Environmental and Social Performance Standard 4 (ESPS 4): Disaster risk

Our people are committed and passionate about improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean, and they get to do what they love in a diverse, collaborative and stimulating work environment. At the IDB, we’re committed to improving lives. Since 1959, we’ve been a leading source of long-term financing for economic, social, and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean. We do more than lending though. We partner with our 48-member countries to provide Latin America and the Caribbean with cutting-edge research about relevant development issues, policy advice to inform their decisions, and technical assistance to improve on the planning and execution of projects. For this, we need people who not only have the right skills but also are passionate about improving lives.

Learning objectives/Outcomes

Throughout the course, the participant developed skills to:

1. Recognize the importance of incorporating natural disaster and climate change risk assessment into the infrastructure project cycle
2. Identify the tools that enable the identification and preliminary assessment of the potential risks associated with natural hazards, including those derived from climate change, that may affect infrastructure projects
3. Identify characteristics, advantages, and potential applications of qualitative risk analysis, as well as those aspects that differentiate it from quantitative analysis
4. Identify characteristics, advantages, and potential applications of quantitative risk analysis, considering the effects of climate change

Learning experience and activities

Self-paced course that includes:

• Four modules with infographics, readings and videos outlining the main requirements of ESPS 4
• One multiple-choice, assessment test for each module

Content

This course has four modules that cover the following topics:

1. Disaster risk
2. Disaster risk management
3. Analysis and assessment of disaster risks
4. Preliminary risk analysis (screening)
5. Evaluation of threats, criticality, and vulnerability of projects
6. Triple perspective of risk analysis
7. Qualitative risk analysis
8. Quantitative risk analysis
9. Risk components
10. Uncertainty of risk calculation
11. Inclusion of climate change in risk reduction measures and investments

Assessment 

Those who obtain this credential, performed at least the following activities for course completion:

• Read the course content
• Watch the proposed videos
• Take four learning assessment tests with:
  • 80% correct answers (one quiz for each course module)
  • Two attempts to take each test, and guiding feedback after each attempt. The highest score is kept
  • Module evaluation following this structure:
    • Module 1 Exercises (25%)
    • Module 2 Exercises (20%)
    • Module 3 Exercises (35%)
    • Module 4 Exercises (15%)

Estimated learning effort

Completing this course takes approximately 5 hours.

Badge type

Completion badge