Disaster mitigation & climate change adaptation in times of economic crisis: Summary of results of KNOW4DRR Workshop in Athens, Greece on April 7, 2014 P.No 603807 ENV.2013.6.5-2 

1. Enabling Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction
in integration to Climate Change Adaptation
Disaster mitigation & climate change
adaptation in times of economic crisis:
Summary of results of KNOW4DRR Workshop in Athens,
Greece on April 7, 2014
M. Dandoulaki, Th.Karymbalis & S.Skordili
Harokopio University of Athens
P.No 603807
ENV.2013.6.5-2
Final conference
Knowledge management
for improving DRR / CAA:
state of the art, findings & steps forward
26 -27 May 2015, Chambéry, Savoie, France

2. Harokopio
University
The
topic
Produc.on,
sharing,
dissemina.on,
maintenance
and
usage
of
knowledge
for
Disaster
Risk
Reduc.on
and
Climate
Change
Adapta.on
in
the
context
of
the
economic
crisis
focusing
on
Greece
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

3. Harokopio
University
Research
methodology
§ Literature
review
–
News’
search
§ Exploratory
interviews
§ Focus
groups
Ø Crisis
and
disaster
risk
Ø Knowledge
produc.on,
diffusion,
maintenance
and
usage
in
.mes
of
crisis
Ø DRR/CCA
policies
and
their
implementa.on
in
the
midst
of
crisis
Ø The
use
of
knowledge
in
DRR/CCA
policies
and
ther
implementa.on
in
the
crisis
era`
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

4. Harokopio
University
The
stakeholders
Private Sector
Civil society
Public
Sector
Scientists
Media
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

5. Focus group: Scientists
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

6. Harokopio
University
Findings
from
the
scien.sts
(1/4)
§ Scien.sts
are
forced
to
leave
their
comfort
zone
and
find
ways
out.
They
are
pushed
to
reach
society
and
to
claim
together
par.cipa.on
in
policy
making.
§ Knowledge
on
disaster
risk
reduc.on
and
climate
change
adapta.on
was
advanced
before
the
crisis.
Crisis
hinders
further
advance.
§ Threat
of
redundancies
and
of
closure
or
merging
of
public
ins.tu.ons
generates
a
feeling
of
insecurity.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

7. Harokopio
University
Findings
from
the
scien.sts
(2/4)
§ Brain
drain
is
a
shocking
reality
that
depletes
the
country
from
highly
specialized
personnel
and
eradicates
past
investment
of
the
state
and
of
households
on
educa.on.
§ Universi.es
and
research
ins.tu.ons
find
themselves
at
the
margins
of
policy
making
even
if
their
reputa.on
was
high
before
the
crisis.
§ Uncertainty
rela.ng
with
the
future
risks
in
combina.on
with
uncertainty
regarding
the
present
survival
muddles
risk
percep.on
and
acceptability.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

8. Harokopio
University
Findings
from
the
scien.sts
(3/4)
§ Policies
targe.ng
immediate
visible
outcome
become
easier
to
support
by
decision
makers
and
poli.cians
who
also
operate
under
uncertainty.
§ Everyday
short-­‐term
considera.ons
prevail
to
long-­‐
term
strategies
and
planning.
DRR
and
climate
change
adapta.on
lose
ground
to
emergency
management.
§ New
risks
emerge
and
old
risks
grow
in
the
crisis
era.
Knowledge
about
them
even
if
available
and
shared
cannot
really
influence
policies
especially
those
imposed
under
the
circumstances.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

9. Harokopio
University
Findings
from
the
scien.sts
(4/4)
§ Safety
and
security
are
compromised
in
the
name
of
economic
growth
or
employment.
Economic
interests
prevail
in
decision
making
while
consulta.on
and
public
par.cipa.on
lose
ground.
§ During
crisis,
decisions
are
hasty
and
are
taken
under
stress;
the
poli.cal
agenda
leaves
out
science.
§ Although
knowledge,
crea.vity
and
inven.veness
could
be
especially
beneficial
for
policy
making,
evalua.on
and
implementa.on
during
crisis,
this
is
not
the
case
especially
as
regards
DRR/CCA.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

10. Focus group: The public sector
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

11. Findings
from
the
public
sector
(1/4)
Harokopio
University
§ The
Greek
public
sector
is
obliged
to
open
and
adjust.
§ Administra.ve
reforms
long
overdue
are
introduced.
§ Public
en..es
are
pushed
to
iden.fy
funding
opportuni.es,
develop
rela.onships
with
EU
ins.tu.ons
and
get
acquainted
with
EU
procedures.
§ More
cau.ous
public
spending
and
ra.onal
usage
of
resources
and
funding.
§ An
increase
of
“volunteerism
a_tude
at
work”
and
more
involvement.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

12. Harokopio
University
Findings
from
the
public
sector
(2/4)
§ Rushed
administra.ve
reforms
and
fiscal
restrains
strain
public
agencies
and
their
doings
for
DRR/CCA.
§ Merging
and
abolishing
of
public
en..es,
staff
reduc.on
and
mobility,
forced
re.rements
etc.
generate
a
real
concern
about
data,
informa.on
and
knowledge
upholding.
§ Percep.on
and
acceptability
of
risks
alter
in
the
mist
of
crisis.
Disaster
risk
nego.ates
its
posi.on
with
socioeconomic
risks
and
new
risks
arise.
Disaster
risk
must
be
seen
within
the
emerging
risk
milieu
of
crisis.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

13. Findings
from
the
public
sector
(3/4)
Harokopio
University
§ There
is
a
visible
shia
from
disaster
reduc.on
and
preven.ve
policies
to
emergency
management
and
the
role
of
uniformed
personnel
in
disaster
management
rises.
§ Due
to
the
acute
shortage
of
na.onal
funding
there
is
a
severe
dependency
on
EU
funding
which
dictates
policy
priori.es
regarding
CCA
and
DRR.
Although
CCA
is
advanced
through
European
policies,
a
balance
should
be
looked
for
between
na.onal
and
local
concerns
and
EU
policy
and
research
priori.es.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

14. Findings
from
the
public
sector
(4/4)
Harokopio
University
§ Fiscal
and
economic
compels
set
aside
the
quality
of
infrastructure.
There
are
already
signs
of
conflict
between
the
key
goal
of
facilita:ng
investment
on
the
one
hand
and
environmental
protec:on
and
risk
reduc.on
on
the
other.
§ Knowledge
of
what
present
decisions
invoke
in
terms
of
risks
is
essen.al;
yet
knowledge
is
not
a
panacea
and
must
be
seen
within
the
present
power
dynamics.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

15. Focus group: The civil society
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

16. Harokopio
University
Findings
from
the
civil
society
(1/3)
§ The
forma.on
of
Civil
Society
in
Greece
has
been
based
on
processes
of
social
change
that
have
been
leading
to
restricted
and
top-­‐down
forma:on
of
CSOs,
which
in
many
cases
have
been
state-­‐oriented.
§ There
is
not
even
a
proper
account
of
which
en..es
cons.tute
the
Civil
Society,
as
registries
and
surveys
are
created
on
specific
and
ad
hoc
basis.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

17. Harokopio
University
Findings
from
the
civil
society
(2/3)
§ The
Environment
and
Humanitarian
Aid
are
the
primary
fields
of
NGOs
in
Greece,
a
fact
that
is
now
said
to
be
changing
due
to
crisis.
§ There
is
a
significant
augmenta:on
of
non
typical
organiza:ons
of
social
solidarity,
oaen
with
a
lea
poli.cal
orienta.on.
These
organiza.ons
have
in
turn,
and
in
contrast
to
mainstream
media,
contribute
to
highlight
problems
of
poverty
and
social
exclusion.
§ The
environment
and
especially
disaster
risk
reduc.on,
has
lost
much
of
its
predominance
in
the
public
sphere.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

18. Harokopio
University
Findings
from
the
civil
society
(3/3)
§ Scien.fic-­‐based
ac.ons
and
an
internal
division
of
labour
are
a
feature
of
larger
and
more
mul.-­‐task
NGOs,
while
the
smaller
ones
are
based
on
empirical,
non-­‐tacit
knowledge.
§ The
current
crisis,
with
both
its
posi:ve
and
nega:ve
effects,
is
reproducing
exis.ng
strengths
and
weaknesses
in
the
social
system.
By
being
a
part
of
that
system,
civil
society
en..es
face
a
number
of
differen.ated
threats
and,
parallel
to
that,
are
also
being
challenged
by
some
windows
of
opportuni:es,
which
they
are
currently
exploring.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

19. Harokopio
University
The
private
sector
The
crisis
has
changed
dras.cally
risk
percep.on
of
the
private
sector
en..es.
Financial
risks
are
in
the
forefront
while
natural
disaster
risk
has
retreated.
Firms
operate
at
a
loss
and
struggle
for
survival.
They
dras.cally
reduce
costs.
Maintenance
and
repair
of
buildings
and
equipment,
training,
drills,
are
among
the
first
costs
to
be
abolished.
Penetra.on
of
insurance
in
Greek
firms
has
always
been
rela.vely
low
and
is
expected
to
be
even
lower.
This
situa.on
goes
hand
in
hand
with
a
very
protec.ve
state
in
case
of
a
disaster.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

20. Harokopio
University
The
private
sector
The
rather
pessimis.c
situa.on
of
DRR
capaci.es
and
involvement
of
firms
in
Greece
does
not
reflect
the
rela.vely
low
toll
Greek
firms
pay
in
disasters,
because:
§ Private
firms
are
open
to
several
groups
of
risks,
“new”
and
“old”
ones.
§ Businesses
in
Greece
are
accustomed
to
operate
in
an
unstable
and
highly
unpredictable
business
environment.
§ Around
99%
of
the
Greek
firms
are
SMEs
(the
vast
majority
even
micro
SMSs).
These
SMEs
operate
in
a
high
risk
environment
by
defini.on.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

21. Summing
up:
main
challenges
Harokopio
University
Percep.on
and
acceptability
of
risks
alter
in
the
mist
of
crisis.
Disaster
risk
nego.ates
its
posi.on
with
socioeconomic
risks
and
new
risks
which
arise.
Challenge:
Disaster
risk
must
be
seen
within
the
context
of
crisis
and
the
new
risk
milieu
it
generates.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

22. Summing
up:
main
challenges
Harokopio
University
There
is
a
visible
shia
from
disaster
reduc.on
and
preven.ve
policies
to
emergency
management.
Challenge:
Convergence
between
the
separated
fields
and
segregated
prac:ce
and
scholar
communi:es
of:
§ civil
protec:on,
civil
defense,
security
§ climate
change,
disaster
risk
reduc:on
and
the
environment
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

23. Summing
up:
main
challenges
Harokopio
University
Dependency
on
EU
funding
due
to
the
acute
shortage
of
na.onal
funding,
dictates
policy
priori.es
regarding
CCA
and
DRR.
Challenge:
Balance
between
concerns
at
a
local
and
na:onal
level
and
EU
priori:es
as
regards
DRR
and
CCA.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

24. Summing
up:
main
challenges
Harokopio
University
Fiscal
and
economic
compels
set
aside
the
quality
of
infrastructure
and
environmental
concerns
.
Challenge:
Avoid
transferring
disaster
risk
to
social
groups,
places
and
the
next
genera:ons
while
struggling
with
the
crisis.
FinalWorkshop
May26-27,2015
KnowledgemanagementforimprovingDRR/CAA

25. Harokopio
University
Thank
you!