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Event Report – Webinar on Building Coastal Resilience: Innovative Approaches to Disaster Management in India

Introduction

On January 6th, the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) hosted a webinar titled “Building Coastal Resilience: Innovative Approaches to Disaster Management in India”. This was the third webinar part of the Indian Coastal Think Tank Network Project (ICTN), supported by The Asia Foundation. The network aims to foster a coalition of coastal think tanks, focusing on themes such as climate change and gender, coastal security, blue economy, disaster management, coastal ecology, fisheries, tourism, maritime domain awareness, and ports and shipping.

The webinar hosted three experts on Coastal Disaster Management – Mihir Bhatt, Director of All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI); Dunu Roy, Director of Hazards Centre, Delhi; and Dr N Venugopalan, Programme Manager at International Collective in Support of Fish Workers.

Key Discussion Points

  • Gaps in current coastal disaster management policies.  
  • Resources and technologies for effective disaster management.  
  • Impact of disasters on fish workers’ livelihoods.  
  • Connecting disaster-affected communities to policymakers.  
  • Differences in disaster management and resilience in urban and rural areas.  
  • Climate change’s role in increasing coastal disasters.

About the Panellists

  • Mihir Bhatt 

Mihir R. Bhatt is Director of the All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI). He was a Senior Fellow of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative since 2007 and was a member of the panel that selects the Humanitarian Coordinators for the United Nations. He advised Climate Development Knowledge Network’s work on climate compatible development in nine states (including coastal) of India with focus on urban resilience, green finance, and renewable energy at subnational level.

He works on reducing risk-related action and learning: interconnectedness of oceanic risks and coastal risks with focus on overlooked areas such as action data, policy performance, and behavioural aspects of extreme events in India’s coastal areas and in Asia Pacific. He has worked with teams on uncertainty and transformation in the delta of Sundarbans, coastal Mumbai metro; and coastal Kutch desert communities.

  • Dunu Roy 

Anubrotto Kumar Roy, popularly known as Dunu Roy, is a chemical engineer by training, a social scientist by compulsion, and a political ecologist by choice. Born in 1945, he obtained his B.Tech in 1967 and M.Tech in 1969 from the Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay. As the Director of the Hazards Centre in New Delhi, Dunu Roy has dedicated over four decades to addressing critical issues in both rural and urban contexts, including land and water management, secure settlements, safe work, environmental planning, leadership training, and pollution control.

  • Dr N Venugopalan 

Dr N Venugopalan has been working in the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers for the last twenty years, and currently he is the programme manager at ICSF.

  • Aleena T Sabu 

Aleena T Sabu is a Research Associate of the International Relations Vertical at the Centre for Public Policy Kochi, Kerala, India. She is currently working on the Indian Coastal Think Tank Network project and had previously worked on a paper with Vice Admiral MP Muralidharan on the Global Security Implications of the Bay of Bengal. Aleena has completed her Master’s in Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University and Bachelor’s in Political Science (Hons) from Delhi University.

Summary of the Discussion

  • Focus on Coastal Areas
    • Coastal regions, like parts of Kerala, are increasingly facing extreme events such as rising floods, emphasizing the need for robust coastal disaster planning.  
    • Plastic pollution is a major issue, as seen in places like Bombay. Learning from countries like the Philippines and Indonesia, India needs effective policies to tackle plastic waste.  
    • Coastal communities play a critical role in activism, advocating against detrimental policies.

  • Man-Made Disasters and Knowledge Democratization  
    • Many coastal issues are man-made or expert-driven disasters, highlighting the need to “understand the problem” at its root.  
    • Democratization of knowledge is essential to make use of the vast data being produced to inform solutions.  
    • Acknowledging that loss is an inherent part of the development process, better housing policies are needed to support rebuilding efforts and manage urban discharge effectively.

  • Impacts on Livelihoods and Fishing Communities  
    • Disasters have led to a loss of fishing crafts, opportunities, and livelihoods, severely affecting coastal communities.  
    • A comprehensive disaster management plan is needed, incorporating peacebuilding and social protection policies for fishery workers.  
    • Addressing coastal heat and its impacts is crucial, recognizing the interdependence between coastal and inland areas.  

Key Takeaways

  • Policy and Data Gaps
    • Coastal regions need better policies for disaster management, pollution control, and sustainable development.
    • Public access to data on economic resources and biodiversity is critical.
  • Leveraging Community Knowledge
    • Integrating grassroots knowledge, such as fishermen’s insights, is vital for effective disaster planning.
  • Activism and Community Engagement
    • Strengthen community activism to advocate for sustainable and equitable policies.
    • Facilitate dialogue between scientists and local stakeholders.
  • Sustainable Coastal Development
    • Coastal development projects must prioritize local community well-being and equitable benefits.
  • Circular Economy and Pollution Control
    • Adopting localized circular economy approaches is essential for addressing pollution.
  • Strengthening Research and Investments
    • Localized investments and more research institutes focusing on resilience-building are needed.
  • Fisherfolk Recognition and Awareness
    • Promote awareness of the contributions of fisherfolk to coastal economies and sustainable management.

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