Sendai Five Years on: Reflections on the Role of International Law in the Creation and Reduction of Disaster Risk

Abstract

This article offers a critical examination of the position of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 within international law. It is argued that any interrogation into the relationship between international law and disaster risk reduction (DRR) must begin not with existing DRR laws and policies, but rather with an enquiry into the nature of disaster risk and the role of international law in its creation and reduction. It is demonstrated how, while areas such as international human rights law can be utilized to enforce obligations in support of DRR, other areas—in particular international investment law—actively work to undermine DRR efforts. In order for international law to be a productive tool in the reduction of disaster risk, international lawyers must engage with critical work in disaster studies and explore the role that international law has played, and can play, in creating and addressing hazards, vulnerabilities, and capacities.

Keywords

Disaster risk creation / Disaster risk reduction / International law / Sendai Framework

References

[1] Aronsson-Storrier M. Sanitation, human rights, and disaster management. Disaster Prevention and Management, 2017, 26(5): 514-525

[2] Aronsson-Storrier M. Beyond early warning systems: Querying the relationship between international law and disaster risk (reduction). Yearbook of International Disaster Law, 2019, 1(1): 51-69

[3] Baltag, C (ed.). 2018. Human rights and environmental disputes in international arbitration. Kluwer Arbitration Blog, 24 July 2018. https://arbitrationblog.kluwerarbitration.com/2018/07/24/human-rights-and-environmental-disputes-in-international-arbitration/. Accessed 26 Mar 2020.

[4] Blaikie P, Cannon T, Davis I, Wisner B. At risk: Natural hazards, people’s vulnerability, and disasters, 1994 1 London: Routledge

[5] CEDAW (Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women). 2018. General recommendation No. 37 on gender-related dimensions of disaster risk reduction in the context of climate change. UN Doc CEDAW/C/GC/37, 7 February 2018.

[6] Cubie D. Promoting dignity for all: Human rights approaches in the post-2015 climate change, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development frameworks. Human Rights and International Legal Discourse, 2014, 8(1): 36-51.

[7] da Costa K. Corporate accountability in the Samarco chemical sludge disaster. Disaster Prevention and Management, 2017, 26(5): 540-552

[8] da Costa K, Pospieszna P. The relationship between human rights and disaster risk reduction revisited: Bringing the legal perspective into the discussion. Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies, 2015, 6(1): 64-86

[9] Desierto D. Public policy in international economic law, 2015, Oxford: Oxford University Press

[10] Eburn M, Collins A, da Costa K. Samuel KLH, Aronsson-Storrier M, Bookmiller KN. Recognising limits of international law in disaster risk reduction as problem and solution. The Cambridge handbook of disaster risk reduction and international law, 2019, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 107-127

[11] ECtHR (European Court of Human Rights). 2008. Budayeva and others v. Russia. Apps nos. 15339/ 02, 21166/ 02, 20058/ 02, 11673/ 02 and 15343/ 02, 20 March 2008.

[12] ECtHR (European Court of Human Rights). 2004. Öneryildiz and others v. Turkey. Apps no. 48939/ 99, 30 November 2004.

[13] Enarson E, Fordham M. From women’s needs to women’s rights in disasters. Environmental Hazards, 2001, 3: 133-136.

[14] European Commission. 2019. Energy Charter Treaty modernisation: European Commission presents draft negotiating directives. Brussels: European Commission. https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=2017. Accessed 14 May 2019.

[15] Fitzpatrick D, Compton C. Samuel KLH, Aronsson-Storrier M, Bookmiller KN. Disaster risk reduction and the state: The failure of no-build zones after Typhoon Haiyan. The Cambridge handbook of disaster risk reduction and international law, 2019, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 295-312

[16] Hesselman M. Samuel KLH, Aronsson-Storrier M, Bookmiller KN. Access to disaster risk information, early warning and education: Implementing the Sendai framework through human rights law. The Cambridge handbook of disaster risk reduction and international law, 2019, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 188-216

[17] Hewitt K. Interpretations of calamity from the viewpoint of human ecology, 1983, London: Allen & Unwin

[18] Hill-Cawthorne L. Breau S, Samuel K. Dispute settlement in the aftermath of disaster. Research handbook on disasters and international law, 2016, Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing 501-529

[19] Human Rights Committee. 2018. General comment No. 36 on Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, on the right to life. UN Doc CCPR/C/GC/36, October 2018.

[20] ILC (International Law Commission). 2016. Draft articles on the protection of persons in the event of disasters. Adopted on second reading by the Drafting Committee. UN Doc. A/CN.4/L.871, 26 May 2016.

[21] International Energy Charter. 2020a. Italy. https://www.energycharter.org/who-we-are/members-observers/countries/italy/. Accessed 31 Jan 2020.

[22] International Energy Charter. 2020b. The Energy Charter Treaty. https://www.energycharter.org/process/energy-charter-treaty-1994/energy-charter-treaty/. Accessed 31 Jan 2020.

[23] Italian Parliament. 2015. Law No. 208 of 28 December 2015 (2016 Budget Law). Published in Official Gazette No. 302, Ordinary Supplement No. 70.

[24] Jain, S. 2019. Bridging the gap between investment arbitrations and environmental concerns: Can inclusion of counterclaims help? The American Review of International Arbitration 30. https://aria.law.columbia.edu/bridging-the-gap-between-investment-arbitrations-and-environmental-concerns-can-inclusion-of-counterclaims-help/#_ftn1. Accessed 26 Mar 2020.

[25] Kelman I. Climate change and the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2015, 6(2): 117-127

[26] Kennedy D. Law and the political economy of the world. Leiden Journal of International Law, 2013, 26(1): 7-48

[27] Korbin S. Schere A, Palazzo G. Globalization, transnational corporations and the future of global governance. Handbook of research on global corporate citizenship, 2008, Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing 249-272.

[28] Lauta KC. Disaster law, 2015, London: Routledge

[29] Lauta KC. Breau S, Samuel K. Human rights and natural disasters. Research handbook on disasters and international law, 2016, Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing 91-110

[30] Lewis J. Development in disaster-prone places: Studies of vulnerability, 1999, London: Intermediate Technology Publications

[31] Linarelli J, Salomon M, Sornarajah M. Misery of international law, 2018, Oxford: Oxford University Press

[32] Marks S. Human rights and root causes. Modern Law Review, 2011, 74(1): 57-78

[33] Moyn S. Not enough: Human rights in an unequal world, 2018, Harvard: Harvard University Press

[34] Newdick C. Breau S, Samuel K. Global capitalism and the crisis of the public interest – Sleepwalking into disaster. Research handbook on disasters and international law, 2016, Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing 23-45

[35] Oliver-Smith A. Jones EC, Murphy AD. Anthropology and the political economy of disasters. The Political economy of hazards and disasters, 2009, Plymouth, UK: AltaMira Press 11-28.

[36] Peel J, Fisher D. The role of international environmental law in disaster risk reduction, 2016, Leiden, Netherlands: Brill-Nijhoff

[37] Pronto AN. Samuel KLH, Aronsson-Storrier M, Bookmiller KN. The ILC’s articles on the protection of persons in the event of disasters and disaster risk reduction: A legislative history. The Cambridge handbook of disaster risk reduction and international law, 2019, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 71-86

[38] Rockhopper Exploration PLC. 2017. Commencement of International Arbitration. RockHopper Exploration PLC News, 23 March 2017. https://www.italaw.com/sites/default/files/case-documents/italaw8848.pdf. Accessed 26 Mar 2020.

[39] Ruggie, J. 2011. Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises. UN Doc.A/HRC/17/31/Add.3, May 25 2011.

[40] Samuel KLH, Aronsson-Storrier M, Bookmiller KN. The Cambridge handbook of disaster risk reduction and international law, 2019, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

[41] Saunders, W., S. Kelly, S. Paisley, and L. Clarke. 2020. Progress toward implementing the Sendai Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the Sustainable Development Goals: Policy from Aotearoa New Zealand. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 11(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13753-020-00269-8.

[42] Slater TL. Investor-state arbitration and domestic environmental protection. Washington University Global Studies Law Review, 2015, 14(1): 131-154.

[43] Sossai M. Giustiniani FZ, Sommario E, Casolari F, Bartolini G. States’ failure to take preventive action and to reduce exposure to disasters as a human rights issue. Routledge handbook of human rights and disasters, 2018, London: Routledge 119-131

[44] Tamma, P. 2019. Italian clampdown on oil and gas exploration is a 5Star win. Politico, 11 February 2019. https://www.politico.eu/article/italian-clampdown-on-oil-and-gas-exploration-is-a-5star-win/. Accessed 26 Mar 2020.

[45] Tozier de la Poterie A, Baudoin MA. From Yokohama to Sendai: Approaches to participation in international disaster risk reduction frameworks. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2015, 6(2): 128-139

[46] UN (United Nations). 1965. International convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. Adopted 21 December 1965, entered into force 4 January 1969. New York: UN.

[47] UN (United Nations). 1979. Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (1979). Adopted 18 December 1979, entered into force 3 September 1981. New York: UN.

[48] UN (United Nations). 1989. Convention on the rights of the child (1989). Adopted 20 November 1989, entered into force 2 September 1990. New York: UN.

[49] UN (United Nations) Yokohama strategy and plan of action for a safer world: Guidelines for natural disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation, 27 May 1994, 1994, New York: UN

[50] UN (United Nations). 2005. Hyogo framework for action 2005– 2015: Building the resilience of nations and communities to disasters (22 January 2005) UN Doc A/CONF.206/ 6. New York: UN.

[51] UN (United Nations). 2006. Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (2006). Adopted December 13, 2006, entered into force May 3, 2008. New York: UN.

[52] UN (United Nations). 2015. Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030. UN Doc A/ CONF.224/ CRP.1, March 18, 2015. New York: UN.

[53] UNISDR (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction) Technical guidance for monitoring and reporting on progress in achieving the global targets of the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction, 2017, Geneva: UNISDR

[54] UNDRR (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction) Sendai framework voluntary commitments: Guideline for submission, 2018, Geneva: UNDDR

[55] UNDRR (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction) Global assessment report on disaster risk reduction 2019, 2019, Geneva: UNDDR

[56] UNDRR (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction) Sendai framework voluntary commitments synthesis and analysis report 2019, 2019, Geneva: UNDDR

[57] UNDRR (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction). 2020. Voluntary commitments. https://sendaicommitments.unisdr.org/. Accessed 31 Jan 2020.

[58] UN Human Rights Council Guiding principles on business and human rights: Implementing the United Nations “protect, respect and remedy” framework, 2011, New York: United Nations

[59] U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 2004. Central America–Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, concluded 28 May 2004. https://www.cbp.gov/trade/free-trade-agreements/cafta-dr. Accessed 26 Mar 2020.

[60] Van Harten, G., and P. Malysheuski. 2016. Who has benefited financially from investment treaty arbitration? An evaluation of the size and wealth of claimants. Osgoode Legal Studies Research Paper No. 14/2016.

[61] Verheecke, L., P. Eberhardt, C. Olivet, and S. Cossar-Gilbert. 2019. Red carpet courts: 10 stories of how the rich and powerful Hijacked Justice. Brussels and Amsterdam: Friends of the Earth Europe and International, the Transnational Institute, and Corporate Europe Observatory.

[62] Voon, T. 2019. Modernizing the energy charter treaty: What about termination? Investment Ttreaty News, 2 October 2019. https://www.iisd.org/itn/2019/10/02/modernizing-the-energy-charter-treaty-what-about-termination-tania-voon/. Accessed 26 Mar 2020.

[63] Watts A. Byers M. The importance of international law. The role of law in international politics: Essays in international relations and international law, 2001, Oxford: Oxford University Press 5-16

[64] Wilson MP, Davies RJ, Foulger GR, Julian BR, Styles P, Gluyas JG, Almond S. Anthropogenic earthquakes in the UK: A national baseline prior to shale exploitation. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2015, 68: 1-17

[65] Wisner, B. 2020. Five years beyond Sendai—Can we get beyond frameworks? International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 11(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13753-020-00263-0.

[66] Wisner B, Blaikie P, Cannon T, Davis I. At risk: Natural hazards, people’s vulnerability, and disasters, 2003 2 London: Routledge

[67] Wisner B, Gaillard JC, Kelman I. Wisner B, Gaillard JC, Kelman I. Framing disaster: Theories and stories seeking to understand hazards, vulnerability and risk. The Routledge handbook of hazards and disaster risk reduction, 2012, London: Routledge 18-33