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Newsletter
UNU-EHS Newsletter No. 2/2006
Dear UNU-EHS newsletter subscriber,
We are happy to present the second issue of our quarterly Newsletter. Please find below the news from UNU-EHS:
_____________________________
* VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT: DIRECTOR (L-6) FOR UN WATER DECADE OFFICE IN BONN
UN-Water has been created as a collaborative mechanism between various agencies and programmes of the UN system and other international initiatives engaged in different activities related to water. UN-Water is to provide a single entry point for the UN system concerning water. UN-Water is entrusted to coordinate respective interagency programmes and initiatives like the UN System-wide World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP). It is also the collaborative forum of UN agencies and programmes involved in the International Decade for Action: Water for Life 2005-2015. The successful candidate will be the founding director of the UN-Water Decade Office on Capacity Development to be established in 2007 in Bonn. He/she is expected to take up the appointment around March 2007.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:269
* FIRST INDONESIAN SCIENTIST ON BOARD THE GITEWS POSTDOC PROGRAMME
In close cooperation with German Aerospace Center(DLR), UNU-EHS welcomes Dr. Herryal Anwar from the Indonesian Institute of Science(LIPI) on board the GITEWS PostDoc Programme. Jointly with two UNU-EHS Academic Officers Dr. Birkmann and Dr. Schlurmann and in close cooperation with Dr. Strunz and Dr. Post from DLR, Dr. Anwar carries out research to develop a common understanding and methodology on how to measure the vulnerability of
coastal communities in Indonesia to tsunami and coastal hazards. He is staying for three months at UNU-EHS, from October to November 2006.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:280
* SOURCE NO. 5/2006: MEASURING THE UN-MEASURABLE OUT NOW!
"Measuring the Un-Measurable" is a short and succinct title as
well as an indication of the challenges and difficulties in deriving
appropriate methodologies, indicators and criteria to identify,
measure and assess vulnerabilities of societies at risk. This SOURCE publication is an essential reading for those interested in vulnerability research and the assessment and measurement of it. The publication by J. Birkmann and B.Wisner leads us through the thematic
areas which were discussed, outlines the different scales of the
assessment approaches presented, and analyses the nature of
vulnerability measurement.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:278
* MEASURING VULNERABILITY TO NATURAL HAZARDS - OUT NOW!
UNU-EHS proundly announced the UNU Press publication "Measuring
Vulnerability to Natural Hazards -Towards Disaster Resilient
Societies", edited by Joern Birkmann, Academic Officer at UNU-EHS.
A seemingly non-stop series of disasters has shown that
societies worldwide seem unprepared for the threats posed by natural
hazards: Hurricane Katrina, drought in Africa; flooding in China and
Germany; earthquakes in Pakistan and India; a tsunami in South-East
Asia; and forest fi res in Portugal, Australia and North America. The
tragic impacts of these events drew short-term attention from policy
makers, the media and the general public, but their response was too
late to prevent serious harm. Societies need to measure their
vulnerabilities in advance, and make adequate provisions. This book is
a unique compilation of state-of-the-art vulnerability assessment and
is essential reading for academics, students, policy makers,
practitioners, and anybody else interested in understanding the
fundamentals of measuring vulnerability. It is a critical review that
provides important conclusions which can serve as an orientation for
future research towards more disaster resilient communities.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:279
* VULNERABILITY TO FLOODS: GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW UNU-EHS PROJECT
To estimate the vulnerability and coping capacity of cities
regarding water related natural hazards in urban areas – case study
Cologne and Dresden / Germany
The focus of research in the field
of risk and natural disasters is often dominated by the analysis,
measurement and prognosis of natural phenomena such as floods and
landslides. Without neglecting the necessity to generate more in-depth
information regarding the development of natural phenomena, it becomes
more and more evident that the intensity and frequency of natural
hazards are not the only factors which determine whether a natural
phenomena will cause a disaster. Other relevant factors are the
vulnerability of the affected society; economy and its critical
infrastructure as well as its ability to cope with the impacts of the
natural hazard (see e.g. Bogardi, Birkmann 2004).
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:246
* PRESSEMITTEILUNG: WAS MACHEN WIR FALSCH? IN 2050 WERDEN ZWEI MRD. MENSCHEN ÜBERSCHWEMMUNGEN AUSGESETZT SEIN; VERWUNDBARKEIT IST DER SCHLüSSEL (SEPTEMBER 2006)
In einer Welt, in der sich technologische Entwicklungen
überschlagen und in der unser Wissen ständig wächst, stehen wir
einer stetig wachsenden Bedrohung von Mensch und Eigentum durch
Überschwemmungen gegenüber. Was machen wir falsch? Hochwasser
fordert jährlich weltweit bis zu 25,000 Todesopfer mit einem
langfristigen Mittelwert um 7500 Todesopfer/Jahr. In den letzten 20
Jahren wurden weltweit 520 Mio. Menschen pro Jahr durch
Überschwemmungen in Mitleidenschaft gezogen (UNDP) durch
Obdachlosigkeit, erhebliche finanzielle Schäden, wasserübertragene
Krankheiten und anderes mehr. UNU stellt fest, daß nicht nachhaltige
Wasserwirtschaft und fehlendes Risikomanagement die Lage
verschlimmert.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:273
* WATER-RELATED RISK MANAGEMENT IN URBAN AGGLOMERATIONS
UNU-EHS is happy to present an internal report of the first Urban
Training Programme (Nov./Dec. 2005), edited by Dr. Ulrike Kastrup and
with different case studies of seven cities submitted by the
participants of the first workshop.
The seminar-workshop
focused on hazards, vulnerabilities and coping strategies in cities in
delta areas and coastal regions with an emphasis on water-related
risks. International participants from 7 cities attended the workshop:
Bangkok (Thailand), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kingston
(Jamaica), São Paulo (Brazil), Wuhan (China), and Xai-Xai and
Quelimane (Mozambique). All these cities face similar problems: they
are located in a flood plain or a delta; face frequent serious floods
and damage is often significant. The participants were employees in
the field emergency services, urban planning, social welfare, health,
municipal services or in other positions responsible for disaster
management within their city administration. Thus, due to their
different professional and educational backgrounds,1 insight into the
topic was gained from various perspectives. For each city, a case
study was written by the participants covering topics on flood and
flood management in their respective city.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:274
We are happy to present the second issue of our quarterly Newsletter. Please find below the news from UNU-EHS:
_____________________________
* VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT: DIRECTOR (L-6) FOR UN WATER DECADE OFFICE IN BONN
UN-Water has been created as a collaborative mechanism between various agencies and programmes of the UN system and other international initiatives engaged in different activities related to water. UN-Water is to provide a single entry point for the UN system concerning water. UN-Water is entrusted to coordinate respective interagency programmes and initiatives like the UN System-wide World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP). It is also the collaborative forum of UN agencies and programmes involved in the International Decade for Action: Water for Life 2005-2015. The successful candidate will be the founding director of the UN-Water Decade Office on Capacity Development to be established in 2007 in Bonn. He/she is expected to take up the appointment around March 2007.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:269
* FIRST INDONESIAN SCIENTIST ON BOARD THE GITEWS POSTDOC PROGRAMME
In close cooperation with German Aerospace Center(DLR), UNU-EHS welcomes Dr. Herryal Anwar from the Indonesian Institute of Science(LIPI) on board the GITEWS PostDoc Programme. Jointly with two UNU-EHS Academic Officers Dr. Birkmann and Dr. Schlurmann and in close cooperation with Dr. Strunz and Dr. Post from DLR, Dr. Anwar carries out research to develop a common understanding and methodology on how to measure the vulnerability of
coastal communities in Indonesia to tsunami and coastal hazards. He is staying for three months at UNU-EHS, from October to November 2006.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:280
* SOURCE NO. 5/2006: MEASURING THE UN-MEASURABLE OUT NOW!
"Measuring the Un-Measurable" is a short and succinct title as
well as an indication of the challenges and difficulties in deriving
appropriate methodologies, indicators and criteria to identify,
measure and assess vulnerabilities of societies at risk. This SOURCE publication is an essential reading for those interested in vulnerability research and the assessment and measurement of it. The publication by J. Birkmann and B.Wisner leads us through the thematic
areas which were discussed, outlines the different scales of the
assessment approaches presented, and analyses the nature of
vulnerability measurement.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:278
* MEASURING VULNERABILITY TO NATURAL HAZARDS - OUT NOW!
UNU-EHS proundly announced the UNU Press publication "Measuring
Vulnerability to Natural Hazards -Towards Disaster Resilient
Societies", edited by Joern Birkmann, Academic Officer at UNU-EHS.
A seemingly non-stop series of disasters has shown that
societies worldwide seem unprepared for the threats posed by natural
hazards: Hurricane Katrina, drought in Africa; flooding in China and
Germany; earthquakes in Pakistan and India; a tsunami in South-East
Asia; and forest fi res in Portugal, Australia and North America. The
tragic impacts of these events drew short-term attention from policy
makers, the media and the general public, but their response was too
late to prevent serious harm. Societies need to measure their
vulnerabilities in advance, and make adequate provisions. This book is
a unique compilation of state-of-the-art vulnerability assessment and
is essential reading for academics, students, policy makers,
practitioners, and anybody else interested in understanding the
fundamentals of measuring vulnerability. It is a critical review that
provides important conclusions which can serve as an orientation for
future research towards more disaster resilient communities.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:279
* VULNERABILITY TO FLOODS: GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW UNU-EHS PROJECT
To estimate the vulnerability and coping capacity of cities
regarding water related natural hazards in urban areas – case study
Cologne and Dresden / Germany
The focus of research in the field
of risk and natural disasters is often dominated by the analysis,
measurement and prognosis of natural phenomena such as floods and
landslides. Without neglecting the necessity to generate more in-depth
information regarding the development of natural phenomena, it becomes
more and more evident that the intensity and frequency of natural
hazards are not the only factors which determine whether a natural
phenomena will cause a disaster. Other relevant factors are the
vulnerability of the affected society; economy and its critical
infrastructure as well as its ability to cope with the impacts of the
natural hazard (see e.g. Bogardi, Birkmann 2004).
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:246
* PRESSEMITTEILUNG: WAS MACHEN WIR FALSCH? IN 2050 WERDEN ZWEI MRD. MENSCHEN ÜBERSCHWEMMUNGEN AUSGESETZT SEIN; VERWUNDBARKEIT IST DER SCHLüSSEL (SEPTEMBER 2006)
In einer Welt, in der sich technologische Entwicklungen
überschlagen und in der unser Wissen ständig wächst, stehen wir
einer stetig wachsenden Bedrohung von Mensch und Eigentum durch
Überschwemmungen gegenüber. Was machen wir falsch? Hochwasser
fordert jährlich weltweit bis zu 25,000 Todesopfer mit einem
langfristigen Mittelwert um 7500 Todesopfer/Jahr. In den letzten 20
Jahren wurden weltweit 520 Mio. Menschen pro Jahr durch
Überschwemmungen in Mitleidenschaft gezogen (UNDP) durch
Obdachlosigkeit, erhebliche finanzielle Schäden, wasserübertragene
Krankheiten und anderes mehr. UNU stellt fest, daß nicht nachhaltige
Wasserwirtschaft und fehlendes Risikomanagement die Lage
verschlimmert.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:273
* WATER-RELATED RISK MANAGEMENT IN URBAN AGGLOMERATIONS
UNU-EHS is happy to present an internal report of the first Urban
Training Programme (Nov./Dec. 2005), edited by Dr. Ulrike Kastrup and
with different case studies of seven cities submitted by the
participants of the first workshop.
The seminar-workshop
focused on hazards, vulnerabilities and coping strategies in cities in
delta areas and coastal regions with an emphasis on water-related
risks. International participants from 7 cities attended the workshop:
Bangkok (Thailand), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kingston
(Jamaica), São Paulo (Brazil), Wuhan (China), and Xai-Xai and
Quelimane (Mozambique). All these cities face similar problems: they
are located in a flood plain or a delta; face frequent serious floods
and damage is often significant. The participants were employees in
the field emergency services, urban planning, social welfare, health,
municipal services or in other positions responsible for disaster
management within their city administration. Thus, due to their
different professional and educational backgrounds,1 insight into the
topic was gained from various perspectives. For each city, a case
study was written by the participants covering topics on flood and
flood management in their respective city.
Link: http://www.ehs.unu.edu/index.php/article:274