1. Workshop on National Platforms 23 – 29 August 2008, Davos Switzerland
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC
National Platform for Natural Hazard PLANAT
Workshop on National Platforms
23 – 29 August 2008, Davos Switzerland
Disaster Risk Reduction
National Coordinating Mechanisms in
Switzerland
PLANAT

2. THE COUNTRY

3. SWITZERLAND: A FEW DATA
Agricultural land s.l %
The territory 41,285 km2 Settlements and urban areas 6.8%
Unproductive land %
Its population in 2006: mio
Four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romanche;
Three official ones: German, French and Italian

4. Switzerland: its political system divides the tasks between the three levels
Federal Government
Conceptual work and legislation
Supervision of implementation
Cantons (26)
Implementation of federal regulations
Municipalities (< 3000)
Implementation of federal and cantonal regulations

5. SWITZERLAND AND ITS « NATURAL » DISASTERS

6. Disasters in Switzerland related to natural hazards
Randa rockfall, Wallis
, Wallis earthquake Io=8 Mw=6.1
Damages to the church of Chippis
Summer,2003, Forestfire
Loèche,Wallis,
© A. Götz, BWG
, Landslide Falli Hölli, Freiburg,
, Snow avalanche,
Walenstadt,St. Gallen
24/ , Floods
Reuss Valley, Uri
© O. Lateltin, BWG
© Kt St Gallen
© BWG

7. AUGUST 2005 HEAVY RAINS IN CH
One of the major recent disaster:
Bern 2005
Sarnen 2005
Bern 2005
© BWG
Thurner Lake 2005
Railway near Engelberg 2005
AUGUST 2005 HEAVY RAINS IN CH
Brienz 2005
Road near Engelberg 2005

8. Recent « major » disasters in Switzerland
Events
Year
Death toll
Damage (in mio €)
Snow avalanches
1951 97 80
Floods in the Alpine Arc
1987 4
800
1999 17
500
Floods in the Alpine foreland 2
390
Windstorm Lothar
14 (+ 15during recovery)
1’330
Floods in the Wallis & Ticino
2000 16
445
Floods in Central Switzerland and Bern
2005 6
1’750
Floods and terrain instabilities
2007
430

9. THE POLICY

10. The National Platform for Natural Hazards: PLANAT
PLANAT was created in 1997 by the Swiss Federal Council and made responsible for coordinating concepts in the field of prevention against natural hazards.
The main objectives of the extra-parliamentary commission are:
A paradigm shift from pure protection against hazards to the management of natural risks within a uniform vision.
A National forum for discussion

11. The National Platform for Natural Hazards
PLANAT consists of twenty specialists coming from the Confederation, the cantons, research, professional associations, the economy and insurances.
They are from all regions of Switzerland.
The Federal Council appoints them for periods of four years.

12. PLANAT: its organization
(20)

13. Context of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Switzerland PLANAT members
Federal Administration
ETHZ
MeteoSwiss
Canton
DETEC
FOEN
ARE
DDCP
DFA
DHA
Prived sector
Prived sector
Canton
EPFL
University
Canton
Prived sector
Canton
Insurance
Prived sector
Canton

14. The Swiss Federal Council mandated PLANAT to develop a comprehensive and interlinked strategy to improve the protection against natural hazards.
The Federal Council emphasized that protection against natural hazards should not only be provided for residents of the Alpine region, but for the entire population of Switzerland.
It also intends to ensure comparable security standards throughout Switzerland based on extensive risk management.
The aim is to protect people and their livelihood as well as important material assets.

15. Assessing hazards and risks
The cycle of integrated risk management
Intervention
Alert
Rescue
Damage mitigation
Information/Instructions
Warning
Information
Event
Limiting extensive damage
Preparation
Organisation
Resource planning
Deployment planning
Insurance
Assessing hazards and risks
Response
Preparedness
Rehabilitation
Provisional repair
Supply and disposal
Transport systems
Communications
Financing
Emergency legislation
Prevention
Land use planning
Technical measures
Bio-engineering
measures
Recovery
Reconstruction
Definitve repair
Strengthning of resilience
Financing
Reducing vulnerability
OFPP

16. THINK GLOBALLY
ACT LOCALLY

17. PLANAT ONGOING PROJECT:
ACTION PLAN IN THE FRAME OF DRR AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE

18. Institutional Actors and Stakeholders in Normal Times
United Nations & other Intern. Agencies
International
Governmental Sector
Swiss Confederation
Civil Society
National
European Union (Bilateral)
Swiss Society for
Earthquake Engineering
-SGEB-
Seismological Service
EPF &
Universities
Cantons
MeteoSwiss
District
Fed. Dpt of the environment, transport, Energy & communications, DETEC (FOEN PLANAT)
Insurers
Swiss Professionals for Natural Dangers -FAN-
Municipalities
Local
Mayor & its council
Fed. Dpt of Defence, Civil Protection & Sport, DDPS (FOCP NEOC)
Fire Brigade
Civil Protection Organization
NGOs
Propertity owners
Fed. Dpt of Foreign Affairs DFA (DDC)
Business
Energy and Telecommunications Enterprises
Insurers
Private Sector

19. Cantonal Crisis comittee
Institutional Actors and Stakeholders in Crisis Times
Mayor and its council
Foreign Governments
International
Governmental Sector
Swiss Confederation
Civil Society
Fed. Office for Environment (Hazard Prevention Division)
National
National Emergency Operations Center
Cantons
District
Insurers
Cantonal Crisis comittee
Fed. Office of Civil Protection
Municipalities
Local
Mayor & its council
Fire Brigade
NGOs
Civil Protection Organization
ARMY
Propertity owners
MeteoSwiss
Business
Swiss Seismological Service
Energy and Telecommunications Enterprises
Insurers
Private Sector

20. Partners of civil protection system
Management
Police
Public health care service
Technical services
Protection & support service
Fire service

21. CONCLUSION:
SWITZERLAND HAS APPROPRIATE INSTITUTIONS
DEALING WITH DRR AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
NEVERTHELESS A CONSTANT EFFORT HAS TO BE MADE FOR A CLOSER COOPERATION TO INSURE THE POPULATION SECURITY
THIS ESPECIALLY FOR THE FUTURE WHICH WILL BE MORE DEMANDING IN RELATION WITH EXTREME METEOROLOGICAL EVENTS GENERATED BY THE CLIMATE CHANGES