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The Risk of Neoliberal Glaciers

Mark Carey

in In the Shadow of Melting Glaciers: Climate Change and Andean Society

Neoliberal reforms during the 1990s transformed natural resource access and environmental management worldwide. In Peru, hydroelectricity privatization allowed Duke Energy to consolidate control over ... More

Neoliberal reforms during the 1990s transformed natural resource access and environmental management worldwide. In Peru, hydroelectricity privatization allowed Duke Energy to consolidate control over the Cañón del Pato facility on the Santa River, which is fed largely by Cordillera Blanca glacier runoff. Once Duke Energy Egenor began management in 1997, the state's hydroelectric company, Electroperú, ended its glacier monitoring and glacial lake engineering programs. This was the first break in continuous glacier disaster prevention programs since 1951. Neoliberal privatization thus heightened climate change vulnerability while simultaneously making Duke Energy a major but highly contested stakeholder in the Santa River waterscape that extended up to Cordillera Blanca glaciers. Meanwhile, threats from glacier retreat and the 1997 El Niño event continued. In 2003, fears of another glacial lake outburst flood at Lake Palcacocha above Huaraz spurred government programs to manage glacier hazards and bolstered popular protests against Duke Energy.Less

Accountability, Support, Prevention

Anne Eyre and Pam Dix

in Collective Conviction: The Story of Disaster Action

This chapter examines how, for the October 1991 launch, Disaster Action published a pamphlet setting out the organisation's origins and purpose. The descriptions of the disasters are stark, a ... More

This chapter examines how, for the October 1991 launch, Disaster Action published a pamphlet setting out the organisation's origins and purpose. The descriptions of the disasters are stark, a shocking reminder of the human consequences that lie behind the bare facts. The issues common to all of them — a lack of responsibility and little understanding of the needs and priorities of those directly affected — gave rise to the three principle objectives — accountability, support, prevention — that continue to underpin the charity's activities. The words in the pamphlet were written only a short time after the disasters of the 1980s. They capture a moment in time in the history of the organisation, when the experiences were still raw and fresh in the minds of those affected. Disaster Action members were not prepared to accept the lack of resolution common to their experiences, however different the disasters had been in their cause and origin. How they set about translating these desperate moments in time into societal change truly began to evolve over the decade that was to follow, the 1990s.Less

Disaster Action’s Legacy – and the Future

Anne Eyre and Pam Dix

in Collective Conviction: The Story of Disaster Action

This chapter discusses Disaster Action's legacy. Disaster Action's focus has, rightly, evolved over the lifetime of the charity, in recent years being as much on addressing the human aspects of ... More

This chapter discusses Disaster Action's legacy. Disaster Action's focus has, rightly, evolved over the lifetime of the charity, in recent years being as much on addressing the human aspects of disasters as on their prevention. New members have joined, bringing their different experiences and issues, which have affected the shape and direction of the organisation. In many ways their contributions have reinforced and reminded members of the universal and consistent needs of those affected by disasters. At the same time, their expectations and concerns reflect the dynamic nature of emergency management, the changing environments in which disasters occur, and the need for a proper response, whatever the context. In order to sustain their work, the need for core funding for Disaster Action has remained paramount. The chapter then looks at Disaster Action's continuing work in the areas of legislation and guidance, as well as disaster victim identification. It also considers the future of humanitarian assistance and Disaster Action's enduring principles of accountability, support, and prevention.Less

Decade of Disaster – How It All Began

Anne Eyre and Pam Dix

in Collective Conviction: The Story of Disaster Action

This chapter traces the origins of Disaster Action, which lie in the personal experiences of individuals. A number of disasters occurred between 1985 and 1989, each involving many deaths and injuries ... More

This chapter traces the origins of Disaster Action, which lie in the personal experiences of individuals. A number of disasters occurred between 1985 and 1989, each involving many deaths and injuries — physical and psychological — within relatively quick succession. After each major disaster of the 1980s, relatives, friends, and survivors formed support groups to help those directly affected. The questions of how and why people had died and been injured and how similar disasters might be prevented in the future drove those from different backgrounds, of all religious persuasions and none, to come together. Each group had its own focus — for Zeebrugge, ro-ro ferry safety; for Lockerbie, airline and airport security; for the Marchioness, a full inquest and riverboat safety. These groups worked tirelessly to cope with and campaign on issues relating to their own tragic circumstances, lobbying government and other interest groups. The chapter then details how the disparate individuals and groups affected by this series of preventable tragedies in the 1980s come together to form the umbrella association that was to be Disaster Action. Ultimately, Disaster Action was established out of a collective will to see a more just and safer Britain.Less

Consolidating Disaster Action’s Influence and Contribution

Anne Eyre and Pam Dix

in Collective Conviction: The Story of Disaster Action

This chapter highlights how, within ten years of its foundation, Disaster Action had become well established as an organisation and increasingly participated in consultations on planning for, and ... More

This chapter highlights how, within ten years of its foundation, Disaster Action had become well established as an organisation and increasingly participated in consultations on planning for, and responding to, the needs of those directly affected by disaster. The involvement of Disaster Action members in committees and specialist working parties continued to develop as the emergency services, emergency planning professionals, and others sought to improve and develop procedures, guidance, and legislative processes for disaster prevention, planning, and response. As of 2014, the organisation is still regularly consulted by the statutory and voluntary services on how people's practical and emotional needs can best be met in the aftermath of disaster. It has become clear over the years that the influence of the organisation has spread far beyond its size. This is shown by the extent to which Disaster Action members continue to be invited to give presentations and participate in more and more national and international events and consultative processes. The chapter then looks at the awards and commendations that Disaster Action received for their work.Less

Natural Disaster Prevention and Response

Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser and Ban Ki-Moon

Shara Kay (ed.)

in A Year at the Helm of the United Nations General Assembly: A Vision for our Century

This chapter discusses United Nations role in disaster prevention and response. The UN system, through the Emergency Relief Coordinator, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian ... More

This chapter discusses United Nations role in disaster prevention and response. The UN system, through the Emergency Relief Coordinator, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, ensures the sustainability of current donations and investments. It promotes preparedness for disaster response through regional and international partnerships. In addition, the organization supports military involvement and assets in situations where they can play an important role. On that note, the HOPEFOR initiative seeks to supplement the UN system in disaster risk reduction and prevention activities by improving the effectiveness and coordination of military and civil defense assets for natural disaster response.Less

Disaster Prevention as an Issue in Environmental Ethics

Takahashi Takao

in Japanese Environmental Philosophy

While the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 gave Japan the opportunity to reconsider the basic relationships between humans and nature, the scale of this disaster was not limited to Japan. It may ... More

While the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 gave Japan the opportunity to reconsider the basic relationships between humans and nature, the scale of this disaster was not limited to Japan. It may be said that all of us live in “the age of co-disaster” in which we must realize that disasters are unavoidable. The earthquake brought forth a new agenda for environmental ethics, that is, disaster prevention. However, little research has been done in this area by environmental ethicists, many of whom have focused on the conservation of nature. Disaster prevention may be introduced into environmental ethics by examining Japanese mythology, which can help us develop new ways of forming, maintaining, and restoring good relationships between humans and nature.Less

Planetary Philosophy and Social Consensus Building

Kuwako Toshio

in Japanese Environmental Philosophy

Kuwako has worked extensively in Japan to apply his expertise in environmental ethics to the resolution of practical environmental problems. The Ohashi River, which runs through Matsue City in the ... More

Kuwako has worked extensively in Japan to apply his expertise in environmental ethics to the resolution of practical environmental problems. The Ohashi River, which runs through Matsue City in the Izumo region and feeds the Hii River, has recently undergone extensive modification for flood control. This controversial project has been politically polarizing because of the tensions between human welfare, traditional cultural beliefs, sustainability, and environmental aesthetics. Changing the spatial structure of a community is both a cultural and a historical project that must take into account traditional beliefs about the relationship between human beings and the environment. The decision-making process for the development of social infrastructure should be grounded in meaningful citizen participation and should reflect the environmental values of the people.Less