"Natural" disasters
Flooding on the River Ouse, York, 27 April 2012. Hayley Green, Geograph Britain and Ireland via Wikimedia Commons
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"Natural" disasters such as flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, or droughts not only affect Earth’s biodiversity and landscapes, but they have a large impact on people and their heritage. These catastrophic events are global processes acting on the environment, but they also act on heritage and - as a consequence - on the identity of the people.
In line with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), Blue Shield agrees that there are no natural disasters. A natural hazard is the threat of an event that is likely to have a negative impact. It becomes a disaster if - following an actual occurrence of natural hazard - there is a negative impact which significantly harms a community. A hazard can be predicted and warned, but a disaster is the outcome on people of ignoring or failing to prevent the hazard. A hazard becomes a disaster if it harms humans and their properties. Such disasters have economic, political, and identity implications. There is a close interrelationship between environment, culture and human behaviour. It is a hybrid that cannot be divided. Protected areas, both terrestrial and marine, are now being regarded holistically by many states. There is a close and indivisible interrelationship between environment, culture, and human behaviour. Protected natural areas, both terrestrial and marine, are now being regarded holistically by many states. |
Mitigation:
Blue Shield seeks to support work to break the cycle of disaster > response > dependency > repeat, switching the focus from managing disasters to managing risk. It is essential to take a multidisciplinary approach in all stages of disaster risk management for cultural heritage - preparation, emergency response, and recovery. In order to reduce risks to movable and immovable heritage components, those responding must take interdependent heritage values into consideration. Local knowledge and traditions are also important: many have evolved to mitigate risk from natural disasters, and they can be integrated into larger strategies. It is important for the heritage sector to do everything in its own power to plan for disaster risk reduction through, for example: making sure catalogues and inventories are up-to-date and digitised; carrying out regular risk assessments; having, and regularly testing, clear disaster and evacuation plans (including safeguarding the heritage from possible post-disaster damage – for example, from secondary environmental disaster or looting); having good relations and effective communications with emergency organisations and the military; and ensuring all heritage staff are well-trained regarding disaster risk reduction.
Should the worst occur, it is essential for the heritage sector to try to ensure that cultural property protection is fully integrated and embedded into planning by both politicians and emergency responders - and that resources and responsibilities are allocated.
Blue Shield seeks to support work to break the cycle of disaster > response > dependency > repeat, switching the focus from managing disasters to managing risk. It is essential to take a multidisciplinary approach in all stages of disaster risk management for cultural heritage - preparation, emergency response, and recovery. In order to reduce risks to movable and immovable heritage components, those responding must take interdependent heritage values into consideration. Local knowledge and traditions are also important: many have evolved to mitigate risk from natural disasters, and they can be integrated into larger strategies. It is important for the heritage sector to do everything in its own power to plan for disaster risk reduction through, for example: making sure catalogues and inventories are up-to-date and digitised; carrying out regular risk assessments; having, and regularly testing, clear disaster and evacuation plans (including safeguarding the heritage from possible post-disaster damage – for example, from secondary environmental disaster or looting); having good relations and effective communications with emergency organisations and the military; and ensuring all heritage staff are well-trained regarding disaster risk reduction.
Should the worst occur, it is essential for the heritage sector to try to ensure that cultural property protection is fully integrated and embedded into planning by both politicians and emergency responders - and that resources and responsibilities are allocated.
It is necessary to direct efforts towards triggering the debate, which needs further discussion and dissemination across academic, social, and political agendas, and Blue Shield UK is pioneer in this field. Public awareness of disasters and disaster risk management must be pursued via the media, outreach campaigns, and education.
Shrewsbury Abbey from the west, taken on the 1st November 2000, showing the floods at their highest level. Since 2000 flood barriers along the river have helped.
Bob Bowyer / Shrewsbury Abbey from the west / CC BY-SA 2.0, from geograph.org.uk, via Wikimedia Commons
Bob Bowyer / Shrewsbury Abbey from the west / CC BY-SA 2.0, from geograph.org.uk, via Wikimedia Commons
A 2015 study by Macalister into the UK cultural heritage sector's integration into national emergency planning found that
"The cultural heritage sector, while advancing in terms of planning, through, for example, the accreditation schemes for
museums, galleries and archives, and through the development of local and regional networks in response to events, is, however, not well integrated in the wider emergency planning structures of the UK" and urged "the UK cultural heritage sector to seize opportunities to work with others, both nationally and internationally, in the development of effective planning in preparation for, and response to, disasters" (page 1).
museums, galleries and archives, and through the development of local and regional networks in response to events, is, however, not well integrated in the wider emergency planning structures of the UK" and urged "the UK cultural heritage sector to seize opportunities to work with others, both nationally and internationally, in the development of effective planning in preparation for, and response to, disasters" (page 1).
Disaster planning and emergency response at national and site level is a core activity for Blue Shield UK and we have a Working Group dedicated to this important issue.
Read the UNESCO UK Report: Heritage, Disaster Response and Resilience
Global Disaster Preparedness Centre: Promoting Disaster Resilient Cultural Heritage
Global Disaster Preparedness Centre: Promoting Disaster Resilient Cultural Heritage