Role of Ethics in Disaster Management

Abstract

Environmental ethics, ethical questions raised by the human relationship with the non-human environment, ethical divergences and dilemmas between the pursuance of developmental goals and ethical values – all these form the crux of the debate over the role of ethics in Disaster Management. In the context of preventing disasters, the decisions taken on the basis of ethics may have significant and lasting impacts on the communities. But the vested motives of the capitalists overshadow the community interests and they often end up choosing between the undesirable alternatives. 

Introduction

What are ethics?

Ethics is a set of moral philosophy that deals with the concept of right or wrong. Now what is right or not can substantially be different for everyone and this is why most of the times ethical dilemmas occur. But still, by having a perspective of the larger good of the nation, there are some generalized phenomena of right and wrong.

What is disaster management?

It includes those measures that are undertaken to prevent or cure a disaster or an emergency situation towards which attention needs to be paid.

Role of Ethics in Disaster Management

How are ethics related to disaster management? Ethics are the guiding force that influences the decision makers and so the decisions taken with respect to disaster management issues.

No year is escapable of natural disasters, mild and strong, for the earth. But is it right to call them “natural disasters?” It is often witnessed that the causes of these disasters, which are generally termed as “natural”, are actually man-made; so why don’t we refer to them as man-made disasters? The answer is simple, no one wants to be tagged. If they are termed as man-made disasters instead of natural ones, it will raise a plethora of questions against the authorities, the citizens, the government, and everyone, to which no one can answer. Who wants to be held accountable when any such disaster occurs, who wants to take the responsibility of it, who wants to be ashamed of such a big mistake?

Most of the disasters occur due to the human errors, to name a few, the recent Kerala Floods (2018), flash floods of Uttarakhand (2013) in India, Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan (2011) and Chernobyl disaster in Pripyat (1986), and yet there are many more. Unplanned development, over-exploitation of resources, negligence towards ecological recommendations and safety measures, poor governance, poor implementation of environmental laws, human ignorance, etc. are some of the major human errors that lead to such disasters. These human errors are not committed by mistake but in full consciousness. We are well aware of their consequences but we do not pay a heed to them because of our greed and other selfish motives. I am not blaming only the authorities and government because in many cases, the residents are also not the saints. This is the point where the role of ethics comes into place. According to ethics, we should not commit these human errors as they are totally in human control. There can be explanations for the factors that are not in our hands but no explanation can justify the factors that are absolutely human-driven. Even the explanations given in defense of such human errors are nothing but void.

The ethics do not stop the world from progressing rather it complements the development procedures. The development without ethics is only short-lived and can have devastating impacts on human life but the development along with ethics is the development in a true sense. The notion of development we carry today is a hollow one, we think only the big industries and lavish infrastructure encompasses the development but we forget the well-being and healthy survival of the people. True development is not only about industries and infrastructure but also about peace and health.

It is our moral obligation to abide by the environmental laws, practice sustainable activities and undertake development within the ecological norms. Ethics is following this moral obligation but I wonder even if the 10% population of the world is fulfilling this moral obligation. Seeing the extent of destruction on the earth, increasing global warming, and unstoppable disasters, it can be said that human beings have forgotten their ethics.

Let me use the example of the recent Kerala floods. Ethics said that there should have been a ban on the new industrial and mining activities, as prescribed in a 2011 report by Gadgil committee but if it would have happened there would have been a loss of revenue to the state. Ethics was to keep in mind the sensitivity of Western Ghats and to follow the coastal planning regulations. But as all these ethics were neglected to a great extent by the state, the state is facing its fate now. This is the most relevant example of the consequences of not working with ethics. If the state would have adopted some rationality, pursued the developmental goals along with the ethics and fulfilled its moral obligation, the state would not have been facing this devastating disaster. This proves that ethics play an important role in the disaster management.

Conclusion

The need of the hour is to respect the nature, proper implementation of environmental laws and self-conscious and responsible behavior of human beings.

The methodology needed for ethical decision making must reflect the complexity of human and international relationships, technological developments, environmental vulnerability, and interdependency.

We can’t shift over all the responsibility and blame over the government. Being the part of this society, we are equally possible for all the events and happenings. This is the high time when we have to understand what is good for us and what is not; undertake our decisions on the basis of what is right and what is wrong. We need to share the burden of healing nature and managing disasters; support and compel governmental authorities and other civil societies to do the needful.         

“Make your moves with ethical values to sail across the ocean smoothly.”