Introduction
ICIMOD has contributed to disaster risk reduction (DRR) since its early inception. ICIMOD’s experience with hazard studies and risk reduction has mainly been in three focus areas
1. Mountain hazard assessment promoting the use of technologies
ICIMOD’s early contributions mainly concentrated on the technical and physical aspects of DRR. The focus was on mountain risk engineering and hazard-related data inventory (e.g., landslides hazard management and control, mapping of glaciers and glacial lakes using satellite images). GIS capacities and the handling of satellite imagery are now well established. More recently, the floods generated by glacial lake outbursts have been addressed quantitatively using dam break and flood propagation models.
2. Capacity building and awareness raising through training and knowledge sharing
Since 1998, ICIMOD has provided capacity building on the use of physical and technical tools using modern decision support systems and tools (e.g., use of GIS and remote sensing as tool for the management of spatial data). More recently, training events have integrated the physical and social aspects of DRR with a specific focus on social inclusion (gender perspective and local knowledge on disaster preparedness). ICIMOD has also started to promote knowledge sharing on DRR in a regional transboundary context through regional workshops and a website.
3. Recent trends: From hazard assessment to risk assessment
Since 2006, ICIMOD’s new orientation in DRR aims to provide a more integrated approach and to encourage interdisciplinary work between technical, physical and socioeconomic experts for innovative solutions. We are trying to understand the linkages between natural hazards, climate change and human health.
This DVD is a compilation of publications related to disaster risk reduction produced by ICIMOD between 1985 and 2008. All documents are in PDF format. The PDF files of older publications have been prepared from scanned images. We apologize for the inevitable loss of quality.
