Convergence of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation
This study diagnoses why climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction have been treated somewhat separately to date, makes a case for further convergence and presents a set of concrete recommendations on how this can be achieved.
Development faces a growing threat from a changing climate - particularly through the impact of more extreme events. OECD estimates show that up to 50% of development assistance may be at risk because of climate change. In managing such risks to development, there is significant overlap between disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (adaptation). However, these agendas have evolved independently until now. DRR can deal with current climate variability and be the first line defence against climate change, being therefore an essential part of adaptation. Conversely, for DRR to be successful, it needs to take account of the shifting risks associated with climate change and ensure that measures do not increase vulnerability to climate change in the medium to long-term. So far there has been limited integration of DRR and adaptation despite the two agendas sharing similar goals and conceptual overlaps, and both struggling to be mainstreamed into regular development planning. At stake is policy coherence and effective use of resources, as continued separation results in administrative inefficiencies, duplication of efforts and damaging competition between different inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms.