Disaster Risk Management Summer University in Khorog, Tajikistan was held on 16−28 June 2019.
Risk from natural hazards impact human lives, livelihoods and assets throughout the Pamir, Hindu Kush, Tien Shan, Karakoram Mountains. These threats to settlements and infrastructure are not new. However, intensified land use, higher complexity of societies, higher concentration of values, as well as effects of climate change constitute new challenges for DRR specialists, emergency managers, and land-use planners. The consideration of risks in development planning (mainstreaming), preparedness (response capacity), and design of protective measures requires a full understanding of hazards, vulnerabilities, and risks to various stakeholders, including all aspects of risk reduction as well as socio-economic aspects.
Locally-based but internationally supported research, tertiary education, and training associated with the understanding and assessment of hazards, risks, and DRR are of utmost importance in this mountainous and hazard prone part of the world.
The Summer University 2019 on Disaster Risk Management is the 2nd edition of the international event organized by Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) and the University of Central Asia’s Mountain Society Research Institute (MSRI) in collaboration with the University of Bern, Switzerland (GIUB) and University of natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna.
Field work on Sumjev landslide and Khidorjev rockfall, flash flood and debris flow cases.
The event was aimed at developing the theoretical and practical framework for the integration amongst scientific, economic, social, and governance elements of integrated watershed management and implementation as well as aspects of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) in practice.
Representative of the UNESCO Chair on IWRM of Kazakh-German University (Kogutenko L.) among other participant from universities from Central Asia as well as from government and non-government agencies worked on the assessment and management of risks from mountain hazards. Combining regional practitioner’s experience and international knowledge, the workshop offered both scientific and practical skills in disaster risk reduction.
Field work on Barsem debris flow case.