Floods are not only a seasonal disaster anymore, but are becoming a defining feature of our Earth’s geography. Climate Change along with poor governance structure is a catalyst of naturally-driven social crisis.
Key Points
- Floods are becoming naturally-driven social realities of Earth.
- Weak governance and human negligence catalyzed the impact of climate change.
- Future security lies in the adaptation and coexistence vis-à-vis the disaster of floods.
- Policy- driven nature resilience approach offer practical solution to managing disasters.
A World Drowning in Its Own Development
Like other natural crises, floods have always been a part of the natural cycle of the Earth. However, human activities have played a significant role in transforming these natural rhythms into catastrophic events. These include deforestation, increased levels of urbanization, and negligent coastal developments. According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), 2.3 billion people have been affected by floods in the last 25 years along with the $1 trillion global economic loss.
Countries with advanced technologies also witnessed the devastating effects of these catastrophic events. The flash floods in Dubai in recent years have disrupted the infrastructure. This showcases the level of focus of the countries more towards infrastructural designs instead of disaster resilience. The same situation was observed in Jakarta, Durban, and Mumbai, where heavy rain destroyed drainage systems. So, climate change is not the only single factor behind natural disasters, but a weak governance system and human negligence make the situation more terrible.
The Era of Continuous Floods
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that global sea levels are estimated to rise by up to 1.1 meters by the end of the 21st century. This rise is a greater threat to the low-lying coastal regions in the world. As observed, the Pacific islands, river deltas in South Asia are vanishing, and Africa is experiencing coastal erosion. What threatens the livelihood in these regions of the world?
The concept of a disaster is fluctuating as the shifting natural patterns of the Earth. Now floods are no longer one-time events. These are new emerging continuous problems that cause a natural-social crisis. These cause problems like food security, water-borne diseases, and displacement. There is a greater need for time to accept and comprehend the new reality and re-evaluate the global disaster management model.
Adaptation and Co-existence
The traditional disaster management model consists of three steps, which are respond, recover, and rebuild. The shifting natural rhythms demanded the re-evaluation and upgradation of this outdated approach. Our future security lies in the adaptation and coexistence vis-à-vis the disaster of floods. Many countries in the world are following this new approach in order to manage this problem.
China took the initiative of Spongy City with the purpose of creating porous pavement with green zones to absorb rainwater naturally. The same in the Netherlands, a geographical program with the name of Room for the River has started. Under that initiative, the landscapes are created in a way to make space for the water instead of fighting it. Likewise, mangrove forests have been restored in Bangladesh to reduce this disaster. Since the 1970s, Bangladesh has experienced approximately a 90% reduction in cyclone-related deaths.
These exemplify that resilience could be a part of political and cultural strategy to manage these disasters. The effectiveness of this depends upon how societies adapt, plan, prioritize, and execute these strategies.
Recommendations
- Combine Flood Control with City Design:Cities have to combine climate adaptation and zoning laws. All new structures around coastal communities are to be subjected to a climate-risk audit. This will make sure that urban development does not interfere with horological systems.
- Invest in Natural-Based Solutions: Natural flood defense is provided in restoring wetlands, mangroves, and river corridors. Research indicates that a dollar spent on protecting the ecosystem guarantees a saving of six dollars during the recovery of the disaster.6 These are locally implementable, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable measures.
- Create an International Coastal Adaptation Fund: In addition to the Loss and Damage Fund of COP28, there should be a special mechanism that would assist with the adaptation projects of the coastal countries. The funds should be direct with no bureaucratic delays and tied to some quantifiable result, such as less displacement or more mangrove cover.
- Enhance Early Detection and Local Government: Different digital forecasting tools should be accompanied by local training. Casualties can be significantly cut by empowering the communities to read and take action on warnings. Early warning is of no use when it is not put into early action.
- Promote Infrastructure of the Climate Compatible: Future ports, airports, and coastal highways ought to be built in such a way that they are able to fail safely, that is, not completely but partially operational in case of extreme floods. Floating buildings, amphibious homes, which have already been created in the Netherlands and Thailand, can be modified to the conditions of development.
- Encourage Coastal Management in the Region: Boundaries are no obstacle to floods. South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Africa require collective systems of river basin management, technology, and relocation aid. Regional Coastal Resilience Council may be the one to organize scientific information and humanitarian logistics.
Conclusion
The human race is at a crossroads of either moving forward with water or it is constantly sinking in its own water through its ignorance. Transformation and not evacuation is the next frontier of disaster management. We need to create societies that will not break, run, or plan in panic. The flood is not approaching; it is already there. How smart we are to remain is the question of our survival.
Bio
I am Tayyaba Hameed. A student of M.Phil International Relations at NUML, Rawalpindi. My research areas included sustainable development, climate-driven disaster, regional security, role of the US in disaster management in Indo-Pacific. I am also ambassador of TCF’ Alumni Pathways Department. Where I lead outreach session, motivational engagement and guide students about higher education and career choices.
Key Citations
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). (2023) Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2023. Geneva: UNDRR.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2024) Sixth Assessment Report: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Geneva: IPCC.
Rijkswaterstaat. (2023) Room for the River Programme Evaluation Report. The Hague: Government of the Netherlands.
Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD). (2024) China Sponge City Implementation Report 2024. Beijing: MOHURD.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Bangladesh. (2023) Cyclone Preparedness and Community Resilience Review 2023. Dhaka: UNDP.
World Bank. (2024) Nature-Based Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.