Risk governance and development

Risk reduction depends on appropriate forms of governance capable of responding to a need for improved survivability in unpredictable futures. The decision-making process for consequent risk governance required for sustainable development is driven by knowledge, power, culture and environment. These influences operate systemically and at the individual level they are in turn dependent on awareness, communication and education. Though governance is correctly identifiable as a structural phenomenon in need of ongoing reform, the entire package of risk governance as part of the development process cannot be separated from reaction to risks and human agency. This includes the role of personality, altruism, kinship, gender, faith and non-faith based beliefs and the need for awareness, with rights and responsibilities for disaster reduction and development. This short contribution presents seven bullets to indicate what risk and resilience governance would involve and a further seven bullets to indicate characteristic good disaster risk goverenancea.