Handout DRRM CC Terminologies 20190503 Final

HANDOUT: DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT (DRRM)
AND CLIMATE CHANGE (CC) TERMINOLOGIES
This handout contains the basic DRRM and CC terminologies and their definitions according
to the 2017 United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) Terminology on
Disaster Risk Reduction, the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC). These terminologies will help the school personnel in formulating
DRRM-CCAM (i.e. climate change adaptation and mitigation) plans for their respective schools.
Basic DRRM and CC terminologies and their definitions are listed in the chart below. Most of
these definitions can also be found in the School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (SDRRM)
Manual of the Department of Education (DepEd) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service
(DRRMS).
DRRM Definition
Concept/Terminology
Hazard “A process, phenomenon, or human activity that may cause loss
of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, social
and economic disruption, or environmental degradation.”1
Note:
Key words:
• Potential
• Can be slow or rapid onset
• Can be single, sequential, or combined in their origin and
effects, i.e., multi-hazard
• Natural or human-induced/anthropogenic
Each hazard is characterized by its location, intensity or

magnitude, frequency, and probability.
“Natural hazards are predominantly associated with natural

processes and phenomena.”2
“Anthropogenic hazards, or human-induced hazards, are

induced entirely or predominantly by human activities and
choices.”3 For UNISDR, this term does not include the occurrence
or risk of armed conflicts and other situations of social instability
or tension which are subject to international humanitarian law
1
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. (February, 2017). Terminology. Retrieved from
https://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/terminology
2 United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. (February, 2017). Terminology. Retrieved from
3
1
and national legislation. DRRMS includes armed conflict among
the human-induced/anthropogenic hazards.
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030

include the following categories of hazards.
“Geological or geophysical hazards originate from internal earth

processes.”4
Examples: earthquakes; volcanic eruption; and related

geophysical processes such as mass movements, landslides,
rockslides, surface collapses and debris, or mud flows.
“Hydro-meteorological factors are important contributors to

some of these processes. Tsunamis are difficult to categorize:
although they are triggered by undersea earthquakes and other
geological events, they essentially become an oceanic process
that is manifested as a coastal water-related hazard.”5
“Hydro-meteorological hazards are of atmospheric, hydrological

or oceanographic origin.”6
Examples: tropical cyclones; floods, including flash floods;

drought; heatwaves and cold spells; and coastal storm surges.
“Hydro-meteorological conditions also can be a factor in other

hazards such as landslides, wildland fires, locust plagues,
epidemics and in the transport and dispersal of toxic substances
and volcanic eruption material.”7
Biological hazards are of “organic origin or conveyed by

biological vectors, including pathogenic microorganisms, toxins
and bioactive substances. Examples are bacteria, viruses or
parasites, as well as venomous wildlife and insects, poisonous
plants, and mosquitoes carrying disease-causing
agents.”8“Environmental hazards may include chemical, natural
4
5
6
7
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2
and biological hazards. They can be created by environmental
degradation or physical or chemical pollution in the air, water
and soil. However, many of the processes and phenomena that
fall into this category may be termed drivers of hazard and risk
rather than hazards in themselves, such as soil degradation,
deforestation, loss of biodiversity, salinization and sea-level
rise.”9
“Technological hazards originate from technological or industrial

conditions, dangerous procedures, infrastructure failures or
specific human activities. Examples include industrial pollution,
nuclear radiation, toxic wastes, dam failures, transport accidents,
factory explosions, fires and chemical spills. Technological
hazards also may arise directly as a result of the impacts of a
natural hazard event.”10
Disaster “A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a
society at any scale due to hazardous events interacting with
conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity, leading to one
or more of the following: human, material, economic and
environmental losses and impacts.”11
Note:
The Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED)
identifies the following criteria for a disaster:
• 10 or more people reported killed and/or
• 100 or more people reported affected and/or
• Call for international assistance
• Declaration of a state of emergency
Disaster Risk “The potential loss of life, injury, or destroyed or damaged assets
which could occur to a system, society or a community in a
specific period of time, determined probabilistically as a function
of hazard, exposure, vulnerability and capacity.”12
Note:
Disaster Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability
Capacity
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11
12
3
UNISDR includes EXPOSURE in the equation (hazard x exposure x
vulnerability divided by capacity).
Vulnerability “The conditions determined by physical, social, economic and
environmental factors or processes which increase the
susceptibility of an individual, a community, assets or systems to
the impacts of hazards.”13
Exposure “The situation of people, infrastructure, housing, production
capacities and other tangible human assets located in hazard-
prone areas.”14
Note:
“Measures of exposure can include the number of people or
types of assets in an area. These can be combined with the
specific vulnerability and capacity of the exposed elements to
any particular hazard to estimate the quantitative risks
associated with that hazard in the area of interest.”15
Capacity “The combination of all the strengths, attributes and resources
available within an organization, community or society to
manage and reduce disaster risks and strengthen resilience.”16
Note:
“Capacity may include infrastructure, institutions, human
knowledge and skills, and collective attributes such as social
relationships, leadership and management.”17
Disaster Risk Disaster risk reduction is aimed at preventing new and reducing
Reduction existing disaster risk and managing residual risk, all of which
contribute to strengthening resilience and therefore to the
achievement of sustainable development.
Note:
This definition has evolved in the Sendai Framework. Prior to
Sendai Framework, in the years of the Hyogo Framework for
Action, the terms used to comprise DRR are prevention and
mitigation.
Disaster Risk “Disaster risk management is the application of disaster risk
Management reduction policies and strategies to prevent new disaster risk,
13
14
15
16
17
4
reduce existing disaster risk and manage residual risk,
contributing to the strengthening of resilience and reduction of
disaster losses.”18
Note:
Simply put, DRM is DRR in action.
Prevention “Activities and measures to avoid existing and new disaster
risks.”19
Note:
“Prevention (i.e., disaster prevention) expresses the concept and
intention to completely avoid potential adverse impacts of
hazardous events. While certain disaster risks cannot be
eliminated, prevention aims at reducing vulnerability and
exposure in such contexts where, as a result, the risk of disaster
is removed. Examples include dams or embankments that
eliminate flood risks, land-use regulations that do not permit any
settlement in high-risk zones, seismic engineering designs that
ensure the survival and function of a critical building in any likely
earthquake and immunization against vaccine-preventable
diseases. Prevention measures can also be taken during or after
a hazardous event or disaster to prevent secondary hazards or
their consequences, such as measures to prevent the
contamination of water.”20
Mitigation “The lessening or minimizing of the adverse impacts of a
hazardous event.”21
Note:
“The adverse impacts of hazards, in particular natural hazards,
often cannot be prevented fully, but their scale or severity can
be substantially lessened by various strategies and actions.
Mitigation measures include engineering techniques and hazard-
resistant construction as well as improved environmental and
social policies and public awareness.
It should be noted that, in climate change policy, “mitigation” is

defined differently, and is the term used for the reduction of
18
19
20
21
5
greenhouse gas emissions that are the source of climate
change.”22
Preparedness “The knowledge and capacities developed by governments,
response and recovery organizations, communities and
individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to and recover from
the impacts of likely, imminent or current disasters.”23
Note:
“Preparedness is based on a sound analysis of disaster risks and
good linkages with early warning systems, and includes such
activities as contingency planning, the stockpiling of equipment
and supplies, the development of arrangements for
coordination, evacuation and public information, and associated
training and field exercises. These must be supported by formal
institutional, legal and budgetary capacities. The related term
“readiness” describes the ability to quickly and appropriately
respond when required.”24
“A preparedness plan establishes arrangements in advance to

enable timely, effective and appropriate responses to specific
potential hazardous events or emerging disaster situations that
might threaten society or the environment.”25
NDRRMC uses the term contingency plan, instead of

preparedness plan.
Response “Actions taken directly before, during or immediately after a
disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure
public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people
affected.”26
Note:
“Disaster response is predominantly focused on immediate and
short-term needs and is sometimes called disaster relief.
Effective, efficient and timely response relies on disaster risk-
informed preparedness measures, including the development of
the response capacities of individuals, communities,
22
23
24
25
26
6
organizations, countries and the international community.”27
“The institutional elements of response often include the

provision of emergency services and public assistance by public
and private sectors and community sectors, as well as
community and volunteer participation. “Emergency services”
are a critical set of specialized agencies that have specific
responsibilities in serving and protecting people and property in
emergency and disaster situations. They include civil protection
authorities and police and fire services, among many others. The
division between the response stage and the subsequent
recovery stage is not clear-cut. Some response actions, such as
the supply of temporary housing and water supplies, may extend
well into the recovery stage.”28
For DepEd, response interventions are primarily intended to

ensure immediate return to normalcy and learning continuity of
learners and personnel. These objectives are considered “life-
saving” as the interventions
Rehabilitation “The restoration of basic services and facilities for the
functioning of a community or a society affected by a disaster.”29
Note:
• Assist victims to repair their dwellings
• Re-establish essential services
• Revive key economic and social activities
Reconstruction “The medium- and long-term rebuilding and sustainable
restoration of resilient critical infrastructures, services, housing,
facilities and livelihoods required for the full functioning of a
community or a society affected by a disaster, aligning with the
principles of sustainable development and “build back better”, to
avoid or reduce future disaster risk.”30
Recovery “The restoring or improving of livelihoods and health, as well as
economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets,
systems and activities, of a disaster-affected community or
society, aligning with the principles of sustainable development
27
28
29
30
7
and “build back better”, to avoid or reduce future disaster
risk.”31
Resilience The ability of a system, community or society exposed to hazards
to resist, absorb, accommodate, adapt to, transform and recover
from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient manner,
including through the preservation and restoration of its
essential basic structures and functions through risk
management. 32
CCA Concept/ Terminology Definition

Climate Change Climate change refers to “a change in the state
of the climate that can be identified (e.g., by
using statistical tests) by changes in the mean
and/or the variability of its properties and that
persists for an extended period, typically
decades or longer”.33
Note:
Climate change may be due to natural internal
processes or external forcings such as
modulations of the solar cycles, volcanic
eruptions and persistent anthropogenic changes
in the composition of the atmosphere or in land
use.
Change of climate which is attributed directly or

indirectly to human activity that alters the
composition of the global atmosphere and
which is in addition to natural climate variability
observed over comparable time periods
(UNFCCC, n.d.).
Note:
The UNFCCC thus makes a distinction between
climate change attributable to human activities
altering the atmospheric composition and
climate variability attributable to natural causes.
Greenhouse Gases “Gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both
natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and
emit radiation of thermal infrared radiation
31
32
33 IPCC, 2012: Glossary of terms. In: Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation [Field,
C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, D. Qin, D.J. Dokken, K.L. Ebi, M.D. Mastrandrea, K.J. Mach, G.-K. Plattner, S.K. Allen, M. Tignor, and P.M.
Midgley (eds.)]. A Special Report of Working Groups I and II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, UK, and New York, NY, USA, pp. 555-564.
8
emitted by the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere
itself, and by clouds”.34
Examples
Primary GHGs in the earth’s atmosphere:
• Water vapour (H2O)
• Carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Nitrous oxide (N2O)
• Methane (CH4)
• Ozone (O3)
Human-made GHGs in the atmosphere

• Halocarbons and other chlorine-and
bromine-containing substances, dealt
with under the Montreal Protocol.
• Beside CO2, N2O and CH4, the Kyoto
Protocol deals with the GHGs sulphur
hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs).
Adaptation Adaptation is “adjustment in natural or human
systems in response to actual or expected
stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm
or exploits benefit opportunities”.35
Adjustments in ecological, social, or economic

systems in response to actual or expected
climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts. It
refers to changes in processes, practices, and
structures to moderate potential damages or to
benefit from opportunities associated with
climate change (UNFCCC, n.d.).
Mitigation An anthropogenic intervention “to reduce the
sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse
gases”.36
Human interventions to reduce the emissions of

greenhouse gases by sources or enhance their
removal from the atmosphere by “sinks”.
34
IPCC, 2012: Glossary of terms. In: Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation [Field,
C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, D. Qin, D.J. Dokken, K.L. Ebi, M.D. Mastrandrea, K.J. Mach, G.-K. Plattner, S.K. Allen, M. Tignor, and P.M.
Midgley (eds.)]. A Special Report of Working Groups I and II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, UK, and New York, NY, USA, pp. 555-564.
35
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. (2009). 2009 UNISDR Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction. Retrieved
from https://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/publications/7817
36
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. (2009). 2009 UNISDR Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction. Retrieved
from https://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/publications/7817
9
Note:
“Sink” refers to a reservoir (natural or human, in
soil, ocean, and plants) where a greenhouse gas,
an aerosol or a precursor of a greenhouse gas is
stored (IPCC).
“Sink” refers to any process, activity or

mechanism which removes a greenhouse gas,
an aerosol or a precursor of a greenhouse gas
from the atmosphere (UNFCCC, n.d.). Examples
are: forests, vegetation or soils that can
reabsorb CO2.
Sources:
IPCC, 2012: Glossary of terms. In: Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to
Advance Climate Change Adaptation [Field, C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, D. Qin, D.J.
Dokken, K.L. Ebi, M.D. Mastrandrea, K.J. Mach, G.-K. Plattner, S.K. Allen, M. Tignor,
and P.M. Midgley (eds.)]. A Special Report of Working Groups I and II of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, UK, and New York, NY, USA, pp. 555-564.
Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010. (May, 2010).
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. (2009).

2009 UNISDR Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction. Retrieved from
https://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/publications/7817
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. (February, 2017). Terminology.
Retrieved from https://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/terminology
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (n.d.). Glossary of Climate

Change Acronyms and Terms. Retrieved from http://unfccc.int/process-and-
meetings/the-convention/glossary-of-climate-change-acronyms-and-terms#s
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (n.d.). What do adaptation to

climate change and climate resilience mean?. Retrieved from
http://unfccc.int/topics/adaptation-and-resilience/the-big-picture/what-do-
adaptation-to-climate-change-and-climate-resilience-mean
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HANDOUT: DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT (DRRM)

AND CLIMATE CHANGE (CC) TERMINOLOGIES

Each hazard is characterized by its location, intensity or

“Natural hazards are predominantly associated with natural

“Anthropogenic hazards, or human-induced hazards, are

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030

“Geological or geophysical hazards originate from internal earth

Examples: earthquakes; volcanic eruption; and related

“Hydro-meteorological factors are important contributors to

“Hydro-meteorological hazards are of atmospheric, hydrological

Examples: tropical cyclones; floods, including flash floods;

“Hydro-meteorological conditions also can be a factor in other

Biological hazards are of “organic origin or conveyed by

“Technological hazards originate from technological or industrial

It should be noted that, in climate change policy, “mitigation” is

“A preparedness plan establishes arrangements in advance to

NDRRMC uses the term contingency plan, instead of

“The institutional elements of response often include the

For DepEd, response interventions are primarily intended to

CCA Concept/ Terminology Definition

Change of climate which is attributed directly or

Human-made GHGs in the atmosphere

Adjustments in ecological, social, or economic

Human interventions to reduce the emissions of

“Sink” refers to any process, activity or

United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. (2009).

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (n.d.). Glossary of Climate

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (n.d.). What do adaptation to

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