Improving governance structures for natural disaster response lessons from the Indian Ocean tsunami

The December 26, 2004, great Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake and resulting tsunamis were among the most destructive natural disasters of recent times. The death toll from the tsunami was staggering, reaching close to a quarter of a million people, although the exact number will never be known. Beyond this, another estimated 1.7 million people were displaced.¹ The scenes of coastal devastation and shattered lives that the media broadcast around the world led to the single largest outpouring of international natural disaster assistance ever seen. It also resulted in major reevaluations of national and international disaster preparedness, governance structures, and information tools. The December tsunami is an example of how catastrophes can open the door for deep policy change. Thomas Birkland defines catastrophes as "more profound than disasters because they affect a much broader area, render local and neighboring governments unable to respond because they, too, are affected, and therefore require considerable assistance from regional and national governments or from international or nongovernmental relief organizations." He goes on to note that catastrophes are "the events most likely to trigger policy change."² In the wake of one of the world's worst natural disasters, natural disaster management laws have been introduced, tsunami regional warning systems established, and new natural disaster response programs formed. There has also been much reflection on the successes and failures of the disaster recovery operations. While there are still many sovereignty and national security concerns that have limited the willingness of governments to fully integrate early warning systems or establish a supranational regional disaster relief center, there have been important steps taken toward greater regional and global cooperation. What are the governance lessons the international community has learned and can learn from the tsunami? What kinds of institutional mechanisms have been created so that the next time a tsunami or other natural disaster hits, the international community can respond more effectively and efficiently? What kinds of preventative measures have been introduced to better protect coastal communities? This chapter examines the governance responses of national governments, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the international community to the tsunami along several dimensions: the development of a tsunami warning system for the Indian Ocean; changes to national disaster management legislation and institutional structures; the strengthening of regional and global institutions and mechanisms for disaster reduction and prevention; strengthened coordination of international humanitarian assistance; and environmental and development planning lessons.