Human-Driven Disasters: Violent Conflict, Terrorism and Technology
By Nat J. Coletta (10/04, ENV-143, En) See also Environment and Natural Resources
The term ?disaster? conjures many images, most often of such natural hazard as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and fires. However, there are other types of disasters that are equally catastrophic and are a result of human actions and accidents. Such ?human-driven? disasters can be classified as ?technological? events (e.g., dam breaks and oil spills) or derived from ?violent conflict? (terrorist acts, civil conflict).
The Inter-American Development Bank has been in the forefront of development assistance in Latin America and the Caribbean for several decades. The IDB?s current policy on Natural and Unexpected Disasters (OP-704) focuses mostly on natural hazards. Definitions are needed concerning how to cover risk management and response in the area of human-driven disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean.
While dealing with natural hazards has been a part of the Bank?s development agenda, the management of human-driven disasters will demand a more comprehensive risk management framework. Such events as violent conflicts and terrorism are having a great impact on the socioeconomic development of the region. The Bank?s role in assisting countries in reaching their development goals must also encompass this broader agenda of mitigation and response to human-driven disaster scenarios. This paper outlines such an approach, based partially on the results of the seminar on ?Human-Driven Disasters: Violent Conflict, Terrorism, and Technology? organized at the IDB in June of 2003.
Human-driven disasters are a fact of life in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Bank needs a clear set of policies and good practices to guide its actions. Through a mix of risk mitigation investments and well defined financial protection strategies the IDB, borrowers, and the private sector can shift from a primarily improvised ex post response to more comprehensive strategies of risk management. Such an approach will greatly enhance the progress and sustainability of current and future development assistance.
Last updated: 05/08/07
