This is a basic guide to abbreviations and terms used in 'Disaster Risk Reduction'.

As in any professional area there are many specialised terms. This directory is intended to help make sense of the specialised terms and jargon. We will develop this in response to requests and suggestions. The list of terminology is drawn by that produced by UNISDR for their publication 'Living with Risk'.

Acronyms

CCA Climate Change Adaptation

CSO Civil Society organisation

DRR Disaster Risk Reduction

GAR Global Assessment Report

GNDR Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction

GP-DRR Global Platform -  Disaster Risk Reduction

HFA Hyogo Framework for Action

ISDR International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

NCO National Coordinating Organisation

NGO Non Governmental Organisation

PFA Priority for Action

PO Participating Organisation

RCO Regional Coordinating Organisation

UNISDR United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

VFL Views from the Frontline

Terminology (drawn  from UNISDR publication ‘Living with Risk’)

Acceptable risk The level of loss a society or community considers  acceptable given existing social, economic,  political, cultural, technical and environmental  conditions. In engineering terms, acceptable risk is also used to  assess structural and non-structural measures  undertaken to reduce possible damage at a level which  does not harm people and property, according to codes  or "accepted practice" based, among other issues, on a  known probability of hazard. Biological hazard Processes of organic origin or those conveyed by  biological vectors, including exposure to  pathogenic micro-organisms, toxins and bioactive  substances, which may cause the loss of life or  injury, property damage, social and economic  disruption or environmental degradation. Examples of biological hazards: outbreaks of epidemic  diseases, plant or animal contagion, insect plagues and  extensive infestations.

Building codes Ordinances and regulations controlling the design,  construction, materials, alteration and occupancy  of any structure to insure human safety and  welfare. Building codes include both technical and  functional standards.

Capacity A combination of all the strengths and resources  available within a community, society or  organization that can reduce the level of risk, or  the effects of a disaster. Capacity may include physical, institutional, social or  economic means as well as skilled personal or collective  attributes such as leadership and management.  Capacity may also be described as capability.

Capacity building Efforts aimed to develop human skills or  societal infrastructures within a community or  organization needed to reduce the level of risk. In extended understanding, capacity building also  includes development of institutional, financial,  political and other resources, such as technology at  different levels and sectors of the society.

Climate change The climate of a place or region is changed if  over an extended period (typically decades or  longer) there is a statistically significant change  in measurements of either the mean state or  variability of the climate for that place or region. Changes in climate may be due to natural processes  or to persistent anthropogenic changes in atmosphere  or in land use. Note that the definition of climate  change used in the United Nations Framework  Convention on Climate Change is more restricted, as  it includes only those changes which are attributable  directly or indirectly to human activity.

Coping capacity The means by which people or organizations  use available resources and abilities to face  adverse consequences that could lead to a  disaster. In general, this involves managing resources, both in  normal times as well as during crises or adverse  conditions. The strengthening of coping capacities  usually builds resilience to withstand the effects of  natural and human-induced hazards.

Counter measures All measures taken to counter and reduce  disaster risk. They most commonly refer to  engineering (structural) measures but can also  include non-structural measures and tools designed and employed to avoid or limit the  adverse impact of natural hazards and related  environmental and technological disasters.

Disaster A serious disruption of the functioning of a  community or a society causing widespread  human, material, economic or environmental  losses which exceed the ability of the affected  community or society to cope using its own  resources. A disaster is a function of the risk process. It results  from the combination of hazards, conditions of  vulnerability and insufficient capacity or measures to  reduce the potential negative consequences of risk.

Disaster risk management The systematic process of using administrative  decisions, organization, operational skills and  capacities to implement policies, strategies and  coping capacities of the society and communities  to lessen the impacts of natural hazards and  related environmental and technological disasters.  This comprises all forms of activities, including  structural and non-structural measures to avoid  (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and  preparedness) adverse effects of hazards.

Disaster risk reduction (disaster reduction) The conceptual framework of elements considered  with the possibilities to minimize vulnerabilities  and disaster risks throughout a society, to avoid  (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and  preparedness) the adverse impacts of hazards,  within the broad context of sustainable  development. The disaster risk reduction framework is composed of  the following fields of action, as described in ISDR's  publication 2002 "Living with Risk: a global review  of disaster reduction initiatives", page 23: • Risk awareness and assessment including hazard  analysis and vulnerability/capacity analysis; • Knowledge development including education,  training, research and information; • Public commitment and institutional frameworks,  including organisational, policy, legislation and  community action; • Application of measures including environmental  management, land-use and urban planning,  protection of critical facilities, application of science  and technology, partnership and networking, and  financial instruments; • Early warning systems including forecasting,  dissemination of warnings, preparedness measures  and reaction capacities.

Early warning The provision of timely and effective information,  through identified institutions, that allows  individuals exposed to a hazard to take action to  avoid or reduce their risk and prepare for effective  response. Early warning systems include a chain of concerns,  namely:  understanding and mapping the hazard;  monitoring and forecasting impending events; processing  and disseminating understandable warnings to political  authorities and the population, and undertaking  appropriate and timely actions in response to the  warnings.

Ecosystem A complex set of relationships of living organisms  functioning as a unit and interacting with their  physical environment. The boundaries of what could be called an ecosystem  are somewhat arbitrary, depending on the focus of  interest or study. Thus the extent of an ecosystem may  range from very small spatial scal es to, ultimately, the  entire Earth (IPCC, 2001). El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) A complex interaction of the tropical Pacific  Ocean and the global atmosphere that results in  irregularly occurring episodes of changed ocean  and weather patterns in many parts of the world,  often with significant impacts, such as altered  marine habitats, rainfall changes, floods, droughts,  and changes in storm patterns. The El Niño part of ENSO refers to the well-above-  average ocean temperatures along the coasts of Ecuador,  Peru and northern Chile and across the eastern  equatorial Pacific Ocean, while the Southern  Oscillation refers to the associated global patterns of  changed atmospheric pressure and rainfall. La Niña is approximately the opposite condition to El Niño. Each El  Niño or La Niña episode usually lasts for several seasons. Emergency management The organization and management of resources and  responsibilities for dealing with all aspects of  emergencies, in particularly preparedness, response  and rehabilitation. Emergency management involves plans, structures and  arrangements established to engage the normal endeavours  of government, voluntary and private agencies in a  comprehensive and coordinated way to respond to the  whole spectrum of emergency needs. This is also known as  disaster management.

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) Studies undertaken in order to assess the effect on a  specified environment of the introduction of any new  factor, which may upset the current ecological  balance. EIA is a policy making tool that serves to provide  evidence and analysis of environmental impacts of  activities from conception to decision-making. It is utilised  extensively in national programming and for  international development assistance projects. An EIA  must include a detailed risk assessment and provide  alternatives solutions or options.

Environmental degradation The reduction of the capacity of the environment to  meet social and ecological objectives, and needs. Potential effects are varied and may contribute to an  increase in vulnerability and the frequency and intensity  of natural hazards.  Some examples: land degradation, deforestation,  desertification, wildland fires, loss of biodiversity, land,  water and air pollution, climate change, sea level rise  and ozone depletion.

Forecast Definite statement or statistical estimate of the  occurrence of a future event (UNESCO, WMO). This term is used with different meanings in different  disciplines.

Geological hazard Natural earth processes or phenomena that  may cause the loss of life or injury, property  damage, social and economic disruption or  environmental degradation. Geological hazard includes internal earth processes  or tectonic origin, such as earthquakes, geological  fault activity, tsunamis, volcanic activity and  emissions as well as external processes such as mass  movements: landslides, rockslides, rock falls or  avalanches, surfaces collapses, expansive soils and  debris or mud flows.  Geological hazards can be single, sequential or  combined in their origin and effects.

Geographic information systems (GIS) Analysis that combine relational databases with  spatial interpretation and outputs often in form  of maps. A more elaborate definition is that of  computer programmes for capturing, storing,  checking, integrating, analysing and displaying  data about the earth that is spatially  referenced. Geographical information systems are increasingly  being utilised for hazard and vulnerability  mapping and analysis, as well as for the  application of disaster risk management measures.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) A gas, such as water vapour, carbon dioxide,  methane, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and  hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), that  absorbs and re-emits infrared radiation,  warming the earth's surface and contributing  to climate change (UNEP, 1998).

Hazard A potentially damaging physical event,  phenomenon or human activity that may cause  the loss of life or injury, property damage,  social and economic disruption or  environmental degradation. Hazards can include latent conditions that may  represent future threats and can have different  origins: natural (geological, hydrometeorological  and biological) or induced by human processes  (environmental degradation and technological hazards).  Hazards can be single, sequential or combined in their  origin and effects. Each hazard is characterised by its  location, intensity, frequency and probability.

Hazard analysis Identification, studies and monitoring of any hazard  to determine its potential, origin, characteristics and  behaviour.

Hydrometeorological hazards Natural processes or phenomena of atmospheric,  hydrological or oceanographic nature, which may  cause the loss of life or injury, property damage,  social and economic disruption or environmental  degradation. Hydrometeorological hazards include: floods, debris and  mud floods; tropical cyclones, storm surges,  thunder/hailstorms, rain and wind storms, blizzards and  other severe storms; drought, desertification, wildland  fires, temperature extremes, sand or dust storms;  permafrost and snow or ice avalanches.  Hydrometeorological hazards can be single, sequential or  combined in their origin and effects.

La Niña (see El Niño-Southern Oscillation).

Land-use planning Branch of physical and socio-economic planning that  determines the means and assesses the values or  limitations of various options in which land is to be  utilized, with the corresponding effects on different  segments of the population or interests of a  community taken into account in resulting decisions. Land-use planning involves studies and mapping,  analysis of environmental and hazard data, formulation  of alternative land-use decisions and design of a long-  range plan for different geographical and administrative  scales.  Land-use planning can help to mitigate disasters and  reduce risks by discouraging high-density settlements and  construction of key installations in hazard-prone areas,  control of population density and expansion, and in the  siting of service routes for transport, power, water, sewage  and other critical facilities.

Mitigation Structural and non-structural measures  undertaken to limit the adverse impact of  natural hazards, environmental degradation and  technological hazards. Natural hazards Natural processes or phenomena occurring in  the biosphere that may constitute a damaging  event.  Natural hazards can be classified by origin  namely: geological, hydrometeorological or  biological. Hazardous events can vary in  magnitude or intensity, frequency, duration, area  of extent, speed of onset, spatial dispersion and  temporal spacing.

Preparedness Activities and measures taken in advance to  ensure effective response to the impact of  hazards, including the issuance of timely and  effective early warnings and the temporary  evacuation of people and property from  threatened locations.

Prevention Activities to provide outright avoidance of the  adverse impact of hazards and means to  minimize related environmental, technological  and biological disasters. Depending on social and technical feasibility and  cost/benefit considerations, investing in preventive  measures is justified in areas frequently affected by  disasters. In the context of public awareness and  education, related to disaster risk reduction changing  attitudes and behaviour contribute to promoting a  "culture of prevention".

Public awareness The processes of informing the general  population, increasing levels of consciousness  about risks and how people can act to reduce  their exposure to hazards. This is particularly  important for public officials in fulfilling their  responsibilities to save lives and property in the  event of a disaster. Public awareness activities foster changes in behaviour  leading towards a culture of risk reduction. This  involves public information, dissemination, education,  radio or television broadcasts,  use of printed media, as  well as, the establishment of information centres and  networks and community and participation actions.

Public information Information, facts and knowledge provided or  learned as a result of research or study, available to  be disseminated to the public.

Recovery Decisions and actions taken after a disaster with a  view to restoring or improving the pre-disaster  living conditions of the stricken community, while  encouraging and facilitating necessary adjustments  to reduce disaster risk. Recovery (rehabilitation and reconstruction) affords an  opportunity to develop and apply disaster risk reduction  measures.

Relief / response The provision of assistance or intervention during  or immediately after a disaster to meet the life  preservation and basic subsistence needs of those  people affected. It can be of an immediate, short-  term, or protracted duration.

Resilience / resilient The capacity of a system, community or society  potentially exposed to hazards to adapt, by  resisting or changing in order to reach and  maintain an acceptable level of functioning and  structure. This is determined by the degree to  which the social system is capable of organizing  itself to increase its capacity for learning from past  disasters for better future protection and to  improve risk reduction measures.

Retrofitting (or upgrading) Reinforcement of structures to become more  resistant and resilient to the forces of natural  hazards. Retrofitting involves consideration of changes in the  mass, stiffness, damping, load path and ductility of  materials, as well as  radical changes such as the  introduction of energy absorbing dampers and base  isolation systems. Examples of retrofitting includes the  consideration of wind loading to strengthen and  minimize the wind force, or in earthquake prone areas,  the strengthening of structures.

Risk The probability of harmful consequences, or  expected losses (deaths, injuries, property,  livelihoods, economic activity disrupted or  environment damaged) resulting from interactions  between natural or human-induced hazards and  vulnerable conditions. Conventionally risk is expressed by the notation  Risk = Hazards x Vulnerability. Some disciplines also  include the concept of exposure to refer particularly to  the physical aspects of vulnerability.  Beyond expressing a possibility of physical harm, it is  crucial to recognize that risks are inherent or can be  created or exist within social systems. It is important to  consider the social contexts in which risks occur and  that people therefore do not necessarily share the same  perceptions of risk and their underlying causes.

Risk assessment/analysis A methodology to determine the nature and extent  of risk by analysing potential hazards and  evaluating existing conditions of vulnerability that  could pose a potential threat or harm to people,  property, livelihoods and the environment on  which they depend. The process of conducting a risk assessment is based on a  review of both the technical features of hazards such as  their location, intensity, frequency and probability; and  also the analysis of the physical, social, economic and  environmental dimensions of vulnerability and  exposure, while taking particular account of the coping  capabilities pertinent to the risk scenarios.

Structural / non-structural measures Structural measures refer to any physical  construction to reduce or avoid possible impacts of  hazards, which include engineering measures and  construction of hazard-resistant and protective  structures and infrastructure. Non-structural measures refer to policies,  awareness, knowledge development, public  commitment, and methods and operating practices,  including participatory mechanisms and the  provision of information, which can reduce risk  and related impacts.

Sustainable development Development that meets the needs of the  present without compromising the ability of  future generations to meet their own needs. It  contains within it two key concepts: the  concept of "needs", in particular the essential  needs of the world's poor, to which overriding  priority should be given; and the idea of  limitations imposed by the state of technology  and social organization on the environment's  ability to meet present and the future needs.  (Brundtland Commission, 1987). Sustainable development is based on socio-cultural  development, political stability and decorum,  economic growth and ecosystem protection, which  all relate to disaster risk reduction.

Technological hazards Danger originating from technological or industrial  accidents, dangerous procedures, infrastructure  failures or certain human activities, which may cause  the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and  economic disruption or environmental degradation. Some examples: industrial pollution, nuclear activities and  radioactivity, toxic wastes, dam failures; transport,  industrial or technological accidents (explosions, fires, spills).

Vulnerability The conditions determined by physical, social,  economic, and environmental factors or processes,  which increase the susceptibility of a community to the  impact of hazards. For positive factors, which increase the ability of people to  cope with hazards, see definition of capacity.

Wildland fire Any fire occurring in vegetation areas regardless of  ignition sources, damages or benefits.