Taking stock of decentralized disaster risk reduction in Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. The Sendai Framework, which outlines the global course on disaster risk reduction until 2030, places strong importance on the role of local government in disaster risk reduction. An aim of decentralization is to increase the influence and authority of local government in decision making. Yet, there is limited empirical evidence of the extent, character and effects of decentralization in current disaster risk reduction implementation, and of the barriers that are most critical to this. This paper evaluates decentralization in relation to disaster risk reduction in Indonesia, chosen for its recent actions to decentralize governance of DRR coupled with a high level of disaster risk. An analytical framework was developed to evaluate the various dimensions of decentralized disaster risk reduction, which necessitated the use of a desk study, semi-structured interviews and a gap analysis. Key barriers to implementation in Indonesia included: capacity gaps at lower institutional levels, low compliance with legislation, disconnected policies, issues in communication and coordination and inadequate resourcing. However, any of these barriers are not unique to disaster risk reduction, and similar barriers have been observed for decentralization in other developing countries in other public sectors.

Earthquake preparedness among religious minority groups: the case of the Jewish ultra-Orthodox society in Israel

“…This latest strong earthquake on the same DSFS is a potent reminder that a nearby earthquake would have devastating effects. The population of Jerusalem and its buildings have repeatedly suffered from such earthquakes on the DSFS (Ambraseys, 2009;Guidoboni and Comastri, 2005) (Figs. 1 and 2).…”

“…Table 1 lists historic earthquakes that damaged Jerusalem since Roman times. The locations and intensities of earlier catastrophes, depicted in the Bible or by Josephus Flavius, are less certain (Ambraseys, 2009;Guidoboni and Comastri, 2005). The sources of most of these events were likely in the Jordan Valley-Dead Sea sector of the fault system (Fig.…”

“…Preventative training activities and information campaigns in the education system are some of the most common and effective strategies in disaster risk mitigation (Lucini, 2014;Smawfield, 2013). Finally, decentralizing disaster risk reduction policies and measures, thereby increasing the role of local government in decision-making, is also effective in improving preparedness (Grady et al, 2016).…”

“…Intensity: local level of damage; the table below lists a key for reading the numerals. b Calculated byLanggut et al (2016).c Guidoboni and Comastri (2005). Ambraseys (2009, p. 291), from Historia Hierosolymitana of about 1122. e Ambraseys (2009), p. 445.…”

From Disaster Risk Reduction to Policy Studies: Bridging Research Communities

“…The literature also includes studies of the effects of other frameworks or policies (e.g., decentralization) on DRR (Grady et al 2016) or DRR aspects in planning (Crnčević and Lovren 2018). Other studies link DRR and policy evaluation via qualitative data collection methods, including document analysis, interviews, and focus-groups (e.g., Ahmed 2013; Burnside-Lawry and Carvalho 2015; Crnčević and Lovren 2018;Grady et al 2016;Zimmermann and Keiler 2015) or mix some of these methods with surveys (e.g., Amri et al 2017;Garschagen et al 2018).…”