FLOOD03743

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: 25th Annual Celebration Hazards Research and Applications Workshop
• Date: 7/9/2000
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

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Stephen Bender
Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment _
Organization of American States ..
1889 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Sharing Information World-Wide

Some years ago an official responsible for disaster management in a Central American country
responded to information concerning a settlement with a population of 10,000 persons living on
an active landslide in the capitol city by stating that there was nothing to be done. The
information was not to be "used." Hundreds of thousands of individuals in the country lived in
vulnerable situations, it was noted, and the government had no resources to resettle the
population at risk.

That situation reflected, in part, a lack of information about alternative policies, strategies and
programs. Today, vulnerability reduction to landslides and other hazards, natural or otherwise, is
considered attainable through varying approaches discussed through national, regional and
hemispheric exchanges. Direct government intervention through resettlement is not the only
technical or political approach. Information about other approaches includes the position that _
disaster managers may not be able to resolve, and do not necessarily have control over, the ..
vulnerabilities generated by or resulting from development actions. Information is the currency of
the development community, and information about natural events, the hazards they pose and
their possible consequences is increasingly part of development activities. In the future,
vulnerability reduction to natural hazards may become a development goal and factual information
will drive its attainment.

Also, that situation did not reflect a facet of development that is now quite visible. Risk related to
hazardous events fits squarely into emerging patterns of economic development based on the
global economy, regional markets and free trade in risk-adverse business environments.
Information on risk is bought, sold and bartered by those wanting to maximize return on
investment while accepting as little risk as possible. In the not too distant future information on
risk and development covering natural hazard issues may be common for all geographic areas of
interest to the international development community, private and public sectors alike.

Finally, as political bodies deal with risk management issues, information concerning whom is at
risk to natural hazards and why will increasingly shape political action (and inaction) as never
before. Democratic processes will decide the assignment of resources to reduce risk and attend to
disaster victims with increased spatial and demographic specificity reflecting hazard, vulnerability,
risk and damage assessment information. But what will again become evident is that information
by itself will neither change patterns of vulnerability nor destruction.

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