History of Risk Management Approach

During the last decade, the studies related to disaster risk management approaches have had a paradigm shift from looking at a single hazard risk at a time to an all-hazards approach wherein multiple complex hazard risks are dealt with comprehensively. This shift is more profoundly mentioned in Priority 1 of the post-2015 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), which is a global document and emphasizes considering an all-hazards approach to assess disaster risks and thereby strengthen capacity. With the growing changes in climatic conditions and human-related activities, the frequency and severity of compounding, cascading, and systemic hazard risks have also significantly increased. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic since 2020 coupled with various other disasters such as floods, cyclones, heat waves and locust attacks in the global scenario is a well-set example of the terrifying consequences that such complex hazard risks may cause. This chapter systematically reviews the evolution of disaster risk management approaches over time—from dealing with a single hazard risk at a time to an all-hazards approach. This gives an overview of the multiple threats the society and infrastructures are exposed to at a time and their readiness to withstand the same. The chapter also discusses the alternative top-hazards approach which prioritizes the hazard risks according to the local scenario and then sequentially deals with the top-ranking hazard risks for achieving better levels of preparedness. Accordingly, this puts forth the fact that different hazard risks should be managed with a common adaptable plan for mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, and also demands an upgradation in the elements of disaster risk management in each of these four stages. A review of the risk management approaches to date shall therefore offer a robust pathway to the decision-makers for managing such compounding effects of disasters holistically and contribute to resilience building of the society and infrastructures therein.