals, (iii) process of resettlement after it was declared a causal link between the failure and the dam- a high-risk zone and not possible to be miti- ages, and (iv) the absence of grounds for exon- gated. The compliance with this latest ruling eration such as force majeure. cost over COP$30 billion and in addition, the Once the damages are evidenced, al- resettlement of more than 3,000 families contin- though triggered by a physical event of a ues because the area remains under risk. dangerous nature, which are attributable to a In the absence of a prior policy or failure of public entities, the State is obligated more important regulatory developments in to pay compensation. Article 90 of the Con- assisting the affected population, the State stitution imperatively expresses that “the State has been forced to make decisions during shall be financially liable for unlawful damages various crises, which have led to differential attributable to it, caused by acts or omissions treatment and fiscal consequences. During of public authorities.� Based on Article 13 of the rebuilding process, after the disaster in the Constitution, the State has on the one hand the Coffee Growing region, the fund for its the obligation to provide solidarity protection, reconstruction, FOREC, offered repair subsi- sometimes called humanitarian, and on the oth- dies to all affected homes regardless of social er hand it may be required to satisfy materially status. This decision was later amended by a MAIN conclusions of the analysis of disaster risk management in Colombia 17 court order based on the right to life, forcing and only 35% reported having done so. There FOREC to structurally strengthen the houses is a tendency for greater identification and that were being repaired. Additionally, the recognition of risks associated with more fre- decision to bring the affected people to tem- quent events such as floods and landslides, in porary shelters obligated FOREC to allocate contrast to the perception they have of seismic subsidies for new housing to all affected fami- hazards, although the impacts of the latter have lies, including those who were previously pay- been severe for the country. ing rent before the earthquake. Government In addition to the citizens’ lack of clear decisions regarding the response to the La responsibility in risk reduction, the survey Niña 2010-2011 episode are aimed primarily indicates that about 40% of Colombians be- at the population in strata 1 and 2, and restor- lieve that implementing intervention mea- ing services is being rendered by the State. sures is the duty of other agents. Some 61% These processes are currently being carried of respondents believe they should take steps out by Humanitarian Colombia and the Ad- themselves to reduce their risk and this task aptation Fund. should be complemented by the national gov- The private sector and civil society are ernment and relief agencies’ actions. However, not aware of their responsibility toward risk the remaining 39% believe that it is entirely knowledge, occurrence, reduction, and con- the responsibility of the government and relief trol, forcing the Government to assume re- agencies and that it is not their obligation to sponsibilities and costs that are beyond its intervene (Graph 5). competence. The configuration of risk condi- As a result of insufficient knowledge tions of a country is largely the result of deci- related to risk and the need to take preventive sions made by its citizens. People choose where measures, in general protection and assur- and what type of dwelling they inhabit, how ance mechanisms in buildings and individ- to protect their lives and their families, how ual patrimony are not used, which increases to invest their family’s patrimony, and make pressure and public risk (fiscal vulnerability). even seemingly trivial decisions like where to According to Fasecolda’s data (2011), only 7% take vacations, determining directly or indi- of those affected by the La Niña 2010-2011 rectly the country’s risk conditions. To evalu- phenomenon had insurance. In Bogota, only ate Colombians’ risk level awareness and their 4.5% of the condominiums are insured and in responsibility in risk reduction and manage- the other cities studied this figure may be low- ment, and to make recommendations for im- er. In the earthquake that occurred in the Cof- proving their decision making, the World Bank fee Growing region (1999), only 10% of direct conducted a national awareness survey within losses were covered by insurance. the framework of this study. According to the survey, 18% of Colom- bians do not feel exposed to any risk derived from natural risk phenomena that endanger their lives, while 82% perceived themselves as threatened by some risk. Out of the Colombi- ans who feel at risk from natural hazards, only 61% believe they should take steps to reduce it, 18 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies Graph 5. Social agents responsible for taking prevention and response measures to disasters Regional Autonomous Corporations (CAR) 19% Private Sector 25% Ministry of Works 30% Utilities 30% Ministry of Health 35% The Community 39% Departmental Government 39% Police 39% Local Emergency Committees 39% Civil Defense 40% Red Cross 43% Fire ghters 46% National Government 51% City Hall 51% Yourself 61% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Source:World Bank, 2011. Sample base: 1,148 respondents. Events that can produce the most critical future scenarios from the viewpoint of their financial impact and loss of life are a severe earthquake, a volcanic eruption, and a La Niña phenomenon episode. Earthquakes, although they are rare events, have a greater potential impact in the country. However, a large-scale volcanic eruption, although it may recur in more than 500-year periods, would mean a scenario of a crisis of national magnitude. The most relevant effects in terms of number of municipalities with significant impacts on all sectors, but especially in the agriculture sector, may be produced by heavy cumulative rainfall caused by the La Niña phenomenon. As previously seen, severe flooding and widespread landslides have affected a significant percentage of the country, causing serious crop damages to landlords possessing large tracts of land, and in the livelihoods of small farmers, as well as housing, transportation, and other sectors. MAIN conclusions of the analysis of disaster risk management in Colombia 19 3 Six Main Challenges to Achieve Governance in Disaster Risk Management in Colombia and Thirty Proposed Activities to Accomplish it Municipality of Tumaco (Nariño, Colombia), 2009. Image credit: Colombian Ocean Commission. As a result of the work carried out, different agents involved in watershed manage- six strategies and thirty activities were es- ment, defining development sectors’ responsi- tablished to enhance governance in disaster bilities, and promoting the participation of all risk management. These strategies are aimed public and private actors, thereby contributing at consolidating government policy in disaster to reducing the State’s fiscal vulnerability to di- risk management that comprises strengthen- sasters (Figure 3). ing local capacity for land use, articulating the Figure 3. Six strategies to improve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia Incorporate risk Increase the Reduce flood and management as a State effectiveness and Delimit public and Strengthen local landslide risk through policy and overcome efficiency of risk private responsibilities capacity in territorial planning, investment, Reduce risk generation existing imbalances management in risk management management in order monitoring and control, and disaster impact in the System through investment through and deepen the State’s to reduce the causes and articulation of through policies and the adjustment and strategic planning, fiscal vulnerability and accumulation of the different agents sectoral action plans harmonization of coordination among policies in facing disaster risks responsible for watershed a regulatory and territorial levels, and disasters management institutional framework monitoring and control 1 Incorporate risk management as a State policy and overcome existing imbalances in the System through the adjustment and harmonization of a regulatory and institutional framework Adopt a national policy in disaster risk ing, evaluation, and control of the economic, management that is integrally articulated social, cultural, technological, environmental, with public administration, provides support and political strategies. It should be more de- to the territorial entities, and promotes the centralized, participatory, democratic, and re- creation of specific policies and sectoral ac- sults-oriented. This policy should consider risk tion plans. The risk management policy, as an knowledge and information, its reduction and integral part of public administration, should disaster management as well as its contribu- be articulated in planning, execution, monitor- tion to territorial safety, social welfare, quality Six MAIN challenges to achieve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia and thirty proposed activities to accomplish it 23 of life, and sustainable development, starting ing compliance with the principles of compe- from creating regional consensus spaces and tition, subsidiarity, and complementarity as cooperation mechanisms among municipali- established by the Constitution. With regard ties, governments, the CAR, regional entities, to risk materialization situations, it is essen- if any, sectors, and other National Government tial to explicitly regulate the types of differ- actors. Likewise, it is in charge of promoting ent situations (emergency, disaster, calamity), the creation of policies and sectoral action so that the concept of severe public calamity, plans so that each sphere defines its respon- as provided in the Constitution, Article 215, sibility in its infrastructure safety, minimiz- is consistent with the current disaster dec- ing loss of life and the impacts on production laration (Decree Law 919 of 1989). It is also means facing disaster risks, and ensuring the necessary to regulate the responsibilities and ongoing rendering of services. instruments of the recovery processes (reha- The policy requires the formulation bilitation and reconstruction). The contact and implementation of specific strategies points between sectoral legislation and disas- for each of the geological and hydrometeo- ter risk issues should be strengthened, and the rological phenomena, considering variables participation and involvement of persons in related to climate change, and prioritizing this management require specific regulations. the most recurrent phenomena. Last but Reorganize the System, by strength- perhaps most importantly, this policy should ening technical and financial management promote capacity strengthening, complemen- capacity at the different territorial levels tarity, and subsidiarity strategies to provide and including the participation of the pri- support to municipalities in territorial risk vate sector. A normative and structural trans- management, recognizing that local capacities formation of the System is needed. It should are limited (based on availability of economic, include its mission, vision, and the objec- technical, and human resources). tives of the State and society actions in fac- Create a risk management statute to ing risks and disasters10, as well as being in harmonize the current legislation address- coherence with the Constitution, through an ing the gaps identified in defining public adequate articulation with the principles and and private responsibilities. Legal reorga- guidelines contemplated therein. It is neces- nization is required for all norms related to sary to change the current notion of disaster, disaster risk management, through a specific reduce duplication in functions, and establish statute that would also complement aspects mechanisms to ensure a coordinated effort so that are not yet regulated. Defining the pro- that all actors involved have a clear understand- cesses in knowledge, risk reduction, and di- ing of the System’s orientation and its contri- saster management is recommended for each butions in achieving the proposed objectives. of the different phenomena. Likewise, the ac- Local Government Councils should be the ba- tors who should be involved at the different sis of the System and substitute the commit- territorial levels and their specific roles and tees’ formal structure, whose management and responsibilities should also be included. The statute should also articulate the different re- gional levels to work together according to 10 As the Act Project proposed, filed In the Congress of the Republic in July their capabilities and resources, thus ensur- 2011 (Ingeniar Ltda., 2011). 24 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies decision-making process should be guided by should rely on highly skilled technical human the planning. Likewise, it is also necessary to resources and strengthen its internal operating strengthen the departmental level in its ar- procedures. Leading risk management policy ticulating role between the national and the not only involves the coordination of institu- local spheres and among the municipalities tional activities led by the government entities, within its jurisdiction. This should be done but it should also mediate among all levels of at the same time that the nation, in formulat- government in the country, in compliance with ing and implementing its strategic policy role the principles of coordination, concurrence, based on the territorial entities’ needs and ca- and subsidiarity. Additionally, it should work pacities, shall consequently provide technical on improving the information system to estab- assistance, cofinancing, and incentives to pro- lish itself as a support instrument for all pro- mote better and more efficient risk manage- cesses. Its successful management depends on ment by territorial authorities. the skills and the convening and coordination Give priority to the strategic orienta- mechanisms produced. Its function and activi- tion, technical leadership, authority, and ties should focus on strategic leadership and control of the functions performed by the management and leave operational responsi- National Unit for Disaster Risk Management bility and emergency management efforts to (UNGRD) as the head of the System. The other actors. This unit should also create incen- UNGRD should assume a clear strategic lead- tives in the System’s different entities, linked to ership, maintain its main coordinating role of strategies and priorities identified and agreed national risk management policy, and carry out to in the National Risk Management Plan. authority and control functions. In addition, it 2 Increase the effectiveness and efficiency of risk management investment through strategic planning, coordination among territorial levels, and monitoring and control Promote the adoption of the Territorial Establish a national cofinancing (fund) Risk Management Plans (PTGR) as long-term mechanism to encourage investments in di- instruments to guide the POMCA, the POT, saster risk management and building capaci- and the PD, and articulate public and pri- ties at territorial and sectoral levels. Creating a vate investments. This ensures the integration Disaster Risk Management Fund requires estab- of programs and projects in the corresponding lishing different financing strategies and mecha- institutional investment plans, and complemen- nisms under the existing risk conditions and the tarity among different funding sources in order municipalities’ capacities. Focusing mainly on to achieve greater effectiveness. These plans capacity strengthening and cofinancing regional should include activities related to risk knowl- and sectoral projects contributes strategically to edge, its reduction, disaster management, capac- risk reduction. The fund should cover preven- ity strengthening, as well as managing relevant tive and corrective actions as well as emergen- risk management information. cy response, so that the territories share in the Six MAIN challenges to achieve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia and thirty proposed activities to accomplish it 25 responsibility and thus the municipalities evalu- Strengthen the mandatory incorpora- ate the effectiveness of including in their annual tion of criteria in disaster risk management budget a representative percentage allocated when formulating public investment projects. to risk management to leverage resources as a In order to effectively incorporate risk manage- counterpart to what is available in the Fund. It ment throughout the planning process and the should be articulated as part of a financial strat- execution of public investment, it is necessary egy that allows transfer and risk retention. to explicitly express it in the formulation of Adopt risk reduction goals in policies projects filed in the Public Investment Project and plans, and ensure compliance through Banks (BPIN). Although there has been some progressive implementation of results-based initial progress, to incorporate the subject, it strategic planning. Modern risk management is necessary to review the General Adjusted has the challenge to evolve towards strategies Methodology proposed by DNP, which deter- that achieve greater investment transparency mines the minimum content of preinvestment and effectiveness using a results-based moni- studies, and verify the analysis components, the toring and evaluation approach applicable to project evaluation, and the registration cards. projects, programs, and policies. This type of Adopt a strategy for following up on monitoring and evaluation requires the defini- responsibilities and investments for risk tion of roles and responsibilities in the genera- management at different territorial levels. tion of products and results by those involved, The strengthening of policies and plans, clari- thus establishing a clear and verifiable relation fication of roles and those responsible, and the between the results expected and the allocated definition of baselines and performance indi- resources. It strengthens investment articulation cators should count on strengthening monitor- and territorial, sectoral, and institutional coor- ing and control processes. Their importance dination. It also requires the definition of base- comes from the fact that authorities and civil lines and the identification of key performance society should fulfill the tasks of monitoring indicators, and facilitates the implementation of and controlling the entire public administra- incentives in terms of performance recognition. tion process, not only the end result. Working It is not an easy task, as it requires commitment, together is pertinent for ensuring articulation time, and effort, but national and international and continuity of the actions required for re- experiences in other areas show that the work gional planning and risk management. is justified by its proven successful performance. 26 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies 3 Strengthen local capacity in territorial management in order to reduce the causes and accumulation of disaster risks Adopt a national strategy to strengthen level. (iv) Foster greater cooperation among municipal risk management that takes into different government entities with the aim of account the differences among the capaci- fully developing the aforementioned princi- ties. Risk management and regulation and land ples. (v) Identify and analyze successful part- use planning control are closely linked to the nership experiences in providing services in municipal administration’s operational capac- risk management so that these may be imple- ity and action, as well as the restrictions made mented in horizontal cooperation processes on their professional personnel, their technical among territorial entities. (vi) Study strength- training, and their limits to accessing available ening mechanisms in the fields of risk infor- technologies. In order to guarantee, on a mid- mation and risk knowledge by decentralizing term basis, an appropriate control of hazard, technical-scientific organizations, such as the vulnerability, and risk conditions, it is neces- SGC and the Ideam; coordinating among uni- sary to strengthen the municipalities at the versities and research centers through the Na- institutional, technical, and financial level by tional Science and Technology System; clearly adopting a proactive and strategic approach ac- defining the responsibilities undertaken by cording to the complementarity and subsidiarity the CAR, departmental governments, and principles set forth in the Political Constitution other national or sectoral agencies; and en- of 1991. These municipal capacities are clear- riching the municipalities’ capacities with the ly differentiated according to the categories purpose of supplying the information needed specified by the DNP and the DANE, which for risk management as part of management then may propose recommendations for mu- and territorial planning. nicipalities with high, intermediate, and low Structurally review deficiencies in the capacity. Therefore, different options should be capacities to assess disaster risk in order to analyzed through the the following approach- provide an effective response to the knowl- es: (i) Redefine the competence distribution in edge demand for the POT and the PD. Al- line with the municipalities’ potential capaci- though a significant effort has been made in ties and their different characteristics and re- the country in carrying out hazard and risk quirements in a sector (if this can be said of studies, there have been few results at the dif- a cross-cutting subject like risk management) ferent territorial levels so that appropriate de- which Law 715 of 2001 did not take into ac- cisions cannot be made to reduce them. Their count. (ii) Consider the possibility of apply- evaluation should follow a prospective ap- ing a municipal certification system for risk proach taking into consideration the possibil- management processes and establish a prior- ity of highly destructive events in the future. ity in subjects such as risk knowledge, invest- Therefore, risk assessment should be oriented ment in its reduction, and land use planning. at applying models that allow using the scarce (iii) Broaden the Departments’ and the CAR’s information available in order to forecast pos- responsibilities and competencies in order to sible catastrophic scenarios in which great support risk management at the municipal uncertainty is taken into account in the analy- Six MAIN challenges to achieve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia and thirty proposed activities to accomplish it 27 sis. Likewise, the systematic loss and damage nicipalities (La Guajira, Magdalena, Sucre, Cor- registers have to be more efficient and effec- doba, with the exception of their capital cities). tive, since these are fundamental in measur- Design and implement the PTGR as ing the extent of the disaster’s real impacts. instruments to orient and give priority to The implementation of a technical support interventions and investments in munici- strategy, coordinated among national entities palities and departments. The PTGR seek to and departments, is indispensable to facilitate contribute to the acquisition of knowledge in future updates of these risk scenarios as well risk scenarios, the application of integral in- as the formulation of the new municipalities’ terventions for reducing and controlling risks, POT and the PD’s jurisdictions with less than and fortifying actions in disaster management. 50,000 inhabitants. According to Law 507 of Articulated agendas and action plans among 1999, the National Government has imple- responsible entities should be established in mented technical assistance in the munici- order to develop internal procedures, define palities particularly through the Ministry of tasks, and guide and optimize the use of the Housing, Cities, and Territories, the previ- resources available (municipal agencies, pub- ous Risk Management Office, and some CAR. lic companies, the private sector, departmen- However, other government entities such as tal governments, CAR, etc.). Planning should IGAC, DANE, Ideam, SGC, and the universi- be accompanied by greater investment; there- ties and research centers have yet to combine fore, Planning and Finance have to reinforce their efforts. Similarly, it is essential that the the allocation of resource mechanisms and departments take the lead and support with to verify the safety conditions related to the greater vigor the municipalities’ formulation different policies and types of expenses to en- of the POT and the incorporation of risk man- dorse, from their origin, risk reduction in mu- agement in the PD. nicipalities and districts. Strengthen the departmental govern- Formulate and implement the national ments’ capacities in coordinating the mu- policy in order to intervene in settlements at nicipalities, defining their competencies in risk that set the guidelines for land zoning, disaster risk management according to the and define mitigation criteria and action principles of concurrence and subsidiarity ca- strategies. The municipalities’ POT should pacities as established in the Constitution, and clearly establish the management of high-risk the possibilities offered by the Organic Land areas in accordance with the national policy. Use Planning Law. The recently approved Or- Mitigation may be understood as a condition ganic Land Use Planning Law offers alternatives where it is feasible to intervene technically, aiming at reinforcing functions among territo- economically, socially, and politically in a ter- rial entities in risk management, especially in ritory, in order to reduce risk for the purpose the departments where the common denomina- of producing stability in the population, the tor of almost all the municipalities is disturbing infrastructure, and the economic activities poverty indicators and low-level institutional within reasonable and socially accepted safe- capacity, as for example in Amazonas, Guaviare, ty margins (Ramírez & Rubiano 2009). This Guainia, Vaupes, and Vichada, the majority of means that a comprehensive analysis has to be the Pacific coast municipalities (Choco, Cauca, prepared that will define if a high-risk terri- and Nariño), and a great part of Caribbean mu- tory may or may not be mitigated. Depending 28 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies on the condition defined, specific interven- resettled, surveillance, municipal land use, tion actions should be established, in which and occupation control programs are required are considered, among other factors, mitiga- through the participation and intervention tion works (when these are mitigable) or the not only from the responsible entities, but also resettlement of families (when it is not miti- within the same communities. gable). In some cities where there is greater Promote and continue the efforts car- management capacity, progress has been ried out in the cities (case studies) for cross- made in the establishment of risk reduction cutting inclusion of disaster risk management criteria and intervention policies. However, in planning and municipal investments as a implementing a national policy will provide fundamental strategy in land development. instruments for the municipalities to duly de- The cities studied (Bogota, Cali, Medellin, velop actions oriented to appropriately man- Barranquilla, Manizales, Cucuta) should pro- age high-risk areas. mote more decisively and/or continue with the Reduce the amount of housing in strategies that incorporate disaster risk man- high-risk areas by implementing integral agement in planning, actions, and municipal neighborhood improvement and family re- or district investments. It should be pointed settlement programs from nonmitigable risk out that Cali needs to implement a specific areas. The focalization of actions aimed at re- strategy to mainly manage seismic risk and ducing exposure and vulnerability is an effec- floods. Likewise, Barranquilla has to do the tive option to diminish risk conditions. This necessary to manage its landslides and floods means incorporating in the POT and the PD (specifically for the well-known streams). A projects and specific investments that are fo- Risk Management Plan that relies on essen- cused on implementing these two programs as tial financing for its development should be basic axes to reduce existing risks. The develop- prepared and implemented by all of the cities ment of these programs entails the participation analyzed. This plan should include actions to of different municipal agencies so that their carry out effective risk management caused by intervention is carried out completely and in- natural and unintentionally human-induced tegrally. Sectors related to housing, education, phenomena. Also, the plan should incorporate social welfare, and public services, among oth- activities in risk knowledge and its reduction, ers, should work jointly. Moreover, and with as well as disaster management. the purpose of protecting areas that have been Six MAIN challenges to achieve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia and thirty proposed activities to accomplish it 29 4 Reduce flood and landslide risk through planning, investment, monitoring and control, and articulation of the different agents responsible for watershed management Assign responsibility for hydraulic vulnerable buildings and structural measure- management of rivers and water bodies to a ments for flood control and flood mitigation; Government agency, and establish the roles and (iv) establish responsible roles and their and mechanisms of coordination of the dif- implementation, monitoring, and control ferent agents involved. It is necessary to de- mechanisms. fine an authority responsible for the hydraulic Understand in depth the role of risk management of the rivers, so that the entity management and its links to environmental can develop policies and standards, define management, development management, and roles and those responsible, and coordinate climate change adaptation to incorporate them actions through a Standing National Advi- in the decision-making process at the sectoral sory Committee for River Hydraulic Manage- and territorial levels. This requires guideline and ment11. This Committee shall be responsible action definitions to clarify responsibilities and for providing technical advice to the com- the scope in each subject to avoid the overlapping petent authority, covering both official and of roles that do not match in terms of ecosystems, private consultations, performing functions watersheds, and government entities. assigned by the research management and Regulate the inclusion of a Master monitoring authority, organizing seminars Plan for Flood and Landslide Control as an and updating courses, and guiding and advis- integral part of the POMCA. By nature, ba- ing in flood studies. sins are the regional territorial units, bordered Adopt regulations for flood and land- by the dividing lines between them. Compre- slide control and management, including hensive understanding of the hydrological the definition of maximum acceptable risk12 system that shapes it, planning according to and technical standards for risk assessment its use and occupation, and the definition of and mitigation, and a strategy for its imple- constraints and potentials for its territory, of- mentation, monitoring, and control. It is necessary to overcome existing environmen- tal imbalances that cause increased suscepti- bility to floods and landslides, which requires 11 The Standing Advisory Committee for Hydraulic River Management, like the Standing Committee on Seismic Resistant Standard, may be adjusting and articulating policy, regulatory composed of one representative from the Presidency of the Republic, and institutional framework for environment, Ministry of Housing, Cities, and Territory, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Transportation, Ideam, IGAC, and risk management. This means that it is Colombian Engeneering Society, Colombian Association of Hydraulic important to (i) standardize acceptable risk Engineers, Asocars, plus a representative of the Governors’ Offices, and a representative of the academia. parameters in order to establish technical 12 Acceptable risk is one that the community is willing to take on to change a standards for the execution of hazard zoning certain rate or level of benefits. In the design of engineering works, it has been common to use this concept implicitly, in order to achieve a level of maps for land use planning purposes; (ii) re- protection and security to justify the investment, considering as reference view the criteria establishing urban and rural the useful life of the work. For such purpose, safety factors are used, which in probabilistic terms, cover “reasonable� uncertainty of the possible mag- protection zones; (iii) set minimum guide- nitude of external actions, the imprecision of the analytical modeling, and lines for the design and construction of less approximation of the simplifying assumptions (Cardona, 1990). 30 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies fer valuable input for its adequate protection the actions and interventions for their proper and utilization. It is then recommended that management, it is urgent to hasten their formu- a Master Plan for Flood and Landslide Con- lation in order to generate the required guide- trol should be included as an integral part of lines for updating and implementing the local the POMCA, which would make it possible POT, thus promoting coherent planning be- to establish the necessary actions and invest- tween the regional vision of the basins, flood ment requirements to prevent the generation control measures, and the restrictions and con- of new risks and reduce those that already ex- straints in land use and occupation of each mu- ist. The development of this Plan provides, as nicipal jurisdiction. an environmental determinant for the mu- Implement a strategy to strengthen nicipal POT (Decree 1729 of 2002, Article the livelihood of the population in pursuit 17), the possibility of regulating land use and of poverty reduction. Changes in population determining the programs and projects that and property vulnerability are highly depen- should be introduced in order to execute ap- dent on the development stage and the socio- propriate local risk management. The Master economic characteristics of the population. Plan should include, among other aspects, the The link between poverty and susceptibility to following: (i) reduction and risk management natural disasters is increasingly acknowledged, as an integral part of the goals and objectives so the country should move forward in devel- to ensure watershed safety and sustainability; oping effective strategies for reducing poverty, (ii) definition of the scope and orientation with including implementing a rural development state-of-the-art zoning methodologies based on policy, investing in natural resource manage- hazard assessments, in case of low-, medium-, ment, developing infrastructure, generating and high-probability phenomena. Likewise, livelihoods and social protection mechanisms definition of the risk maps to show the possible to reduce vulnerability, and enhancing resil- effects of floods, thus determining the number ience of rural livelihoods. of people and types of economic activities that could be affected, as part of this diagnosis13; (iii) regulation of restrictions and constraints of land ​​ use for each area under hazard/risk, (iv) formu- lation of penalties for noncompliance; and (v) list of programs and projects for risk reduction and control, protection of human lives, econom- ic activities, ecosystems and cultural heritage, as well as the people responsible, funding mecha- nisms, and the strategies for their implemen- tation and monitoring. Accelerate the formulation and im- plementation of POMCA and their incor- poration as a determining instrument in 13 In this regard, examples from some European Countries, USA, and Japan municipal POT. Taking into account that can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/flood_risk/flood_atlas/pdf/ POMCA are instruments that incorporate com- handbook_goodpractice.pdf prehensive knowledge of the basins and define (Handbook of Good Practices in Flood Mapping). Six MAIN challenges to achieve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia and thirty proposed activities to accomplish it 31 Box 3. Disaster risk, poverty, and development Although the smallest and low-income municipalities, in absolute terms, do not necessarily have the greatest economic losses associated with disasters, they are socioeconomically the most vulnerable to natural hazards, and have the most difficulties in recovering without external help. Data of losses incurred during the last decade, normalized by the size of the municipal population, indicate that both destroyed houses and loss of life are focused on territorial entities between 10,000 and 50,000 inhabitants. Small municipalities with higher percentages of UBN14 (Pacific and Caribbean coasts, Eastern Plains, Amazonas, and the south of the country with 76% of population with UBN) have the lowest basic health infrastructure, the lowest levels of education and health, and in general, the most deficient infrastructure in production and services as well as insufficient institutional capacities, being more vulnerable and less resilient to risk and disaster conditions. In addition to the inequality in social and economic processes, the environmental imbalance also leads to the creation of new conditions of vulnerability and increase the existing ones. Susceptibility to floods, landslides, and flash floods in these areas in Colombia has grown because of deforestation, soil erosion, and inadequate occupation processes. Vulnerability factors (physical, political, economic, etc.) are also increasing in rural areas where there is a disarticulated implementation of production systems to the territory’s characteristics that determine land use conflicts. This can be evident in municipalities with high percentages of people with UBN, scarce development, and a dense rural population, where there are obvious high levels of environmental degradation. Relative risk ratios15 to GDP facilitate the identification of areas (municipalities and departments), where the major potential losses are concentrated in relation to infrastructure and economic production exposure, especially in major cities (Bogota, Medellin, Cali, and Barranquilla) located in high- or medium-hazard areas threatened by landslides and floods. Additionally, the Andean region has the highest percentage of urban population, which contributes to a significant increase in vulnerability factors that add to the presence of several types of hazards that converge and result in great losses. Source: OSSO Corporation, 2011. 5 Reduce risk generation and disaster impact through policies and sectoral action plans Appoint a unit responsible for disaster Implement sectoral policies for risk risk management in each sector. It is necessary management in each Ministry. The sectoral to define sectoral units or civil servants with approach to risk management has been largely clear responsibilities and hierarchy to coordi- reactive and protectionist, resulting in a steady nate the creation of the specific risk manage- increase in the vulnerability and disaster oc- ment policies and lead their implementation, currence impacts in all spheres. This can be ap- as prescribed by Decree 919 of 1989. These units could also coordinate subjects such as climate change and environmental sustain- ability in each sector, simplifying the articu- 14 The indicator more used in Colombia to measure poverty corresponds lation of these spheres within each Ministry to the Unsatisfied Basic Needs Index (UBN), which captures the fragile conditions of the population in terms of the physical characteristics of and among themselves. In addition, it would housing and resilience in relation to economic characteristics. facilitate the adoption of multipurpose policy 15 The Relative Risk Index was defined as the result of the GDP of the mu- nicipality exposure to different levels of hazards, according to the fol- instruments, strengthen the sectors’ perfor- lowing equation: IRr=GDP X E (A), where IRr is the Relative Risk Index, mance, and enhance local capacity to imple- GDP is the indicator of the goods and capital concentration, and E (A) is the exposure to different hazard levels. According to this indicator, mu- ment instruments such as the POMCA, the nicipalities with high GDP and high exposure to hazard also tend to have POT, and the PD. potential for more economic losses. 32 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies proached with a comprehensive policy, which through risk analysis and the introduction also ensures assessment and knowledge about of restrictions and constraints in the POT, risk and the reduction of existing risk. It also development of projects to mitigate risk, eliminates the generation of new risks in proj- family relocation in nonmitigable high-risk ects and investments, and ensures effective and areas, additional urban land availability, in- timely disaster response, promoting joint and creased VIS construction, and strengthened shared responsibility with territorial entities urban control. and the private sector. This strengthens risk • Finance. Financial protection policies to re- knowledge, especially in vulnerability studies duce the State’s fiscal vulnerability resulting in each sector. Better strategies can be designed from disasters, which define a differential for reducing physical, operational, and finan- strategy to address the needs of high-frequen- cial risk, and for properly planning manage- cy/low-cost events, as well as low-frequency/ ment. It is essential to generate local capacity high-cost events, transferring the risk as far as for specific sectoral risk management actions it is economically reasonable, constituting a and mechanisms for coordination with local reliable source of resources to address the re- authorities. Sectoral risk management should tained risk, and encouraging participation of also include institutional strengthening and local governments and private actors. risk reduction cofinancing, in order to meet the • Agriculture. Comprehensive policies to face sectors needs while promoting responsibility natural phenomenon risks, market risks, and and in this manner achieving a synergy among risks associated with climate change, where the different levels of government. On the strengthening of risk knowledge, risk reduc- other hand, it is also essential to embrace the tion, and disaster management is compre- private sector in these policies with the aim of hensively observed. accompanying and providing risk management • National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. knowledge and responsibility. Guild organiza- Low- and medium-intensity risk management tions are able and willing to play a deciding role policies and mechanism policies to guide re- in this field. The PND 2010-2014 aims to create construction processes in a declared national a National Disaster Risk Management Policy disaster situation. and some of the sectoral Policies in this sub- • Drinking Water and Sanitation. A policy ject, which would become elements of Sectoral to incorporate risk management in the ren- planning with special emphasis on “Engines dering of public services in water supply, for growth and employment generation� such sewerage, and sanitation, for which there is as transportation, housing, mining and energy, a draft document that has not yet been for- and agriculture. Among the recommended mally adopted. sectoral policies, some priorities in the current • Transportation. Contracting policies and PND are as follows: concession management that incorporate criteria for disaster risk reduction. • Housing. Intervention policies for settle- ments at risk, aimed at controlling and Adopt and implement Sectoral and Inter- managing these settlements and reducing Ministry Action Plans on risk management. the construction of informal housing. The Once Sectoral Policies are implemented, the Sec- overall improvement of neighborhoods, toral and Inter-Ministry Action Plans would be- Six MAIN challenges to achieve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia and thirty proposed activities to accomplish it 33 come their application instruments. These plans definition of inventory methodologies, ca- could define short- and long-term strategic pri- pacity strengthening, cofinancing, and tech- orities, and identify funding and development nical assistance to the municipalities’ census mechanisms. The objectives of risk knowledge of endangered population. Implement the and reduction, and disaster management men- Comprehensive Neighborhood Improvement tioned in the policies should be reflected in the Policy. Adopt a strategy to control risk result- strategies, programs, and action plans’ projects, ing from informal urbanization, which may as well as when assigning those responsible and include affordable housing alternatives such in the coordinating, financing, monitoring and as leasing for lower strata, and training in control mechanisms, addressing the needs and construction. Formalize self-construction of promoting the responsibility of territorial au- one- and two-story houses to intercede in the thorities and private sector agents. Some specif- process of building informal housing. Adopt ic actions recommended to be included in these acceptable risk levels for residential buildings plans are as follows: facing floods and landslides, much as they are implemented in seismic risks. • Land Use Planning. Promote a partnership • Drinking Water and Sanitation. Implement to support local entities in incorporating risk the RAS Risk Management chapter, includ- management within their territorial planning ing approval of acceptable16 maximum risk and providing equal priority to the rural and levels, infrastructure risk assessment, reduc- urban areas. This would enable confronting ing existing risk, and the design and con- the municipalities’ technical and financial ca- struction parameters in accordance with the pacity limitations and the application of sec- standards set for new infrastructure. In re- toral policies to the territory. gard to the fee structure, incorporate crossed • Transportation. Develop the Vulnerability feasibility for financing risk management ac- Reduction Program in the different means of tivities, including vulnerability studies, risk transportation. reduction criteria maintenance, and the abil- Roads should be a priority, since they cur- ity to secure the infrastructure. rently have the highest risk levels. Establish • Education. Establish a capacity-strength- a solid program to invest in existing risk re- ening program and cofinancing to support duction, focusing on critical road sections, territorial entities in compliance with Minis- either with stabilization work and/or with terial Directive No. 12 dated July 2009, both improving the standards of alternate routes. to reduce educational infrastructure risk, and Also update technical specifications and to increase preparedness to face emergencies. contracting systems that should include the • Health. Strengthen and expand Hospital In- definition of acceptable risk levels. Evaluate surance program coverage. projects from the prefeasible stage, also de- • Energy. With the environmental sector, artic- sign methods and construction, operation, ulate the inclusion of flood risk management monitoring and control systems, all to es- criteria in dam operation protocols, starting tablish the risk profile and strengthen road with adopting maximum acceptable risk levels. maintenance. • Housing. Promote the Settlement Risk Reduction Program, which includes the 16 Risk of service suspension for natural event disasters. 34 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies • Environment. Strengthen the inclusion of ment and the risks to each sector allow risk management in the POMCA, adopting each authority to formulate their own maximum acceptable risk levels for all haz- risk reduction plan. Actions and invest- ards and the definition of restrictions and ments based on where hazards are con- constraints that should be reviewed and de- centrated and a cost-benefit analysis tailed in the planning processes such as the should be a priority. Hazard exposure, POT. Include in the POMCA a Master Plan susceptibility, and damage assessment for Flood Risk Reduction, ensuring articula- methodologies as well as assigning re- tion between different actors in watersheds sponsibilities and deadlines have to be and verifying that the risk reduction invest- adopted. It is important to consider not ments are consistent and positive for the en- only present scenarios, but also future tire area, not just a part of it. ones in which aspects such as demand • Agriculture. Organize with the agrarian growth, infrastructure aging, and cli- guilds the implementation of a program to mate change are taken into account. It encourage small and medium farmers to is also convenient to encourage sectoral use risk reduction measures and to adapt information and knowledge needs by to climate change. This includes a collec- strengthening the financial and techni- tive and aligned effort with the Ministry cal articulation among CMS, IGAC, Ide- of Environment and Sustainable Develop- am, DANE, and academic sectors. ment to promote sustainable land man- b. Develop sectoral strategies in order agement through planning and applying to create accountability and risk man- environmentally adequate production tech- agement culture among private actors nologies, erosion prevention, and flood in each sphere. These strategies may control. Likewise, risk reduction strategies include awareness and training cam- are recommended. Using drought- or flood- paigns encouraging responsibility of resistant varieties, weather forecasts to make the private agents in this subject and decisions during the production cycle, and alternatives to reduce, manage, and early warnings about El Niño and La Niña prepare to act in case of an emergency. phenomena are recommended strategies Drills and simulation exercises are used when deciding on product types, sowing to evaluate and improve the proposed seasons, and planning any livestock reloca- actions, and contribute to increasing tion. Along with the environmental sector, the level of awareness. Guild organiza- implement a joint strategy for recovering tions in each sector can be a key ally in marsh areas where flooding occurs as areas this endeavor. to buffer floods. c. Implement a strategy for disaster manage- • All Sectors ment in each sector, articulated and sup- a. Implement a decision-making strategy ported by the UNGRD and the National in each sector through strategies aimed Calamity Fund (FNC). The formulation at providing information and knowledge of public policies on “Minor and medi- on hazards, infrastructure vulnerabili- um-intensity disaster management� and ties, property exposure, early warnings, “Mechanisms for guiding reconstruction and climate change. Vulnerability assess- processes in a declared national disaster Six MAIN challenges to achieve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia and thirty proposed activities to accomplish it 35 situation� have been assigned by the cur- using standardized and established pro- rent PND to the UNGRD, with support cedures to assess damage, access to re- from the DNP. Experiences such as those sources by Government agencies and the in Mexico demonstrate the advantages of private sector, and mechanisms for moni- each Ministry in monitoring its own in- toring and control. However, the Oil Spill frastructure rehabilitation and reconstruc- Contingency National Plan experience tion process. This experience demonstrates: and its replication to other sectors should opportunity, independence, technical ex- be assessed, and probably should be ex- pertise, monitoring, and control. Trans- tended to contingency plans for each of parency and efficiency are guaranteed by the hazards. 6 Delimit public and private responsibilities in risk management and deepen the State’s fiscal vulnerability policies in facing disasters Adopt clear policy guidelines on the consider the following elements: (i) the char- protection level that the National Govern- acteristics to describe and catalog the affected ment and territorial entities should offer people as “manifesting weakness� (e.g., the to those affected by hazardous events. The condition of belonging to the poorest group of Government should assess its ability to sup- people -strata 1 and 2- has been used frequent- port people affected by a disaster, and decide in ly); (​​ ii) protection offered to those affected and advance of upcoming events a policy defining catalogued as “manifesting weakness� and sup- the government’s expected response. It is also port to others affected; (iii) tax, financial, and important to establish the levels of responsibil- other incentives to mitigate losses in the pro- ity of the Central Government and territorial ductive sector; and (iv) tax, financial, and other entities to promote joint responsibility based incentives to promote economic recovery. on subsidiarity and complementarity prin- Adjust regulations to clarify the pri- ciples. Therefore, financial provisions required vate sector’s responsibility in disaster risk to meet obligations to those affected can be es- management, and strengthen the defense timated. Additionally, clear policy implemen- of public entities to reduce the State’s fiscal tation in the above matters and their disclosure contingencies produced by the demands of shall allow citizens to know to what extent the those affected. A clear definition of respon- Government will be responsible in the event of sibility of the private sector will strengthen a disaster. In turn, with this knowledge, citi- the defense of public entities in the courts. zens will be encouraged to take responsibility Additionally, specific guidelines to facilitate for their own risks and take measures in risk the proper integration of risk management prevention, mitigation, or risk transfer, ac- in governance will reduce vulnerability and cording to their particular situation. Searching losses caused by State actions. The regulation for coherence and integrity, this policy should adjustments could include: 36 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies • Regulation containing detailed provisions tent, scope, and limits of the powers that on exclusive, solidarity, or complementarity correspond to each of the public entities concurrence of each of the participants who involved directly or indirectly in risk man- may be responsible for the disaster impacts: agement. Thus, it is imperative that the law (i) public entities by act or omission; (ii) governing the subject is especially clear private actors that as part of their produc- when it comes to processes in which se- tion activities generate risk, consciously or quentially different government agencies unconsciously; and (iii) victims or affected participate. people who, consciously or unconsciously, • Regulations precisely setting out the ways have decided willingly or unwillingly to as- to establish and derive State and private re- sume the risks that later are materialized sponsibility and as far as possible eliminate into disasters. This regulation will help to the uncertainty of the judicial interpreta- face the fact that most judicial complaints tion. There is a need for legal regulations in risk management are addressed against that define the ways to establish State re- public entities, although in many cases, sponsibility with all the requirements and there is third-party intervention or partic- conditions. Jurisprudential and doctrinal ipation, whether it is private or public, or interpretations may be used, but consider- even if the affected plaintiff is an exclud- ing that in terms of risk management, there ing or reducing circumstance of the State’s are both public and private factors that es- responsibility. Absence of rules generally tablish the concurrence of responsibility leads to establishing responsibility almost among multiple entities. This will deter- exclusively of public entities, affecting their mine, for example, that in case of intent or economic or budgetary conditions. There- grave fault by a private agent in its respon- fore, a careful and meditated legal reform sibilities in facing risk, this agent should as- is advisable. In judicial proceedings against sume the entire cost of damages incurred. the State, whether they be general, con- • Legislation which confirms and clarifies the tentious, administrative, or protective, the responsibility for the construction’s physical reform will enable both plaintiff and as ju- protection. Advance towards a regulation dicial courts to call to the proceedings other that will establish responsibility for Urban possible risk event generators, whether they Curators and that upon issuing the license be private or public entities. This possibility or authorization acts, will require the com- shall open the space to define if there are pliance of technical construction standards excluding, solidarity, or concurrent condi- as set forth in Decree 564 of 2006, Article tions of responsibility in favor of the State, 49, and the provisions of Act 400 of 1997, and also the possibility of filing judicial ac- Decree 33 of 1998, and other decrees. tions against public servants accountable • Mandatory legal rules regarding financial for their actions. protection applied to both public and private • Regulations stating, as clear as possible, sectors, asessing cases in which individuals the functioning fields of competence of may be forced to define insurance strategies public entities in risk management. An im- or other financial protection mechanisms portant aspect in legal disputes over State’s similar to those existing for regulations of responsibility is the definition of the con- common areas in condominiums. Six MAIN challenges to achieve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia and thirty proposed activities to accomplish it 37 • Modification in the Statutory Law of civil not enough information to reliably assess the rights and obligations in risk reduction and needed amounts. In any case, the estimate of management. Assigning citizens the respon- these resources depends on the definition of sibility of knowing and managing the risk the State’s responsibilities and how efficiently they are exposed to due to the probability of these are executed. In addition to the Central a natural disaster occurrence. State’s strategy, it would be convenient to pro- • Other regulations related to the public ad- mote risk management funds and financial ministration sector such as (i) analyzing protection strategies at the sectoral and terri- the risks and alternatives from the projects’ torial levels (municipalities and departments). prefeasibility, incorporating the subject in Clarify, from the regulations, the proce- the BPIN norms; (ii) regulating concession dures and mechanisms as to how private agents contracts and in particular complying with participate in the different phases of risk man- Conpes 3107 of 2001, assigning responsibil- agement. The current System anticipates the in- ity to the private investor for natural event tervention of private agents in risk management, disaster risk management, as a transferable but with insufficient development and lacking the risk through insurance policies or other fi- conditions to apply it. This clarification could in- nancial instruments; (iii) stipulating techni- clude, among others, the following elements: cal regulations for each sector, for example, updating bridge codes and tunnel regulation; • Obligations of private and public agents in finalizing the implementation process of the the preventive phase, as referred to in Arti- Risk Management Chapter found in the cles 8 and 9 in Decree 919 of 1989, or in deal- Technical Regulations for Drinking Water ing with the results of damages that have not and Sanitation Sector (RAS), among others; been used, with the exception of the partial and (iv) articulating strategies in the agricul- development that Bogota17 has had. ture, mining, and environmental sectors to • Specific modifications in risk management regulate and apply the recent Environmental in the Citizen Participation in Statutory Law, Sanctioning Regime in the illegal activities of taking into account that every individual deforestation, desiccation, wetland invasion, should “act in accordance to the principle alteration of a river’s course, etc. of social solidarity and responding with hu- manitarian actions to situations that may Design and implement an integral endanger life or health of the population� strategy for the financial security of the (numeral 2, Article 95 CP). State at the sectoral and territorial level • Design and implement a strategy where the with the purpose of guaranteeing an ad- State, the insurance sector, and the private equate response when there is a disaster and sector are included in order to reinforce insur- protecting the country’s financial balance ance penetration in Colombia. This should be on a long-term basis. Endorse a financial done in order to increase insurance coverage protection strategy so that it will at least be able to provide annual resources to cover di- sasters that may take place during the course of the year high-frequency/low-cost and low- 17 Decree 332 of 2004, which organizes the regime and the system for pre- frequency/high-cost), even though there is vention and emergency assistance in Bogota. 38 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies among individuals as well as coverage in the of the campaigns. Clarify public and private private sector. The strategy may include State responsibility, especially in evaluating vulner- incentives, but the insurance sector should ability in each home and disclosing clear and be responsible for increasing and offering the effective risk reduction recommendations. availability of its products. • Implementing risk management programs jointly with the community. These should Promote and incentivize municipal and have real and sustainable impacts and in- sectoral strategies to make the population clude risk prevention strategies and disaster aware of and competent in risk management. preparation (drills and brigades). They have Take advantage of the citizens’ readiness to con- to achieve effective risk reduction so that the tribute and increase awareness and knowledge participants will have a greater awareness and levels in risk management using cost-effective knowledge of their risks. measures to reduce risk to the country, which • Accompanying the guilds in designing risk the State can implement through: management strategies to inform and train their members, promote measures to miti- • Developing awareness campaigns, mainly gate existing risks, and reinforce coordina- in those cities that have high-risk levels ver- tion in decision making. Thus, the guilds can sus those where hazards are scarce. Likewise, influence their members on how to reduce in cities or towns were these risks are more and consequently mitigate risk in the sector frequent, strengthen the appropriation level and in the country as a whole. Six MAIN challenges to achieve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia and thirty proposed activities to accomplish it 39 Table 1. Recommendations to strengthen governance in the field of disaster risk in Colombia RELATION TO THE GOALS IN THE NATIONAL RECOMMENDATION RESPONSIBLE ENTITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2010-2014 1. Incorporate risk management as a State policy and overcome existing imbalances in the System through the adjustment and harmonization of a regulatory and institutional framework Presidency, DNP, UNGRD, with Adopt a national policy in disaster risk management that is integrally articulated support of National Committee with public administration, provides support to the territorial entities, and of Disaster Prevention and promotes the creation of specific policies and sectoral action plans. Assistance/GRD Guideline: Governance best practices UNGRD with the support Goal of the process: Formulate and adopt a National Policy Create a risk management statute to harmonize the current legislation addressing of National Committee for in Disaster Risk Management , and update the regulation the gaps identified in defining public and private responsibilities. Disaster Prevention and framework and management instruments of SNPAD . Assistance/GRD Goal of the process: Design second phase for the State’s Fiscal Reorganize the System by strengthening technical and financial management Presidency, DNP, UNGRD with Vulnerability Reduction Program in facing Disasters. capacity of the different territorial levels and including the participation of the the support of the National Goal of the process: Formulate a policy for the reconstruction private sector. Committee - PAD/GRD process of a declared national disaster situation. Give priority to strategic orientation, technical leadership, authority, and control among the functions performed by the National Unit for Disaster Risk Presidency Management (UNGRD) as the head of the System. 2. Increase the effectiveness and efficiency of risk management investment through strategic planning, coordination among territorial levels, and monitoring and control Promote the adoption of the Territorial Risk Management Plans (PTGR) as long-term instruments to guide the POMCA, POT, and PD, and articulate DNP, UNGRD, MADS, MVCT public and private investments. Guideline: Governance best practices Establish a national cofinancing (fund) mechanism to encourage investments in disaster risk management and generate capacities at regional and sectoral UNGRD, MHCP, DNP Goal of the Outcome: Improve technical capacity of the territorial levels. entities and the CAR in disaster risk management. Adopt risk reduction goals in policies and plans, and ensure compliance Guideline: Risk control and reduction UNGRD, DNP Goal of the process: Define and incorporate risk through progressive implementation of results-based strategic planning. management criteria in the formulation of national public Strengthen the mandatory incorporation of criteria in disaster risk DNP investments projects. management when formulating public investment projects. Adopt a monitoring strategy for following up on responsibilities and Presidency, UNGRD, DNP investments for risk management at different territorial levels. 3. Strengthen local capacity In territorial management in order to reduce the causes and accumulation of disaster risks Presidency, DNP, UNGRD, with Guideline: Governance best practices Adopt a national strategy to strengthen municipal risk management that takes the support of the National into account the differences in capacities. Committee - PAD/GRD, Goal of the Outcome: Improve technical capacity of the territorial Departmental governments entities and the CAR in disaster risk management. Guideline: Improve risk knowledge Goal of the process: Design and implement methodological instruments for hazards, vulnerability, and risk zoning in the Structurally review the deficiencies in the capacities to assess disaster risk DNP, UNGRD, MVCT, MADS municipal sphere. in order to provide an effective response to the knowledge demand for the Ideam, SGC, IGAC, DANE, CAR, POT and the PD. Colciencias, Governors’ Offices Goal of the process: Modernize the Integrated Information System for Disaster Prevention and Response. Goal of the Outcome: Expand monitoring networks and early warning, and update hazard maps. Strengthen the departmental governments’ capacities in coordinating Presidency, DNP, UNGRD, with Guideline: Governance best practices municipalities, defining their competencies in disaster risk management according the support of the National to the principles of concurrence, and subsidiarity capacities, as established in the Committee - PAD/GRD, Goal of the Outcome: Improve technical capacity of the territorial Constitution, and the possibilities offered by the Organic Land Use Planning Law. Departmental governments entities and the CAR in disaster risk management. Guideline: Governance best practices Design and implement the PTGR as instruments which orient and give priority City Halls and Departmental to interventions and investments in municipalities and departments. governments Goal of the Outcome: Strengthen technical capacity of territorial entities and the CAR in disaster risk management. 40 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies Table 1. Recommendations to strengthen governance in the field of disaster risk in Colombia (continued) RELATION TO THE GOALS IN THE NATIONAL RECOMMENDATION RESPONSIBLE ENTITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2010-2014 Guideline: Governance best practices Goal of the process: Formulate a policy for risk settlement Formulate and implement the national policy in the intervention of settlements intervention. at risk that set the guidelines for land zoning, and define mitigation criteria and DNP, UNGRD, MVCT, MADS Guideline: Improvement of disaster risk knowledge action strategies. Goal of the process: Design and implement methodological instruments for hazards, vulnerability, and risk zoning in the municipal sphere. Reduce the amount of housing in high-risk areas by implementing integral Guideline: Governance best practices neighborhood improvement and family resettlement programs from DNP, UNGRD, MVCT, MADS Goal of the process: Formulate a policy for risk settlement nonmitigable risk areas. Intervention. Promote and continue the efforts carried out in the cities (case studies) for Guideline: Risk control and reduction DNP, Municipalities, cross-cutting inclusion of disaster risk management in planning and municipal Goal of the process: Define and incorporate risk management Departmental governments investments as a fundamental strategy in land development. criteria in the national public investment project formulation. 4. Reduce flood and landslide risk through planning, investment, monitoring and control, and coordination of different agents responsible for watershed management Assign responsibility for hydraulic management of rivers and water bodies to a Guideline: Governance best practices Government agency, and establish the roles and mechanisms of coordination of Presidency, DNP, MADS, MT Goal of the process: Formulate policy for recurrent disaster the different agents involved. management. Adopt regulations for flood and landslide control and management, MADS, Permanent Committee Guideline: Improvement of disaster risk knowledge including the definition of maximum acceptable risk and technical standards created for hydraulic for risk assessment and mitigation, and a strategy for its implementation, management of rivers and Goal of the process: Formulate a strategy for strengthening monitoring, and control. water bodies risk management research. Understand in depth the role of risk management and its links to Guideline: Improvement of disaster risk knowledge Presidency, DNP, UNGRD, environmental management, development management, and climate with the support of National Goal of the process: Formulate a strategy for strengthening change adaptation, to incorporate them in decision making at the sectoral Committee- PAD/GRD risk management research. and territorial levels. Guideline: Governance best practices MVCT, MADS, Ideam, with the Goal of the Outcome: Strengthen the technical capacity of Regulate the inclusion of a Master Plan for Flood and Landslide Control as a Permanent Committee created territorial entities and the CAR in disaster risk management. comprehensive part of the POMCA. for hydraulic management of Guideline: Improvement of disaster risk knowledge rivers and water bodies Goal of the Outcome: Expand monitoring networks and early warning systems, and update hazard maps. Guideline: Governance best practices Accelerate the formulation and implementation of POMCA and their MADS, CAR Goal of the Outcome: Strengthen the technical capacity of incorporation as a determining instrument in municipal POT. territorial entities and the CAR in disaster risk management. Guideline: Risk control and reduction Implement a strategy to strengthen the livelihood of the population in pursuit DNP, Municipalities, of poverty reduction. Departmental governments Goal of the process: Define and incorporate risk management criteria in the national public investment project formulation. Six MAIN challenges to achieve governance in disaster risk management in Colombia and thirty proposed activities to accomplish it 41 Table 1. Recommendations to strengthen governance in the field of disaster risk in Colombia (continued) RELATION TO THE GOALS IN THE NATIONAL RECOMMENDATION RESPONSIBLE ENTITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2010-2014 5. Reduce risk generation and disaster impact through policies and sectoral action plans Appoint a unit responsible for disaster risk management in each sector. All Ministries Guideline: Governance best practices Implement sectoral policies for risk management in each Ministry. All Ministries Goal of the process: Formulate and adopt a National Policy on Disaster Risk Management, plus update the SNPAD regulatory framework and management instruments. Goal of the Outcome: Strengthen the technical capacity of territorial entities and the CAR in disaster risk management. Adopt and implement Sectoral and Inter-Ministry Action Plans on risk Goal of the process: Formulate a policy for recurrent disaster All Ministries management. management. Guideline: Improvement of disaster risk knowledge Goal of the process: Formulate a strategy for the strengthening of risk management research. 6. Delimit public and private responsibilities in risk management and deepen the State’s fiscal vulnerability policies in facing disasters Adopt clear policy guidelines on the protection level that the National Government and territorial entities should offer to those affected by Presidency hazardous events. Adjust regulations to clarify the private sector responsibility in disaster risk Guideline: Governance best practices management, and strengthen the defense of public entities to reduce the All Ministries Goal of the process: Design a second phase for the Government State’s fiscal contingencies produced by the demands of those affected. Fiscal Vulnerability Reduction Program in facing disasters. Goal of the process: Formulate a financial protection strategy Design and implement an integral strategy for the State´s financial security at in facing disasters. the sectoral and territorial level with the purpose of guaranteeing an adequate MHCP Goal of the process: Formulate a policy for recurrent disaster response when there is a disaster and protecting the country’s financial balance on a long-term basis. management. Clarify, as far as regulations, the procedures and mechanisms of how private Presidency, UNGRD, DNP, agents participate in the different phases of risk management. Ministries Guideline: Improvement of disaster risk knowledge Promote and incentivize municipal and sectoral strategies to make the UNGRD, Ministries, population aware of and competent in risk management. Goal of the process: Implement a National Plan for Training Territorial entities and Education on Risk Management. 42 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies B ibliography Evacuation. Municipality of Gramalote (Norte de Santander, Colombia), 2011. Image credit: Colombian Geological Survey. AIS (2010). NSR-10. Reglamento Colombiano _______(1999). El terremoto de enero de 1999 de Construcción Sismo Resistente. Bogota, en Colombia. Impacto socioeconómico del Colombia. desastre en la zona del Eje Cafetero. Mexico. CAF (2000). Lecciones del Niño en Colombia. Fasecolda (2011). Fasecolda Magazine, No. 140. Memorias del fenómeno del niño 1997- Bogota, Colombia. 1998. Retos y propuestas para la región Ideam (2010). Mapa de zonas inundables. Andina. Bogota, Colombia. Bogota, Colombia. Cardona, O. D. (1990). El manejo de riesgos Ingeominas - Ideam (2010). Mapa nacional y los preparativos para desastres. de amenaza relativa por movimientos en Compromiso institucional para mejorar la masa. Bogota, Colombia. calidad de vida. Unedited document for Ingeniar Ltda. (2011). Documento técnico the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance síntesis de soporte para la propuesta in the Agency for International normativa. Programa de Reducción de Development (OFDA/AID) for Disaster la Vulnerabilidad Fiscal del Estado ante Administration Course I. Desastres Naturales APL1 (BIRF 7293- Cardona, O. D., Ordaz, M. G., Moreno, A. M CO). Support to strengthening policies & Yamín, L. E. (2004). Análisis de riesgo and financial instruments for the de desastres extremos en Colombia con National System for Disaster Prevention fines de valoración de la exposición fiscal. and Assistance (SNPAD) in Colombia. Report on the Study defining Government Preparation of a regulation project that responsibility, its exposure to natural implements a policy and a National disasters and designs of mechanisms to System for Disaster Risk Management, cover the State’s residual risks. Bogota, articulated with a financial sustainability Colombia: Consortium ERN - Colombia, strategy, through participative processes. ACCI, DNP and World Bank. Bogota, Colombia. Díaz, C. (2007). Metodología interdisciplinaria OSSO Corporation (2011). Comportamiento desde el estudio de la problemática del riesgo en Colombia. Proyecto Análisis ambiental del tramo urbano de la cuenca de la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres en del río Consota: Hacia el fortalecimiento Colombia. Bogota, Colombia: World Bank. de la gestión ambiental local. Graduation OSSO-EAFIT Corporation (2011). Base de Thesis to attain Master of Environment datos de pérdidas históricas en Colombia and Development Degree. Engineering (período 1970-2011). Available at http:// and Architecture Faculty, Universidad online.desinventar.org. Nacional of Colombia. Ramírez, F. & Rubiano, D. (2009). DNP - SDAS (2010). Bases de datos de Incorporando la gestión del riesgo de inversiones en gestión del riesgo. Bogota, desastres en la planificación y gestión Colombia. territorial. Guía técnica para la ECLAC (2011). Valoración de daños y interpretación y aplicación del análisis de pérdidas por los eventos climáticos de la amenazas y riesgos. Lima, Peru: General ola invernal 2010-2011 por efecto de “La Secretary to the CAN - PREDECAN. Niña� en Colombia. Preliminary report. World Bank (2011). Risk perception survey Bogota, Colombia. of Colombian citizens: Bogota, Cali, bibliography 45 Medellin, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Manizales, Villavicencio and Pasto. From May 30 to June 15, 2011. Project Analysis of Disaster Risk Management in Colombia. Bogota, Colombia. _______(2006). Hazards of Nature, Risks to Development. An IEG Evaluation of World Bank Assistance for Natural Disasters. Washington, DC, USA. 46 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ANALYSIS OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COLOMBIA: A contribution to the creation of public policies Acronyms Asocars* Association of Regional Autonomous Corporations of Sustainable Development and Environmental Authorities of Large Urban Centers. (Asociación de Corporaciones Autónomas Regionales, de Desarrollo Sostenible y Autoridades Ambientales de Grandes Centros Urbanos) BPIN* National Programs and Investment Projects Bank (Banco de Programas y Proyectos de Inversión Nacional) CAF* Andean Development Corporation (Corporación Andina de Fomento) Camacol* Colombian Construction Chamber (Cámara Colombiana de la Construcción) CAR* Regional Autonomous Corporation (Corporación Autónoma Regional) CCI* Colombian Infrastructure Chamber (Cámara Colombiana de la Construcción) CCO* Colombian Ocean Commission (Comisión Colombiana de Océano) Conpes* National Council for Economic and Social Policy (Consejo Nacional de Política Económica y Social) DANE* National Statistics Administration Department (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística) DDTS* Sustainable Territorial Development Office of the National Planning Department (Dirección de Desarrollo Territorial Sostenible del Departamento Nacional de Planeación) DNP* National Planning Department (Departamento Nacional de Planeación) DRM* Disaster Risk Management (Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres) ECLAC* Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe) Fasecolda* Colombian Federation of Insurers (Federación de Aseguradores Colombianos) FNC* National Calamity Fund (Fondo Nacional de Calamidades) FOREC* Coffee Growing Region Reconstruction Fund (Fondo para la Reconstrucción del Eje Cafetero) GFDRR Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery Ideam* Colombian Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology, and Environmental Studies (Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales de Colombia) IGAC* Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute (Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi) Invías* National Roads Institute (Instituto Nacional de Vías) MADR* Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry (Ministerio de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural) MAVS* Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (prior to 2011 Environment, Housing, and Territorial Development) (Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible) MEN* Ministry of National Education (Ministerio de Educación Nacional) MHCP* Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (Ministerio de Hacienda y Crédito Público) 47 MME* Ministry of Mines and Energy (Ministerio de Minas y Energía) MT* Ministry of Transportation (Ministerio de Transporte) MSPS* Ministry of Health and Social Protection (before 2011 Social Protection Ministry) (Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social) MVCT* Ministry of Housing, Cities, and Territories (before 2011 Environment, Housing, and Territorial Development Ministry) (Ministerio de Vivienda, Ciudad y Territorio) UBN Unsatisfied Basic Needs PDA* Water Departmental Plan (Plan Departamental de Agua) PND* National Development Plan (Plan Nacional de Desarrollo) PNPAD* National Plan for Disaster Prevention and Response (Plan Nacional para la Prevención y Atención de Desastres) POMCA* Land Use and Watershed Management Plan (Plan de Ordenamiento y Manejo de Cuencas) POT* Land Use Planning (Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial) PTGR* Municipal Land Use Management Plan (Plan Territorial de Gestión del Riesgo) RAS* Technical Regulation for Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation (Reglamento Técnico para el Sector de Agua Potable y Saneamiento Básico) SAC* Agricultural Society of Colombia (Sociedad de Agricultores de Colombia) SDAS* Subdivision of Sustainable Environment Development of the National Planning Department (Subdirección de Desarrollo Ambiental Sostenible del Departamento Nacional de Planeación) SGC* Colombian Geological Survey (Servicio Geológico Colombiano) SGP* General Participation System (Sistema General de Participaciones) SNPAD* National System for Disaster Prevention and Assistance (Sistema Nacional para la Prevención y Atención de Desastres) UNGDR* National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (before 2011 Risk Management Directorate) (Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres) UNISDR* United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (Estrategia Internacional para la Reducción de Desastres) *Acronym in Spanish 48 Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433, USA Telephone: 202-458-0268 E-mail: GFDRR@worldbank.org Facsimile: 202-522-3227 Special thanks and appreciation are extended to the partners who support GFDRR’s work to protect livelihood and improve lives: ACP Secretariat, Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Haiti, India, Indonesia, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Ireland, Islamic Development Bank, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United Nations Development Programme, United States, UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Vietnam, the World Bank, and Yemen.