BENEFITS OF COUPLING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT TO AID DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

The tsunami which devastated Japan in 2011 highlighted the consequences of natural disasters on an area considered to be "best prepared" for such an event. Learning from the direct environmental, social and economic impacts and temporally and spatially displaced indirect global impacts, is important. When seeking to identify and mitigate the impact of proposed developments the process is carried out from two distinct perspectives: "before" and "after" implementation with environmental impact assessment and environmental management the main "instruments" on either side. Drawing on examples from financial institutions and disaster response agencies, this paper explores the theory that coupling the two "instruments" can aid disaster risk reduction and management. It concludes that there is no simple answer and that further research is needed to inform practice.