Environment and disasters

Environmental emergencies can be the direct cause of a disaster situation, as with major chemical spills. In other cases, environmental threats come about as a result of natural disasters or war. Examples include polluted drinking water as a result of flooding, or the huge amounts of waste that result from earthquakes.

For several years now, the SRSA's disaster operations have included an environmen­tal dimension. One early example was an operation carried out in Venezuela in late 1999 and early 2000. A landslide had occurred in the area around the capital, Caracas, as a result of rain and flooding.

In a port north of the city, chemicals were stored in a storage unit that had been da­maged by the landslide, and it was feared that toxic gases were being released. The SRSA sent two experts to the area and they were able to resolve the situation.

COOPERATION WITH UN

At an international level, cooperation has been developed between OCHA (the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanita­rian Affairs) and UNEP (the United Nations Environment Programme), in the form of a joint unit for environmental disasters. The SRSA has contributed to their work in seve­ral ways, such as by sending environmental experts to assess the environmental ef­fects of a natural disaster. As well as these operations, which may arise at short notice following a request for help, the SRSA can also make an emergency team available in situations where there is a risk of future disasters with environmental implications. This has happened, for example, in the run up to the hurricane season in Central America and the Caribbean.

CONFLICTS

The SRSA also works on environmental problems in the aftermath of long-term conflicts and natural disasters. Examples of this include Pakistan and Lebanon, where the SRSA has worked to develop ways of recycling materials from destroyed buildings. Other SRSA operations have also included an element of post-disaster waste management. This is an important short­term issue, since some waste can be life threatening, such as hazardous waste from hospitals. However, it is just as important in the long term, since soil, air and water can be polluted by substances released from waste. Also, if construction waste and rubble is recycled, there is less need to con­sume more of the earth's natural resources in the reconstruction of buildings.

IMPACT ANALYSIS

The other dimension of the SRSA's environ­mental work is monitoring the environ­mental side of all our operations to ensure they do not have a negative impact on the environment. The development of a new base camp concept has been something of a pilot project in this area. Environmental issues are raised in operational personnel training, and the code of conduct for operational personnel is being reviewed to include environmental aspects.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change is a huge challenge for all who work with humanitarian aid. Global warming is expected to lead to more frequent and more powerful hurricanes, more flooding in parts of the world and more severe droughts in other parts. If this causes a lack of drinking water and arable land, environmental resources could also become a source of conflict. An important future activity for the SRSA and its partners will be to identify measures and methods that can bring long-term benefits in mana­ging the risks that follow in the footsteps of climate change.

THE YEAR 2008 MARKS the 20th anniversa­ry of the SRSA's first international opera­tion. However, it is also the last year that the SRSA will exist as an independent agency. On the last day of 2008 the SRSA along with the Swedish Emergency Ma­nagement Agency and the National Board of Psychological Defence will all be dissol­ved. Parts of all three will be absorbed on I January 2009 into the new Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency. Kjell Larsson, Head of the International Department at the SRSA, shares his perspective on this change and other future issues.

How will the creation of the new agency af­fect international work?

"From the guidance issued, it seems that all the tasks of the International Depart­ment will continue. There are lots of advan­tages of the new joint agency - primarily a broader skills base. We will get to work with the big picture, instead of just parts of it. The divisions that exist at the moment have often seemed unnatural, mainly in relation to the Swedish Emergency Man­agement Agency. Also, our work in Swe­den is to be concentrated in fewer locations. Naturally, this affects us."

The International Department of the SRSA has grown quickly in recent years. Does the organisation have growing pains?

"It is true that we have expanded quick­ly, mostly since April 2006 when our base moved to Kristinehamn. The government usually has quite a hands-on approach with the agencies, but in our international work we have only had a few instructions and ap­propriation directions to go on. The govern­ment asked us to review a strategy for the first time this year. Until now we have just tried to progress through trial and error."

"In the immediate future we are going to stabilise our structure and find the right level for us. We are also going to try to be better at being a learning organisation. It's important to learn from mistakes and take a good long look in the mirror. We have something of a 'blue light mentality'. We are available, we get the call and we re­spond rapidly. It's charming and effective, but the other side of the coin is that we have problems with analysis, feedback and organisational learning.

The SRSA's first international operations were all about rapid response to emergency situations. Its work has now grown to in­clude mine action, recovery and capacity building. What will the organisation look like in the future?

"Our core and our legitimacy lie in rapid response humanitarian relief operations. That is the foundation on which we base our work. We put out fires, or at least stop them from spreading. This is where our skills are, and that's why the U and the EU request our services, even though the disasters in question are often far from Sweden. To put it in Swedish terms, its as though there's a fire in Kristinehamn and the local fire serv­ice needs help, and requests it from a distant place like Sundsvall instead of from nearby towns like Karlstad or Karlskoga. That's why we also do capacity building, to sup­port countries that want to help each other and themselves. It's a good development that has plenty of support from the interna­tional community. We will also be carrying out recovery work to a certain extent, and we'll continue with mine action, which is an important element of our work."