1. Comments by RADAR Dr A. Holloway (ailsaholloway@sun.ac.za) Disaster Management Amendment Bill Parliament 21 April, 2015

2. Four main concerns Law should align with global best practice – move to disaster risk management (DRM)Law should align with global best practice – move to disaster risk management (DRM) Inclusion of missing definitionsInclusion of missing definitions Inclusion of climate variability (along with climate change)Inclusion of climate variability (along with climate change) Add spatial/temporal information on hazard under S 24 (4) – not restrict this to the areas affectedAdd spatial/temporal information on hazard under S 24 (4) – not restrict this to the areas affected

3. Realign with global emphasis on disaster risk reduction/management 2015-2030 http://www.wcdrr.org/uploads/Sendai_Framework_for_Disast er_Risk_Reduction_2015-2030.pdf Focus on preventing new and reducing existing disaster risks Disaster risk management’ 26 mentions ‘Disaster risk management’ 26 mentions ‘Disaster management’ 0 mentions

4. Colombia’s Law 1523 of 2012 National Policy on Disaster Risk Management and Establishing the National System of Disaster Risk Management and for other purposes Namibia’s Disaster Risk Management Act, 2012, Act No. 10, 2012 Peru’s Regulation approving Law 29664 creating a National Disaster Risk Management System 2011. Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, Republic Act No. 10121, 2009.

5. Definitions to explain language in amendment Need to include: ‘Hazard’‘Hazard’ ‘Exposure’‘Exposure’ ‘Disaster risk’‘Disaster risk’ ‘Disaster risk management’‘Disaster risk management’ Proposed amendment on definition of ‘mitigation’ …’lessening of the potential impacts of physical hazards …through actions that reduce hazard, exposure or vulnerability’ ? Proposed amendment on definition of ‘mitigation’ …’lessening of the potential impacts of physical hazards …through actions that reduce hazard, exposure or vulnerability’

6. variations in the mean state and other statistics (such as standard deviations, the occurrence of extremes, etc.) of the climate on all spatial and temporal scales beyond that of individual weather events’. ‘variations in the mean state and other statistics (such as standard deviations, the occurrence of extremes, etc.) of the climate on all spatial and temporal scales beyond that of individual weather events’. IPCC (https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment- report/ar5/wg2/drafts/fd/WGIIAR5- Glossary_FGD.pdf) Add Climate Variability along with Climate Change Eg … recurrent severe weather events in the Western Cape 2003-2014: +/- R 4.5 bn

8. Specific recommendation for Section 24 (4) Quarterly reporting by organs of state Suggest changing this to read ‘the spatial and temporal attributes of the associated hazard processes’… (and areas, communities and households affected).Suggest changing this to read ‘the spatial and temporal attributes of the associated hazard processes’… (and areas, communities and households affected).Why? Because hazard exposure is not the same as a disaster’s effects.

9. Research shows that losses do not always align tightly with exposure Eg recorded rainfall > 50m/24 hrs for severe weather events 2011-2014 Source: C. Englebrecht/RADAR Commissioned research for WCDMC (forthcoming)

10. Hospital Evacuation 15 November, 2013 www.nsri.co.za www.ewn.co.za Understanding previous exposures improves current/future risk assessment – eg flood risk

11. Rainfall Lourensford 1800-2000hrs 15 Novem., 2013 Nearly 200ml rain in 3 hours But flood exposure due to fire-related run-off not factored in But flood exposure due to fire-related run-off not factored in. Commissioned research for the WCDMC

12. We need legislation that is forward-thinking No. keywords per minute on 15 th November No. keywords per minute on 16 th November Hospital evacuation Commissioned research for the WCDMC

13. Align law with global direction – move to disaster risk management (DRM)Align law with global direction – move to disaster risk management (DRM) Include key definitionsInclude key definitions Include climate variability (along with climate change)Include climate variability (along with climate change) Add spatial/temporal information on hazard under S 24 (4) – not restrict this to the areas affected.Add spatial/temporal information on hazard under S 24 (4) – not restrict this to the areas affected. To Sum-Up

14. Thank you