Integrating parallel structures for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the Southern African Development Community

Abstract

This study addresses disaster risk governance problematics, particularly the ways in which governments should integrate organisations for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. The focus is on assisting attempts to overcome problems associated with governing across departmental or ministry boundaries. The central argument in this study is that effective and efficient integration will require inter-organisational relations that can overcome structural impediments of government hierarchy as well as the tradition of inter-jurisdictional duplication. This is important because most government systems are not designed to address complex and boundary-crossing problems such as disaster risk that require integrated processes within and across levels of government. Moreover, governance of disaster risk through disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation has until now evolved largely in isolation from each other - through different conceptual and institutional frameworks, response strategies, and plans, at both international and national levels. As a result, the majority of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation initiatives at national level continue to function in parallel and in isolation. There is growing consensus among researchers, scholars and practitioners regarding the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. This is so because the integration of the two fields of practice provides opportunities to strengthen the common agendas and improve the management of present and future hazards and risks. However, most of the scholarship that advocates for the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation hardly goes beyond the inter-linkages of the two, thus focusing on similarities, differences, areas of convergence and the challenges. As such questions about the modalities of integration as well as the reasons for and the effects of their separation remain unanswered. Answers to such questions are critical to moving beyond the theoretical conceptualisation of the inter-linkages to practical integration. It is acknowledged in this study that no single approach represents a panacea for integrating disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and thus this study aims to contribute to the body of knowledge on the topic by reviewing the literature and providing a comprehensive picture on the governance of disaster risk both in general and with specific reference to SADC member states. Specifically, the main objective of the study is to develop a normative model for integrating structures for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation within the SADC member states. To achieve this objective, the study employed both theoretical and empirical dimensions. Firstly, the study conducted a literature review on the theories and practices of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and their convergence. The study also conducted a desktop analysis of the existing structures for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in each of the Southern African Development Community member states. To address the objective in full, the study undertook empirical research by means of a mixedmethods research design. This method was chosen because the use of both qualitative and quantitative approaches are considered to offer in-depth experience of individual perspectives while allowing generalisation and providing precision. The empirical study involved, firstly, the collection of data through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Data collected through these methods was analysed using a thematic analysis approach for qualitative data. The findings in this phase were used to inform the development of instruments for the second phase of the study, the quantitative research. Secondly, in the quantitative research, data was collected through an online survey. A total of 35 practitioners in the fields of disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, environmental management and meteorology from nine SADC member states participated in the study. Respondents were able to articulate the reasons for and effects of having separate structures for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. Respondents further provided ways in which the integration of the structures should take place. Subsequently, the thesis proposes a generic model to assist SADC member states' practitioners in their efforts to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. The model is generic in that it can be adapted to member state's particularities. Successful implementation of the model hinges on five enablers including legal and regulatory frameworks, strategies, policies and plans, political interest and commitment, access to sufficient capacity and resources support by regional and international organisations. A recommendation of note made by the study is that if circumstances of a particular country do not allow for the structural adjustment or merging, organisations for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation need to strengthen their cooperative, coordinative and collaborative relationships. Other recommendation made in the study include the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction into sectoral policies, improved political will and commitment, improvement of information awareness and advocacy, building institutional capacity and joint funding of programmes and projects. As a result of the limitations of the study and the infinite nature of research on the subject of integrating disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, the study was able to propose further areas of research.