Beyond response and recovery: an introduction to the Zurich fl ood resilience program
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Beyond response and recovery:
an introduction to the Zurich
flood resilience program
This issue brief provides
an overview of the global
challenges caused by
flooding and how we are
tackling them through the
work of the Zurich flood
resilience alliance.
Why we focus on floods Action – and two leading research
institutions: the Wharton School of the
Floods affect more people globally University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), and
than any other type of natural hazard. the International Institute of Applied
They cause some of the largest Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria.
economic, social and humanitarian
losses, involving on average some The program is based on a new
250 million people each year.1 approach to cross-sector collaboration.
It brings together flood risk research,
While floods are natural, there is community-based programs and risk
nothing ‘natural’ about their disastrous expertise. It looks for, and shares ways
consequences. Often the poorest and that community flood resilience can be
least-prepared communities suffer most. measured and improved. The program
Evidence shows that repeated disasters directly helps about 125,000 people
like floods undermine societies’ and through projects in flood-prone
economies’ potential to develop and communities in Bangladesh, Indonesia,
it may trap them in a poverty cycle. Mexico, Nepal, Peru and the U.S.
We tend to think of these events as
happening in other places, to other Growing risks
people but floods also cause devastation Risks of floods are increasing. By some
in developed countries. The reasons for estimates, river flooding alone could
this are surprisingly similar in both annually affect 54 million people
developing and developed countries. worldwide by 2030, more than double
the number currently affected. There
To address the need for a proactive are several reasons why floods are
approach to flood risks, Zurich Insurance having a greater impact:
Group (Zurich) launched a dedicated flood
resilience program in 2013. It includes two Growing populations, more people
humanitarian organizations – the living in cities: The world’s urban
International Federation of Red Cross and population increased fivefold from 700
Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and Practical million in 1950 to 3.9 billion in 2014.3Urban growth is particularly strong in Our approach to flood resilience
developing countries, where cities’
disaster plans and emergency facilities Understanding flood ‘resilience’
may be unequal to the task of coping It is hard to change habits or convince
with major floods. Constructing people to move out of harm’s way.
buildings on flood plains, paving over Raising resilience is doubly important if it
land that provided drainage and lack of helps people to anticipate and cope with
waste infrastructure all add to the risks. floods. It not only allows them to reduce
the flood exposure to lives and property.
More people living near water: Resilience also helps them recover
Where land is at a premium, developers more quickly.
“A system-wide may ignore warnings and build in places
We see resilience as the ability to
approach to resilience exposed to river floods and storm
continue to thrive in the face of
surges. Cities in coastal regions on or
needs to capture near rivers including those in developing disasters. It keeps people’s lives intact
a range of activities, countries such as Jakarta, Lima, before, during and after floods. It helps
communities become more prosperous
actors and processes Shanghai, Dhaka, and Manila are highly
and stable. Resilience is frequently
vulnerable. But floods can also shut
that are part of a down a sophisticated metropolis like described as a ‘system’ or even as a
resilience building New York City, as Superstorm Sandy ‘system of systems,’6 one that is holistic
in nature. “A system-wide approach to
system,” showed in 2012.
resilience needs to capture a range of
Greater prosperity – more to lose: activities, actors and processes that are
The kind of development that depends part of a resilience building system,”
on agriculture is more vulnerable to according to a UN study.7
drought, while countries reliant on
industrial development for growth suffer Ways resilience can be increased
more from floods.4 A higher standard There are several different ways we can
of living that brings with it more enhance flood resilience, including:
manufacturing and production increases • Through better assessments of flood
the value of property at risk. Such risk hazards and communicating the risk
might be countered by protection to residents.
measures (for example, raising buildings).
Even so, a catastrophic flood can • Taking measures to lessen the severity
threaten not only the economy of a of floods and mitigate their impact,
region, but entire global supply chains: including first-aid and health training,
severe flooding in manufacturing sites in community planning, and setting up
Thailand in 2011 led to global shortages emergency shelters.
of components needed by major car • Gaining a better understanding of
makers and severely hit production of how decisions are made in the face of
computer hard disks.5 risks and uncertainty to make the
Climate change: Research indicates most effective solutions easier to find.
that the risk of floods could continue to • Improving warning systems and
increase significantly in many parts of helping communities adopt
the world due to expected changes in emergency protocols.
climate patterns. Warmer temperatures
affect weather patterns and sea levels. • Supporting efforts to rebuild ‘better’
Tropical cyclones common in the – to safer standards – after floods.
northwest Pacific included Typhoon • Ensuring people have opportunities to
Haiyan in 2013, perhaps the strongest secure an income during floods – for
tropical cyclone in recorded history example, by providing training in new
to make landfall, which killed over skills so farmers have alternative
7,000 people. revenues when cropland is under water.
2• Developing ways to safeguard assets There’s also a ‘gambler’ mentality at
exposed to flood risk at an individual work: people believe that because a
or community level. flood recently occurred, there won’t be
another one any time soon, forgetting
• Working with local officials and other
that disasters occur independent of
policymakers and the private sector
one another. And, too, there are very
to help make communities more
real budget constraints that must be
flood resilient.
overcome to convince people that it is
Increasing resilience makes in their own best interest to take action.
economic sense
Creating a flood resilience alliance
We believe pre-emptive action –
Flood risks are increasingly interconnected
reducing flood risk before an event
and interdependent. A holistic approach
– brings benefits far in excess of those
is needed to address them. Through our
recovery can provide. On average, for
pioneering collaboration we can tackle
every dollar spent on targeted flood-risk
the challenges communities face.
reduction measures, five dollars can be
This effort works as an alliance that
saved by avoiding and reducing losses.8
brings together organizations with
Despite the advantages of acting before complementary skills and expertise.
floods happen to improve resilience,
We are seeing the advantages of a
over the past two decades, only 13
combined approach in community
percent of aid spending went to
programs where the IFRC and Practical
reducing and managing risks.
Action use their extensive experience
The remaining 87 percent went to
working with communities to identify
emergency response, reconstruction
and implement solutions. Programming
and rehabilitation post-disaster.9
is an iterative process typically starting by
This emphasis on relief as opposed to
assessing and analyzing the situation;
resilience is neither logical nor efficient.
innovative solutions are devised, and
Understanding behavioral then work begins with communities to
bias is key assess, select and implement the best
Psychology plays a major role in flood solutions. The impact of the actions
resilience. By better understanding implemented is then evaluated.
how people think, we can address
Research by Wharton and IIASA
the reasons why, despite its high
confirms the advantages of investing in
cost-effectiveness, some communities
pre-event mitigation as opposed to
and even international donors do not
post-event relief. The research also
invest enough in pre-flood mitigation.
provides objective evidence that can
One common misconception is the influence policymakers’ decisions.
“One common ‘it will never happen to us’ syndrome: Further, it can create an environment in
misconception is the decision-makers underestimate flood which insurance and other risk transfer
‘it will never happen risk, preferring to see floods as an mechanisms can be part of the solution.
unlikely event. There is also the ‘there is
to us’ syndrome: nothing we can do, anyway’ syndrome
As an insurer, Zurich acts as a catalyst in
decision-makers providing human, technical and financial
– people become fatalistic when they
resources. The Z Zurich Foundation has
underestimate flood feel powerless to control the outcome of
made an initial five-year commitment of
events. People also procrastinate: even
risk, preferring to when they know that investing in flood
USD 35.6 million to the alliance. This is
see floods as an in addition to contributions of time,
protection is necessary, they avoid
expertise and resources of Zurich
unlikely event.” making decisions. They might fall into
employees around the world.
the trap of refusing to invest in flood
protection because they assume the
government or donors will step in.
3Our flood resilience alliance members
Alliance member Background and expertise Location Link
Zurich Insurance Established in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1872, Zurich provides Headquartered www.zurich.com
Group insurance and services to customers in over 170 countries. As in Switzerland
one of the world’s leading insurance groups with about 55,000
employees, Zurich’s mission is to help its customers understand
and protect themselves from risks.
International Founded in 1919, the IFRC is the world’s largest Headquartered http://www.ifrc.org/
Federation of volunteer-based humanitarian network, reaching 150 million in Switzerland
Red Cross and people each year through its 189 member National Societies.
Red Crescent The IFRC and its members act before, during and after
Societies (IFRC) disasters and health emergencies to meet the needs and
improve the lives of vulnerable people. They do so with
impartiality as to nationality, race, gender, religious beliefs,
class and political opinions.
Practical Action Begun in 1966, this international non-governmental UK http://practicalaction.org/
organization (NGO) uses technology to challenge poverty in
developing countries. It seeks to advance education and relieve
poverty by improving knowledge of technical, economic and
social science.
International Established in 1972, with a scientific staff of over 300, IIASA Austria http://www.iiasa.ac.at/
Institute for provides insight and guidance to policymakers worldwide by
Applied Systems finding solutions to global and universal problems through
Analysis (IIASA) applied systems analysis.
Wharton Business Wharton was founded in 1881 as the first business school in U.S. http://riskcenter.wharton.
School’s Risk the U.S., as part of the University of Pennsylvania. Begun upenn.edu/
Management in 1984, the Wharton Risk Management and Decision
and Decision Processes Center is recognized as a leading research institution
Processes Center that develops and promotes effective corporate and public
policies for dealing with catastrophic events.
How we intend to improve flood resilience
Buildings can be rebuilt after a flood. destructive forces. We can improve
It is harder to rebuild lives, especially resilience, even when the task is
when dealing with repeated floods. sometimes difficult. This section
With each flood, social bonds are tested, introduces some examples of the
people lose income, family ties strained. specific challenges that we face
Increasing a community’s resilience to and how we are addressing them.
floods is the best way to counter these
The challenge: we need to Better facilities and alternative
invest more in resilience livelihoods in Mexico: Work led by
Images of flood disasters in the the IFRC and the Mexican Red Cross
media resonate with the public. began in 2014 in 11 communities
People respond, and at least for a around Jonuta, a municipality in the
time, give generously. But such aid, state of Tabasco. Tabasco includes
while invaluable for the recovery one of the world’s largest wetlands
phase, may fail to provide long-term through which the Usumacinta River
solutions. Therefore, we need to flows. The river can rise as much as
direct investments toward increasing three meters during the rainy season.
communities’ flood resilience for The people in these communities must
the long term, not just when live with floods several months out of
disaster strikes. the year and therefore need innovative
solutions to earn a living, even during
periods of high water.
4Work is underway to build implemented in 2010. In particular,
multi-purpose community buildings this includes improving weather
that can double as school rooms or forecasting, keeping live-saving
medical facilities if necessary. Work is technology working even under
also being done to train communities extreme conditions, and training
on how to catch and prepare the communities to act on the information
invasive ‘devil fish,’ benefiting not only received from measuring stations
the environment, but possibly also along the Karnali River.
providing them with a sustainable
Connecting upstream and
food source and a new source
downstream communities
of income.
in Indonesia: Bukit Duri in the
Community-based early southern part of Jakarta city is
warning systems in Nepal: bordered on one side by the Ciliwung
Nepal is still recovering from the River. When it floods, garbage and
devastating earthquake in April 2015. sewage block the river and end up
But even as recovery begins, some flowing into the community. Much
communities in Nepal face a new of this waste comes from upstream
threat: the onset of the monsoon communities such as Tugu Utara.
season. Monsoon rains often trigger The IFRC and the Red Cross society in
flash floods and mudslides, posing Indonesia, PMI, are leading our work
significant risks. Timely warnings with both Bukit Duri and Tugu Utara
about imminent floods can save to improve waste management
lives and help people protect practices. By helping remove the
their possessions. waste from the river, the impact of
periodic flooding is reduced. Not only
Under the lead of Practical Action,
that, but the waste management
we are working in the Karnali River
process also provides a valuable
basin which begins in the southern
chance for these communities to
slopes of the Himalayas and flows
add paying jobs, as the waste can be
through Nepal to India. A major focus
converted to compost and sold locally.
is on improving early warning systems
“There is no The challenge: measuring resilience empirical measures of flood resilience
Data allow us to use resources – external offer clear, unbiased insights, and
‘one-size-fits-all’ and those within a community – to the eliminate the need to make decisions
solution or tool to best advantage. Good data and statistics based solely on subjective impressions
measure resilience.” tell us if an approach works, and also let or anecdotal evidence.
us know if one approach works better
We are developing a community-based
than another. The information derived
flood resilience measurement tool based
from measurements lets us identify
on the ‘five categories of sustainable
successful actions. It tells us why
livelihoods ‘(the ‘Five Cs’) framework
measures succeed. It allows us to better
established by the UK’s Department for
predict whether a particular action will
International Development (DFID),10
work not just in one community, but in
and the four properties of resilience
others as well.
(the ‘Four Rs’) formulated by MCEER.11
There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution or We will produce community resilience
tool to measure resilience. Any system ratings based on these factors using
used to measure resilience should find Zurich Risk Engineering’s Risk Grading
answers to specific questions related to determine the level of resilience.
to an individual community. Useful,
5How a community can be rated This is one example of how a community determines how many residents have
based on ‘livelihood stability’ could assess its residents’ vulnerability to alternative income sources. If results show a
as a source of resilience income loss during floods. It establishes need, a program might be tailored to provide
whether floods affect income, then other ways to earn money during floods.
A (Strength) D (Growth area) Baseline question
Risk factor: Households have ability Households have no If your main economic
Livelihood to maintain income stream livelihood continuity activity is affected by
stability via one or more strategy in the floods, what other form
livelihood strategies. case of flood. of income do you have?
Grading A B C D
Percent of community with
>75% >50% >25% ≤25%
alternative income strategy.
The challenge: enabling Amsterdam found that homeowners
communities to control their may generally be aware of flood risks,
own future but they often fail to recognize the
For communities that must regularly risks they face as individuals. People
deal with floods, change seems tend to underestimate potential
particularly daunting. Very often these losses. This might explain why 80
communities struggle to think beyond percent of residents in the area
the immediate present. To keep people inundated by Sandy’s storm surge
engaged in finding long-term had no flood insurance, and 90
solutions, community members must percent of small business had no flood
be part of the dialogue and the protection, either – despite the fact
solution. Communities need structures that flood insurance is highly
that support dialogue: every member subsidized by the U.S. federal
of a community must be part of government. If people had a clearer
discussions when looking for solutions. understanding of what they stood to
lose, they would be more likely to take
Improving awareness about the
protective measures. Based on these
impact of floods: Following
findings, the alliance has
Superstorm Sandy in 2012, a survey of
recommended that the U.S. Federal
over 1,000 New York City residents
Emergency Management Agency
showed that people often tend to
(FEMA) provide flood maps showing
misjudge the risks floods pose to their
not just where floods might occur, but
own lives and property. A survey by
also the damage floods could cause.12
Wharton with VU University
6The challenge: policymakers need but when they do come, the floods can
information and insights be devastating. In communities in the
Bringing policymakers into the Piura region in northern Peru and in the
picture: Limiting development in areas Rimac River Basin northeast of Lima, our
with flood hazards is difficult. People program is working to make it easier for
want to – or must – live and work near people to be better prepared for these
water.13 But they can still be alerted to types of floods. One factor elevating the
the risks of building on a flood plain. risk is that, because floods tend to be
Policymakers and local officials should rare in these areas, people forget the
encourage better planning. Wherever danger, as the buildings built in risky
possible, this should be done without areas since the last flood attest. A big
compromising development that could part of the program involves working
“To build community benefit a community’s long-term closely with local authorities. It is also
flood resilience, you well-being and prosperity. important to increase confidence
need different groups in the government’s ability to
Engaging with the government in
provide assistance.
and individuals with Peru: The El Niño phenomenon
occasionally leads to heavy rains that
specific types of cause floods in some parts of the world.
knowledge and skills.” Many years may pass between floods,
Looking to the future We are exploring different ways
the alliance could build further
Our flood resilience program offers resources: This might include
a platform to advocate learning, establishing a ‘Flood Resilience
share knowledge, and apply what Academy.’ The Academy would be
we learn in individual communities to one way to share our knowledge and
help others, while serving as a catalyst support practitioners in achieving more
for innovation and policy dialogue. sustainable, replicable solutions. It could
A number of activities will support this also be supporting efforts to identify
approach in the future: and develop innovations to address
We are developing an ‘open-source’ flood risk.
solutions catalogue: This would Continuing the dialogue: We will
make it easier to share knowledge to continue to update you on our progress.
build flood resilience. The catalogue, We acknowledge that there are many
drawing on the flood resilience alliance’s different approaches to resilience. Ours
community programs, will provide includes testing our risk approaches in
vulnerable communities with access different settings, in both low-income
to information on flood mitigation and developed economies, in rural and
measures and solutions. It could also urban settings, to make sure our
include research, processes and tools approach is replicable and scalable to
developed by the alliance. help enhancing flood resilience way
We are testing a tool to understand beyond our own activities.
the flood resilience system: Read more:
The flood resilience alliance is www.zurich.com/en/corporate-
developing a tool to increase the responsibility/flood-resilience
understanding of the factors and the
interactions driving flood risk and
wellbeing. It will be tested in 2015 in
pilot communities in Nepal and Peru.
The tool will make it easier to identify
risk factors, map risk systems and
sources, and spot potential problems.
7References
1
“On average, some 250 million people have been 6
Description of resilience: ‘From Social Vulnerability 10
For a detailed discussion of the ‘Five C’s’ see information
affected annually by floods over the last ten years and to Resilience: Measuring Progress toward Disaster provided by the UK Department for International
they are the single most widespread and increasing Risk Reduction.’ Melanie Gall. United Nations Development (DFID): http://www.eldis.org/vfile/
disaster risk to urban settlements of all sizes.” UN Office University, Munich Re Foundation. No. 13/2013: upload/1/document/0901/section2.pdf
for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). June 25, 2013. http://www.munichre-foundation.org/dms/MRS/
www.unisdr.org/archive/33693 Documents/UNU-EHS/2012-UNU-EHS/
11
To learn more about the ‘Four R’s’ of resilience and
InterSecTions2013_MelanieGall_Resilience.pdf MCEER visit: http://www.buffalo.edu/mceer.html/
2
Forecast for people likely to be affected by flooding
in the future. ‘Extreme Rain May Flood 54 Million 7
Discussion of building resilience, see: ‘Disaster Resilience
12
Study on psychology post-Sandy, see ‘Informed
People by 2030.’ Scientific American. March 5, 2015: Measurements, Stocktaking of ongoing efforts in Decisions on Catastrophe Risk, Understanding Individual
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ developing systems for measuring resilience.’ United Flood Risk Perceptions and Flood Insurance Choices to
extreme-rain-may-flood-54-million-people-by-2030/ Nations Development Programme. February 2014: Build More Resilient Communities: A Survey of New
http://www.preventionweb.net/files/37916_ York City Residents.’ Wharton Center for Risk
3
Figures for urban growth taken from ‘Population facts, disasterresiliencemeasurementsundpt.pdf Management and Decision Processes. Summer 2014:
Our urbanizing world.’ United Nations. August 2014 http://opim.wharton.upenn.edu/risk/library/
2014/3: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/ 8
The estimates for savings provided by resiliency were WRCib2014b_UnderstandingFloodRiskPerceptions.pdf
population/publications/factsheets/ based on research by Wharton and IIASA following
review of a large number of studies. For a discussion
13
Regarding building near water, one study found that
4
Natural Disasters and Credit Supply Shocks in about long-term cost benefits of flood resilience, see the insured value of residential and commercial
Developing and Emerging Economies. Wharton. August ‘Making Communities More Flood Resilient: The Role of properties in coastal counties of the U.S. now exceeds
2013: http://opim.wharton.upenn.edu/risk/library/ Cost Benefit Analysis and Other Decision-Support Tools USD 10 trillion. ‘The Coastline at Risk: 2013 Update to
WP2013-03_Collier-etal_CreditSupplyShocks.pdf in Disaster Risk Reduction.’ Zurich flood resilience the Estimated Insured Value of U.S. Coastal Properties.’
alliance. September 9, 2014: http://opim.wharton. AIR Worldwide Corporation. 2013: https://www.google.
5
Information about Thai flooding: compare ‘Supply ch/webhp?hl=en&gws_rd=cr,ssl&ei=2hUdVabMDOOY7
upenn.edu/risk/library/ZAlliance-decisiontools-WP.pdf
chain disruption: sunken ambitions.’ The Financial gaMmIGYAw#hl=en&q=The+Coastline+at+Risk:+2013
times, November 3, 2011: http://www.ft.com/intl/ 9
Only 13 percent of aid spending goes to disaster risk +Update+to+the+Estimated+Insured+Value+of+U.S.
cms/s/0/6b20d192-0613-11e1-ad0e-00144feabdc0. reduction. For a detailed description, see ‘Financing +Coastal+Properties
html#axzz1crBgFIuf Disaster Risk Reduction, A 20 year story of international
aid.’ Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery.
September 2013: http://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/
files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/8574.pdf
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