About 90% of the world population affected by natural disasters lives in Asia, where floods account for more than half of the total number of natural disasters. Although a variety of domestic and regional policies and strategies are in place to help reduce flood vulnerability, the risk, especially among the poor, remains high in both developed and developing countries. Why are current risk management efforts not always effective in addressing human security? What innovations and institutional reforms are needed? To answer these questions this analysis looks at national and regional institutional policies designed to prevent or limit the effects of floods via mitigation, preparedness, emergency response and rehabilitation. Japan, Russia, Vietnam, and Thailand have been selected for analysis. While counteracting floods is at the top of the national risk reduction agenda for each country, their specific policies vary considerably. The project team will perform analysis on the basis of concrete cases of river floods of each country. The main objectives are:
1. To analyze existing institutional designs, capacities and national policies in national disaster risk reduction, particularly floods.
2. To explain successes and failures in institutional responses to selected case studies.
3. To suggest recommendations on how institutional preparedness and policy for flood risk reduction can be made more effective.

For more information, contact:
Dr. Elena Nikitina
EcoPolicy Research and Consulting
Piluigina St., 14-1-182,
Moscow, 117393,
Russia
Tel. 7095/1322642
Fax. 7095/1322642
Email: enikitina@mtu-net.ru