State, Institutional and Organizational Capacities in Disaster Risk Management

Abstract

Disaster risk management (DRM) has become a global priority due to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather and climate-related events, exacerbated by climate change. This study analyzes how state, institutional, and organizational capacities are addressed in the scientific literature on disasters, highlighting the role of these capacities in the implementation of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery actions. To this end, a systematic literature review was conducted, analyzing 404 articles published between 2012 and 2022. Of these, 90 articles directly addressed state, institutional, or organizational capacities in the context of DRM. The analysis revealed that most studies do not clearly define what they consider as state, institutional, and organizational capacities, showing a tendency to diversify the types of capacities, with 36 categories identified. The factors most frequently associated with these capacities include human and financial resources, technical training, social participation, cooperation, data management, administrative skills, and local political characteristics. Lessons learned from different global contexts reinforce that DRM should be understood as a continuous process of adaptation, learning, and collaboration, where capacity building plays a central role in achieving tangible outcomes. Moreover, aligned with the goals of the Sendai Framework for 2030, this study emphasizes the importance of globally coordinated efforts to strengthen state, institutional, and organizational capacities. It also highlights the urgent need to develop effective metrics and indicators to measure these capacities, promoting more systematic approaches that enhance preparedness and resilience in DRM.

Keywords: Risk Management, Implementation, Decision Making, Stakeholder, Governance