Abstract
Since the end of the Cold War, there has been an unprecedented growth and institutionalization of the international humanitarian enterprise. This growth was to a large extent due to the end of bipolarism and the consequent lifting of inhibitions around military and humanitarian interventions. Accordingly, humanitarian agencies have adapted to a new context that allowed presence ‘in’ conflict areas, rather than just ‘around’ conflict. The model was predicated on two assumptions that have now become increasingly questionable: the first was that conflict would continue to be the main driver of disasters and vulnerability; the second was that western-driven approaches to the provision of assistance and protection would continue to be welcome in disaster affected States. After discussing major trends in disasters and disaster response, this chapter questions both these assumptions and provides pointers on the humanitarian challenges of the future.
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Notes
- 1.
The data on the occurrence and effects of natural and technological disasters is from the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED). CRED’s Emergency Events Database contains information on over 18,000 disasters in the world from 1900 to present. The database is compiled from various sources, including UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, insurance companies, research institutes and press agencies. An event is classified as a disaster when at least one of the following criteria is fulfilled: ten or more people killed; 100 or more people affected; a declaration of a state of emergency or a call for international assistance was made (http://www.emdat.be/criteria-and-definition: accessed February 25, 2012). EM-DAT data do not include civil war or conflict related man-made disasters.
- 2.
See http://www.systemicpeace.org/conflict.htm (accessed February 25, 2012), particularly Fig. 3, Global Trends in Armed Conflict, 1946–2011. Although the methodologies are different (the definition of ‘conflict’ being a case in point), the University of British Columbia’s ‘The Causes of Peace and the Shrinking Costs of War Human Security Report Project 2009/2010’ reaches similar conclusions..
- 3.
http://www.systemicpeace.org/conflict.htm, Fig. 7 (accessed February 25, 2012).
- 4.
See for example the data series published by the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED): http://www.cred.be/publications (accessed February 22, 2012). UN Environment Programme (UNEP) data show an exponential increase in hazardous events since the 1960 s and especially of floods: http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/trends-in-natural-disasters_a899# (accessed February 25, 2012).
- 5.
Munich RE press release 4 January 2012, http://www.munichre.com/en/media_relations/press_releases/2012/2012_01_04_press_release.aspx (accessed February 25, 2012).
- 6.
- 7.
Unless otherwise indicated, data in this and the following paragraphs are from Development Initiatives 2011.
- 8.
Development Initiatives 2011, Figs. 6 and 10.
- 9.
Stoddard et al. 2009
- 10.
On the concept of network power, see Grewal 2008.
- 11.
Secretary of State Colin Powell famously stated that “NGOs are such a force multiplier for us, such an important part of our combat team”; Remarks to the National Foreign Policy Conference for leaders of US NGOs, US Department of State, Washington DC, 26 October 2001.
- 12.
“Stability operations are humanitarian relief missions that the military conducts outside the U.S. in pre-conflict, conflict and post-conflict countries, disaster areas or underdeveloped nations, and in coordination with other federal agencies, allied governments and international organizations. The new policy elevates the importance of such military health support in stability operations, called Medical Stability Operations (MSOs), to a DoD priority that is comparable with combat operations,” “New DoD Policy Outlines Military Health Support in Global Stability Missions”, Press Release, 24 May 2010.
- 13.
See Donini et al. 2008.
- 14.
Actually, this is not so new. Henry Kissinger in 1976 stated that: “Disaster relief is becoming increasingly a major instrument of our foreign policy”.
- 15.
Giorgio Agamben, quoted in Fassin, 507.
- 16.
Wallerstein 2006, 40.
- 17.
http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/trends-in-natural-disasters_a899# (accessed February 25, 2012). I am indebted to Peter Walker for pointing me to the data in the following paragraphs.
- 18.
Cruz et al. 2007.
- 19.
Cruz et al. 2007.
- 20.
Cruz et al. 2007, 469–506.
- 21.
Webster et al. 2009, 149.
- 22.
Van Aalst 2006, 5.
- 23.
As an example, Andrew Natsios, senior Vice-President of World Vision US, was appointed head of USAID by G.W. Bush. Earlier in his career he had worked for various private companies and in academia. The case of Bernard Kouchner, one of the founders of MSF, who became a minister in both a leftist and rightist French government is also emblematic.
- 24.
Cooley and Ron 2002.
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Donini, A. (2012). Disasters and the Future of Humanitarian Action: Issues, Trends, and Challenges. In: de Guttry, A., Gestri, M., Venturini, G. (eds) International Disaster Response Law. T.M.C. Asser Press, The Hague, The Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-6704-882-8_21
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