The paper estimates the effects on presidential election returns in Mexico of a government climatic contingency transfer that is allocated through rainfall-indexed insurance.
... See More + The analysis uses the discontinuity in payments that slightly deviate from a pre-established threshold, based on rainfall accumulation measured at local weather stations. It turns out that voters reward the incumbent presidential party for delivering drought relief compensation. The paper finds that receiving indemnity payments leads to significantly greater average electoral support for the incumbent party of approximately 7.6 percentage points. The analysis suggests that the incumbent party is rewarded by disaster aid recipients and punished by non-recipients. The paper contributes to the literature on retrospective voting by providing evidence that voters evaluate government actions and respond to disaster spending.
See Less -
Policy Research Working Paper WPS6836 APR 01, 2014
Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to natural hazards and has embarked on a comprehensive disaster risk management program to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change and to adapt the stock of infrastructure to extreme climate shocks.
... See More + To increase both short-term and long-term resilience, the government is engaged with the World Bank on several fronts. Physical investments will be financed to address short-term infrastructure weaknesses, coupled with a contingent line of credit to safeguard against the immediate fiscal impacts of a disaster. The program comprises (i) the Climate Resilience Improvement Project (CRIP) (US$110 million) to reduce the immediate physical risks and improve the understanding of disaster risks so that future investments are targeted to their best use, and (ii) a Development Policy Loan with a Catastrophe Deferred Draw Down Option (CAT-DDO) (US$102 million) to strengthen the country's fiscal resilience to events. Based on the results of the ongoing fiscal disaster risk assessment, recommendations will be made to strengthen the fiscal resilience of the country. These include (i) improving the administration and execution of budgets; (ii) developing an annual disaster fund to finance rehabilitation following small and medium events; (iii) managing the implicit fiscal liability to support vulnerable populations; (iv) developing sovereign risk transfer instruments; and (v) supporting the development of a private catastrophe risk insurance market.
See Less -
The objective of Additional Financing for the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project for India is to reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa to cyclone and other hydro meteorological hazards.
... See More + The additional financing will be used to scale up risk mitigation project activities and their impact and development effectiveness in the context of the October 2013 cyclone that hit the states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. These aims will be targeted through expanded activities under component B (cyclone risk mitigation infrastructure) and the related incremental management and coordination support under component D (project management and implementation support). The additional financing will be processed with the following: (i) adjustment of the indicators to reflect the proposed scale up and additional activities, and (ii) closing date of October 31, 2017. As a result of cyclone Phailin, the Government of India is seeking support to further finance disaster preparedness, ever more conscious of the need for cyclone risk mitigation infrastructure in the vulnerable coastal states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
See Less -
This issue focuses on ways to minimize impact on vulnerable populations living in the Rio de Janeiro's mountainous region, particularly in regards to extreme flooding and devastating landslides.
... See More + With the spotlight on Rio de Janeiro as a host city of the World Cup and Summer Olympics, government authorities need to protect residents and tourists from disasters and are striving to build resilience by improving land-use planning and implementing best practices in disaster risk management (DRM) to better prepare for climatological hazards. In the wake of the Rio flooding and landslide disaster in 2011, government authorities sought to understand the economic impacts and human losses triggered by extreme hazard events and the underlying causes of disaster risk. A number of DRM interventions, analytical studies, technical assistance, and capacity building activities include four main areas: risk identification; disaster preparedness and response; policymaking; and economic analysis. A culture of disaster risk awareness is growing in Brazil as urban planners are developing integrated and proactive approaches to development by institutionalizing DRM policies and building technical capacities to mitigate disasters. However, even with recent progress, much remains to be done to improve the performance and technical capacity of the institutions to integrate DRM principles into decision-making processes. The frequent and intense natural disasters in Brazil call for substantial investments including: studies to identify the best technologies; strategies for collecting and using data; development of land-use planning and urban policies that incorporate mitigation measures for existing hazards; and avoidance of settlements in high-risk areas.
See Less -
This report summarizes the experience from a series of pilot trainings in the Solomon Islands, organized by the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) and four provinces with support from the World Bank in an effort to provide practical information for operational teams seeking to integrate gender issues into disaster risk management program.
... See More + While the training has been specifically developed for four provinces in the Solomon Islands, the sample training program, documented in this report can inform teams in the region and beyond that are preparing similar trainings in terms of the design, implementation, content and sequencing of presentations, activities and discussions, and other practical considerations. This report is a product of the staff of the World Bank with external contributions by Australian Aid.
See Less -
The development objective of the Community Resilience to Climate and Disaster Risk Project for Solomon Islands (CRISP) is to increase the capacity of selected rural communities to manage natural hazards and climate change risks.
... See More + The project has four components. The first component, integration of climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in government policies and operations objective is to support policy development, capacity building, and institutional strengthening aimed at integrating governance and operational processes for CCA and DRR. It comprises of following two sub-components: (a) development of a national integrated CCA and a disaster risk management (DRM) framework; and (b) strengthening capacity for mainstreaming CCA and DRM in sector planning and investments. The second component, strengthening of climate and disaster risk information and early warning systems objective is to establish an early warning network for volcanic and seismic hazards and start the establishment of a national risk information platform. It comprises of following two sub-components: (a) establishing a volcanic-seismic monitoring network (the need for which was identified by global facility for disaster risk and recovery (GFDRR) in 2009 in the Solomon Islands country assessment); and (b) establishing the foundations of a national risk information capability to improve risk management, that can be applied under CRISP to assess disaster and climate change effects for sectors and investment planning. The third component, CCA and DRR investments will support both structural and non-structural disaster risk and adaptation investments at the community and provincial level. It comprises of following three sub-components: (a) risk analysis, design, advisory, and supervision services of rural infrastructure investments and disaster and climate risk management plans; (b) development and implementation of community-led rural investment projects through the provision of community grants; and (c) development and implementation of provincial-led rural investment projects in participating provinces. The fourth component, project management and monitoring and evaluation will provide efficient and effective management support for the implementation of the project. It has following two sub-components: (i) project coordination and management; and (ii) project monitoring and evaluation.
See Less -
On 24th and 25th December, 2013 a tropical trough system produced heavy rains in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). The ensuing rapid and intense flash flooding resulted in severe damage and 9 confirmed deaths with 3 persons still missing.
... See More + Additionally, there was widespread damage to road infrastructure, electricity and water infrastructure, housing as well as public and private buildings. This report serves as a reminder and proof of the Government (Go) SVG's resolve and commitment to risk reduction as well as the well-being of people. The GoSVG recognizes the necessity to better understand the climate and disaster risk context, and do best to reduce this risk and improve resilience across all sectors. On December 26, 2013, the GoSVG declared a national level two disaster in accordance with the National Emergency and Disaster Management Act, 2006. This report provides a rapid damage and loss assessment of the sectors affected - with a particular focus on infrastructure damage in order to inform the GoSVG's recovery, reconstruction, and financial planning. It also includes short and medium term recommendations designed to further incorporate disaster risk reduction and management into land use and physical planning decision-making processes so that the authors continue to develop into a country that is more resilient to natural disasters and climate change.
See Less -
Pakistan experienced severe flooding after torrential monsoon rains hit southern Sindh and the adjoining areas of Punjab and north-eastern Balochistan in August 2011.
... See More + Flash floods triggered by the monsoon rain caused severe damage to infrastructure in the affected areas. Entire villages and urban centers have been flooded, homes have been destroyed, and over a million acres of crops and agricultural lands have been damaged. A Damage and Needs Assessment (DNA) has been commissioned in the wake of the floods. The DNA assesses the extent of the damage and the needs for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damaged assets and infrastructure, and restoration of livelihoods and economic productivity. It provides the strategic underpinnings for medium- to long-term post-floods reconstruction, recovery planning, prioritization, and programming. This report quantifies physical damage and presents sector level recovery and reconstruction strategies. Taking into account the extent of the damage and the proposed strategies, the report then quantifies corresponding needs.
See Less -
Disasters are increasing worldwide, with more devastating effects than ever before. While the absolute number of disasters around the world has almost doubled since the 1980s, the average number of natural disasters in Middle East and North Africa (MNA) has almost tripled over the same period of time.
... See More + In the MNA, the interplay of natural disasters, rapid urbanization, water scarcity, and climate change has emerged as a serious challenge for policy and planning. Projections by climatologists and United Nations specialists suggest that MNA economies and livelihoods will be the second most affected by climate change. Governments across the region have seen a progressive increase in demand for comprehensive disaster risk management (DRM) services. Since 2007, a range of country-level programs have been launched in Djibouti, Morocco, and the Republic of Yemen to increase their resilience to disasters due to Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). Decentralization of the DRM agenda has progressed slowly, although some countries are making a progressive shift. This report aims to take stock of progress in risk management in MNA, while identifying gaps for future interventions, to broaden the dialogue for a more proactive and collaborative management of risks. This report builds on the strategic vision, principles, and goals of the MNA region's countries; the Islamic Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (ISDRRM); the MNA strategic framework for climate action; and the World Bank's strategy update for MNA. This report aims to establish a more strategic and collaborative framework between the World Bank and its international partners, particularly United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and UN Development Program (UNDP), in order to assist MNA countries to shift from disaster response to proactive risk management.
See Less -
The objective of the Emergency 2007 Cyclone Recovery and Restoration Project for Bangladesh is to support the government's efforts to facilitate restoration and recovery from the damage to livelihoods and infrastructure caused by cyclone Sidr and to build long-term preparedness through strengthened disaster risk management.
... See More + This project paper pertains to the provision of additional credit to Bangladesh for the project. The additional financing (AF) is to scale up the construction and rehabilitation of critical infrastructure in the coastal areas. The AF will help support the costs associated with facilitating recovery from the damage and losses caused by prominent cyclones that hit the country in 2007 and 2009. The project's development objective and the implementation, coordination, and monitoring and evaluation arrangements are to remain unchanged, though the project outputs for the relevant components have been revised.
See Less -
This report presents the World Bank Group's experience in climate and disaster resilient development and contends that it is essential to eliminate extreme poverty and achieve shared prosperity by 2030.
... See More + The report argues for closer collaboration between the climate resilience and disaster risk management communities through the incorporation of climate and disaster resilience into broader development processes. Selected case studies are used to illustrate promising approaches, lessons learned, and remaining challenges all in contribution to the loss and damage discussions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The introduction provides an overview of the UNFCCC and also introduces key concepts and definitions relevant to climate and disaster resilient development. Section two describes the impacts of globally increasing weather-related disasters in recent decades. Section three summarizes how the World Bank Group's goals to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity are expected to be affected by rising disaster losses in a changing climate. Section four discusses the issue of attribution in weather-related disasters, and the additional start-up costs involved in climate and disaster resilient development. Section five builds upon the processes and instruments developed by the climate resilience and the disaster risk management communities of practice to provide some early lessons learned in this increasingly merging field. Section six highlights case studies and emerging good practices in climate and disaster resilient development. Section seven concludes the report, summarizing key lessons learned and identifying potential gaps and avenues for future work.
See Less -
Accounting and Auditing Assessment (ROSC) 82648 NOV 18, 2013
This report presents the World Bank Group's experience in climate and disaster resilient development and contends that it is essential to eliminate extreme poverty and achieve shared prosperity by 2030.
... See More + The report argues for closer collaboration between the climate resilience and disaster risk management communities through the incorporation of climate and disaster resilience into broader development processes. Selected case studies are used to illustrate promising approaches, lessons learned, and remaining challenges all in contribution to the loss and damage discussions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The introduction provides an overview of the UNFCCC and also introduces key concepts and definitions relevant to climate and disaster resilient development. Section two describes the impacts of globally increasing weather-related disasters in recent decades. Section three summarizes how the World Bank Group's goals to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity are expected to be affected by rising disaster losses in a changing climate. Section four discusses the issue of attribution in weather-related disasters, and the additional start-up costs involved in climate and disaster resilient development. Section five builds upon the processes and instruments developed by the climate resilience and the disaster risk management communities of practice to provide some early lessons learned in this increasingly merging field. Section six highlights case studies and emerging good practices in climate and disaster resilient development. Section seven concludes the report, summarizing key lessons learned and identifying potential gaps and avenues for future work.
See Less -
Accounting and Auditing Assessment (ROSC) 82648 NOV 18, 2013
This report presents the World Bank Group's experience in climate and disaster resilient development and contends that it is essential to eliminate extreme poverty and achieve shared prosperity by 2030.
... See More + The report argues for closer collaboration between the climate resilience and disaster risk management communities through the incorporation of climate and disaster resilience into broader development processes. Selected case studies are used to illustrate promising approaches, lessons learned, and remaining challenges all in contribution to the loss and damage discussions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The introduction provides an overview of the UNFCCC and also introduces key concepts and definitions relevant to climate and disaster resilient development. Section two describes the impacts of globally increasing weather-related disasters in recent decades. Section three summarizes how the World Bank Group's goals to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity are expected to be affected by rising disaster losses in a changing climate. Section four discusses the issue of attribution in weather-related disasters, and the additional start-up costs involved in climate and disaster resilient development. Section five builds upon the processes and instruments developed by the climate resilience and the disaster risk management communities of practice to provide some early lessons learned in this increasingly merging field. Section six highlights case studies and emerging good practices in climate and disaster resilient development. Section seven concludes the report, summarizing key lessons learned and identifying potential gaps and avenues for future work.
See Less -
Accounting and Auditing Assessment (ROSC) 82648 NOV 18, 2013
Costa Rica is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the World due to the tectonic interaction of the Cocos and Caribbean plates. Earthquakes, and other natural hazards, place major stress on the countrys population, infrastructure and economy, and often result in the disruption of basic services.
... See More + In response to this, the Government of Costa Rica is continuously working to build the capacity of technicians to design effective disaster risk management policies and investments to reduce seismic risk. Through the technical assistance projects (TAP), Costa Rican Water and Sanitation Institute (AyA) gained capacity to perform probabilistic seismic risk assessments for the water supply and sanitation (WSS) networks. The risk assessments provide AyAs technical team with critical information about the most vulnerable assets and areas that may concentrate higher economic losses, which will inform decisions about infrastructure investments and emergency preparedness. The Costa Rica TAP serves as a capacity-building model for the WSS sector that can be replicated in Costa Rica and other countries of the Latin America region, as well as for other natural hazards.
See Less -