The Contribution of Science and Technology to Meeting the Challenge of Risk and Disaster Reduction in Developing Countries: From Concrete Examples to the Proposal of a Conceptual Model of “Resiliencery Vulnerability”

Human societies and territories have always been confronted with hazards and risks, which are occasionally the source of disasters (Quarantelli et al. 2006). Over recent years, natural disasters have taken a heavy toll throughout the world, and more severely so in the developing countries: from the tsunami in the Indian Ocean to the earthquakes in Iran and Southern Asia, including the hurricanes in Burma, the Caribbean, and the Pacific; torrential rains, mudslides, and landslides in various parts of Asia and Latin America; and volcanic eruptions. Even if the situation in poor countries varies, the distribution of disaster victims illustrates the contrast between developed countries and developing countries (Fig. 10.1). In developing countries, the loss of human life and means of subsistence as a result of disasters due to natural, technological (EM-DAT Database n.d.), or social causes are major. The population explosion in Southern countries, development of megalopolises, anarchic urban growth, environmental degradation and the impact of climate change combined with the social and economic context of these societies, and their lack of means and organization in terms of risk and disaster prevention and management, all contribute to making these events catastrophic. Apart from the fact that these factors increase the vulnerability of Southern countries, the consequences of these disasters can also constitute a brake upon development.