Importance of Vulnerability in Disaster Risk Management

Abstract

Climate changes today result ever more frequently in large scale catastrophic events, such as floods, fires, tropical cyclones, hurricanes. They greatly endanger individuals, businesses and society as a whole. Countries, regions, local governments, and the insurance sector, have large problems resolving the consequences of such events. The likelihood of these events is difficult to influence. Nevertheless, the largest contribution to risk reduction can be achieved by reducing vulnerability in any of its four forms: infrastructural, environmental, economic and social vulnerability. This paper analyses different aspects and indicators for assessing vulnerability. The main aim in this paper is to show the importance of vulnerability assessment in disaster risk management. The main result of this research is vulnerability assessment method, methods like this one should contribute to shift from passive disaster-related defense to proactive disaster risk management, as well as from emergency management only, to disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation activities

Article history: Received (02 March 2011); Revised (09 Jun 2011); Accepted (27 Jun 2011)