From Disaster Response to Risk Management: Australia's National Drought Policy [Hardcover]

An academically focused collection of papers highlighting the successes and challenges of a move from disaster to risk management in responding to drought. The book passes on the experiences gained from Australias trail-blazing new policy, introduced in 1992.

In 1992 Australias Commonwealth and State governments announced the introduction of a National Drought Policy adopting an innovative risk management approach, which received broad support from Australias major political parties and the policy community.

This trail-blazing attempt and the experiences with the development and implementation of this policy over the past decade have intrigued the international scientific and policy communities. The present book comprises an academically focused collection of papers, which the Editors hope will provide others moving in a similar direction with the benefit of experience. The work highlights the successes and challenges of a move from disaster to risk management in responding to drought.

As such it will be a valuable and useful addition to the international literature on drought preparedness and response.

Foreword. Contributors. Abbreviations. Glossary. Introduction - L. C. Botterill, D.A. Wilhite. Ch 1 Living In The Australian Environment  Mark Stafford Smith. Ch 2 Climate And Drought In The SubtropicsThe Australian Example - J.A. Lindesay. Ch 3 Indigenous Water Philosophy In An Uncertain Land - D. Rose. Ch 4 Late Twentieth Century Approaches To Living With Uncertainty: The National Drought Policy - L.C. Botterill. Ch 5 Managing Risk? Social Policy Responses In Time Of Drought - D. Stehlik. Ch 6 Drought, News Media And Policy Debate - I. Ward. Ch 7 At The Intersection Of Science And Politics: Defining Exceptional Drought - D.H. White, L.C. Botterill, B. OMeagher. Ch 8 Drought Risk As A Negotiated Construct - P. Hayman, P. Cox. Ch 9 Prospects For Insuring Against Drought In Australia - G. HlĂ3