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Preventive Resettlement of Populations at Risk of Disaster - GFDRR

Preventive Resettlement of Populations at Risk of Disaster - GFDRR

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Glossary *<br />

Acceptable risk<br />

The level <strong>of</strong> potential losses th<strong>at</strong> a society or community<br />

considers acceptable given existing social, economic,<br />

political, cultural, technical and environmental conditions.<br />

Adapt<strong>at</strong>ion<br />

The adjustment in n<strong>at</strong>ural or human systems in response<br />

to actual or expected clim<strong>at</strong>ic stimuli or their<br />

effects, which moder<strong>at</strong>es harm or exploits beneficial opportunities.<br />

Biological hazard<br />

Process or phenomenon <strong>of</strong> organic origin or conveyed<br />

by biological vectors, including exposure to p<strong>at</strong>hogenic<br />

micro-organisms, toxins and bioactive substances th<strong>at</strong><br />

may cause loss <strong>of</strong> life, injury, illness or other health impacts,<br />

property damage, loss <strong>of</strong> livelihoods and services,<br />

social and economic disruption, or environmental damage.<br />

Building code<br />

A set <strong>of</strong> ordinances or regul<strong>at</strong>ions and associ<strong>at</strong>ed standards<br />

intended to control aspects <strong>of</strong> the design, construction,<br />

m<strong>at</strong>erials, alter<strong>at</strong>ion and occupancy <strong>of</strong> structures<br />

th<strong>at</strong> are necessary to ensure human safety and<br />

welfare, including resistance to collapse and damage.<br />

Capacity<br />

The combin<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> all the strengths, <strong>at</strong>tributes and resources<br />

available within a community, society or organiz<strong>at</strong>ion<br />

th<strong>at</strong> can be used to achieve agreed goals.<br />

Capacity Development<br />

The process by which people, organiz<strong>at</strong>ions and society<br />

system<strong>at</strong>ically stimul<strong>at</strong>e and develop their capacities<br />

over time to achieve social and economic goals, including<br />

through improvement <strong>of</strong> knowledge, skills, systems,<br />

and institutions.<br />

Clim<strong>at</strong>e change<br />

(a) The Inter-governmental Panel on Clim<strong>at</strong>e Change<br />

(IPCC) defines clim<strong>at</strong>e change as: “a change in the<br />

st<strong>at</strong>e <strong>of</strong> the clim<strong>at</strong>e th<strong>at</strong> can be identified (e.g., by using<br />

st<strong>at</strong>istical tests) by changes in the mean and/or<br />

the variability <strong>of</strong> its properties, and th<strong>at</strong> persists for<br />

an extended period, typically decades or longer. Clim<strong>at</strong>e<br />

change may be due to n<strong>at</strong>ural internal processes<br />

or external forcings, or to persistent anthropogenic<br />

changes in the composition <strong>of</strong> the <strong>at</strong>mosphere or in<br />

land use”.<br />

(b) The United N<strong>at</strong>ions Framework Convention on Clim<strong>at</strong>e<br />

Change (UNFCCC) defines clim<strong>at</strong>e change as<br />

“a change <strong>of</strong> clim<strong>at</strong>e which is <strong>at</strong>tributed directly or<br />

indirectly to human activity th<strong>at</strong> alters the composition<br />

<strong>of</strong> the global <strong>at</strong>mosphere and which is in addition<br />

to n<strong>at</strong>ural clim<strong>at</strong>e variability observed over<br />

comparable time periods”.<br />

Contingency planning<br />

A management process th<strong>at</strong> analyses specific potential<br />

events or emerging situ<strong>at</strong>ions th<strong>at</strong> might thre<strong>at</strong>en society<br />

or the environment and establishes arrangements in<br />

advance to enable timely, effective and appropri<strong>at</strong>e responses<br />

to such events and situ<strong>at</strong>ions.<br />

Coping capacity<br />

The ability <strong>of</strong> people, organiz<strong>at</strong>ions and systems, using<br />

available skills and resources, to face and manage adverse<br />

conditions, emergencies or disasters.<br />

Corrective disaster risk management*<br />

Management activities th<strong>at</strong> address and seek to correct<br />

or reduce disaster risks which are already present.<br />

Critical facilities<br />

The primary physical structures, technical facilities and<br />

systems which are socially, economically or oper<strong>at</strong>ion-<br />

*<br />

Reproduced from the UNIDR 2009. Terminology on <strong>Disaster</strong> <strong>Risk</strong> Reduction. Geneva, Switzerland. May. Retrieved from:<br />

http://unisdr.org/files/7817_UNISDRTerminologyEnglish.pdf<br />

116 <strong>Preventive</strong> <strong>Resettlement</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Popul<strong>at</strong>ions</strong> <strong>at</strong> <strong>Risk</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Disaster</strong>: Experiences from L<strong>at</strong>in America

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