Resilient cities are key in coping with natural disasters

Natural disasters wreaked havoc in Latin America between 2005 and 2012. They took 240,000 lives, impacted an additional 57,000 and caused damages estimated at USD 85 billion, nearly equivalent to the GDP of Ecuador.

During the past decade in Latin America, 80% of the losses due to natural disasters occurred in urban areas, and between 40-50% in cities with less than 100,000 inhabitants (UNHabitat, 2012).  Expected annual losses due to natural disasters in the region are estimated at USD 62 billion, which poses a challenge for national public finances, given the economic relevance of the cities.

In addition, hydro-meteorological phenomena between 2000 and 2013 (drought, floods, extreme precipitation and hurricanes) were the cause of over 13,000 deaths in Central and South America alone. They also affected over 53 million people and resulted in losses of approximately USD 52 billion, according to the University of Lovaina. 

Cases like the earthquake in Mexico City in February 2018, the landslide in Mitú (Colombia) in January 2017, and the latest eruption of Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala are just some examples of the impact of extreme natural events on Latin American societies, and the need to take measures to alleviate their worst effects.

This situation is aggravated by the effects of climate change – increasing the intensity of some natural phenomena–, the excessive exploitation of natural resources and effects associated with population growth, which is increasing people’s exposure to risk situations.

Weak urban planning and management are part of the reason why many cities in Latin America are vulnerable to this type of phenomena. It is also exacerbated, for example, by an ever-growing urbanization process, leading to the occupation of areas which are not suitable for housing, or growing traffic congestion and atmospheric emissions.

“Modern urban planning should consider a comprehensive, preventive approach to risk management.” We require, therefore, a strategy design that considers a correct identification of scenarios, prioritization of risks that need to be handled, and selection of financing instruments to mitigate risks and handle disasters effectively,” explained Abenamar de la Cruz, an expert in social development at CAF-development bank of Latin America. 

The region is currently showing some progress in this area. Colombia, for instance, has the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), which directs and coordinates disaster risk management in the nation; Peru has the National Plan for Disaster Risk Management 2014-2021, which aims to minimize the adverse effects of natural disasters on the population, the economy and the environment.

Under the context of its city strategy, CAF has raised the need to promote a regional initiative to support the enhancement of National Plans for Financial Management and Risk Mitigation. This is an initiative to define the technical and economic resources that each country needs to reinforce their plans, which would lay the groundwork for institutions such as CAF and others to support actions more effectively regarding risk management and risk reduction developed by countries of the region.

These and other topics will be discussed in the VI Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, organized by the UN, to be held on June 20-22 in Cartagena, Colombia, which aims to build a regional strategy that supports the creation and strengthening of national plans for financial management and risk mitigation in case of extreme natural events.