Disaster Risk Management and Reduction in Quito: An Analysis of Public Policy Design and Governance

More than 200 million people are affected by disasters whose severity is exacerbated by factors such as climate change and the socio-economic conditions of vulnerable populations. This makes disaster risk a development problem. In response to this concern, disaster risk has been incorporated into the public agenda with a systemic vision, which considers risk as a social product linked to threats and vulnerabilities in an exposed society.

Despite advances in risk knowledge and the implementation of policies, the impacts of natural events are increasing, especially in Latin America, due to factors such as weak institutions, the lack of regulatory frameworks, inadequate planning, and, above all, the widespread poverty affecting most of its population. This research, therefore, seeks to answer the question: What factors determine the success of risk management and reduction policies?

The hypothesis suggests that greater articulation between state and non-state actors in the policy design process leads to more coherent, congruent, and consistent policy instruments, which in turn generates behavioral changes in individuals, groups, and institutions, helping to achieve the expected political objectives. To explore this, an analytical-methodological framework for policy design is proposed, where governance modes become the explanatory factor for their outcomes.

The case study is Quito, Ecuador, a city exposed to multiple threats with a vulnerable population, especially in informal peripheral areas. Although policies have evolved through various instruments, the increasing frequency of disasters highlights their failures. However, there are specific cases where community actions, supported by international cooperation, have successfully generated capacity and reduced risk.