MAINSTREAMING DISASTER RISKS INTO THE DEVELOPMENT PLANNING OF MINGECHEVIR CITY, AZERBAIJAN

Mingechevir is one of the most vulnerable cities of Azerbaijan. The city completely is located in a downstream part of the Mincgechevir dam is under high risk of floods, landslides and earthquakes. Currently social structure in the city is very weak and economic concerns cause high vulnerability of city residents to meet these hazards properly. The city also hosts two big power plants, which can be sources of large-scale hazards as well. Poverty, housing realities, conditions in schools reduce capacity of local communities to face these natural hazards without human and material losses.

To cope with the current situation, in 2017 Mingechevir Work group has been established. The main task of the group was to identify most vulnerable places of the city and review local development plans, also mainstream disaster risks into these plans. Mainstreaming of disaster risks into the local development plans helps societies to develop strategies to reduce existing disaster risks. Mainstreaming DRR in to the development plan means to update local development plans considering most observed hazards in the region. For example, flood risks may be mainstreamed into the development through making more reliable bridges, dams and other activities related to flood management. If the school is located in a earthquake prone zone, then the all the risks related to earthquakes will be taking into account through structural safety and regular updates of non-structural safeties.

As a result of long-term efforts of the group, this document came into view. The current document contains a review of the group and updated development plans. These development plans were shaped by approval of the local and central government responsibilities. Reviwed and changed development plans of various organizations for the next five-six years are given in this document.

Rovshan Abbasov,

DRR and Climate Change consutltant of UNİCEF Azerbaijan