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CLIMATE CHANGE, DISASTER RISK, AND THE URBAN POOR
BOX 2.5 continued settlements do not have any waste-collection service. The storm-water and sewage network operates at 40 percent capacity, since it is blocked by sludge and debris. This increases the incidence of disease, exacerbated by the lack of affordable medical treatment for the urban poor. In Bogota, Colombia, correlation of data on the location of properties, income-levels of households, and earthquake risk revealed that poor households are located closer to fault lines and face a disproportionate burden, almost twice the seismic risk compared to higher-income households (Lall and Deichmann 2009). Location of poor settlements on steep terrain increases erosion and landslide risk due to natural hazards and climate change (Lall and Deichmann 2009). In Caracas, Venezuela, which is located in a high-risk seismic zone, highrise buildings and densely packed apartment blocks are concentrated where shaking is expected to be highest during an earthquake. Lack of building codes and enforcement allowed residents to build on alluvial fans, which reactivated during December 1999. That month experienced over 900 millimeters of rain in a 72-hour period, triggering landslides, mudflows, and debris flows. “Barrios� or slums occupy the low-lying, rugged mountains to the east and west of the city center, where rainfall-induced debris flows are expected to be the greatest. The dwelling units in the barrios are constructed of unreinforced masonry, making them particularly vulnerable to earthquakes. Although various groups are working to repair and rebuild housing in safe locations, poor planning and code enforcement are allowing squatters to return to the alluvial fans and streambeds where most of the December 1999 destruction was concentrated (Dilley et al. 2005). Source: Author.
Climate Change, Disaster Risk, and the Delivery of Basic Services for the Urban Poor Access to safe shelter, water, sanitation, proper drainage, reliable transport, roads, solid-waste removal, and public health services remains an elusive goal for many of the urban poor. With rapid urbanization comes the challenge of providing basic services to a growing population, often to people with limited means and living in informal settlements. Cities typically do not have the resources or capacity to keep up with the growing need for services. Issues of informality further