Silvia Hostettler | EPFL Graph Search

Short Profile PhD Environmental Science 20 years of experience in global sustainability challenges Professional Activities 09/2012–05/2019 Cooperation & Development Center, EPFL Deputy Director Acting Director of CODEV from February to September 2014. Leading research projects in disaster risk reduction. Lecturer in Development Engineering. Directing International Conference on Technologies for Development. 02/2008–08/2012 swissnex India Executive Director Establishing research collaboration between India and Switzerland. Building networks and organising 58 events with research organisations. Developing projects in science and technology, education and innovation. Managing swissnex India team (6 people) in Bangalore, India. 05/2001–01/2007 EPFL, Switzerland Researcher Research and publication of a PhD dissertation on land use changes and international migration. Developed research projects in Latin America and the Caribbean in collaboration with Swiss and Southern partner institutions. 05/2001–12/2001 NCCR North-South, University of Bern Consultant Responsible for backstopping workshops in Ethiopia, Kenya, Cuba, Bolivia, Nepal and Vietnam. Ensured continuation of learning process and production of final report. 07/2001–12/2001 Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Researcher Co-organised conference: “Research Partnerships for Sustainable Development: Approaches and Experiences in Latin America” in Cartagena, Colombia. 04/2001–12/2001 IUCN – The World Conservation Union Programme Assistant Developed project proposals with local organisations in China for IUCN Northeast Asia programme. 01/2000–03/2001 IUCN – The World Conservation Programme Coordinator Cloud Forest Initiative Developed project proposals with IUCN Regional Offices in Latin America, Africa and Asia and presented projects to donor agencies. Established networks with international partners (World Conservation Monitoring Centre, WWF, UNESCO) to prepare joint activities for cloud forest conservation. 09/1996–01/1997 State Secretariat for Education and Research Co-organised “Research and Technology Day” in Stockholm, Sweden Research and Working Experience Abroad India | Executive Director, swissnex India | (2008-2012)Mexico | Fieldwork for PhD research | (9 months, 2002-2004)Burkina Faso | Fieldwork for CAS research | (6 months, 1998-1999)Ghana | Fieldwork for BSc research | (3 months, 1996)London | Internship at Greenpeace | (6 months, 1994)Colombia | Exchange programme at college level in Bogota | (1987) Management Skills Planning and leading the creation of short- and long-term visionsStrategic programme planningLeading Teams Professional Affiliations Member of the Editorial Board, Journal of Development Engineering (2015- Swiss Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE) (2013- Conseil Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques (CSRS) (2017-2019) Professional Women’s Group Bangalore (2009-2012)

Barriers to the implementation of international agreements on the ground: Climate change and resilience building in the Araucanía Region of Chile

Nicola Mary Banwell, Silvia Hostettler

Implementing disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation and mitigation (CCA/M), and sustainable development are key to increasing community resilience to pressing climate change risks. Barriers to grassroots implementation of national and international policies are inexorably linked to local contexts, and in-depth understanding of these barriers is crucial in areas greatly impacted by climate change. This research applied an empirical mixed-methods approach to identify the barriers to implementing grassroots climate resilience in the Araucanía Region in central-southern Chile. Data was collected in the form of expert interviews, 454 questionnaires of community members, community focus group discussions, and historical climate data for the region. The need to strengthen local-level implementation persists in the Araucanía Region. Barriers to implementation include limited horizontal and multi-sectoral governance, and inadequate allocation of human and financial resources at the local level. The majority of community members expressed that they had some (71% n = 322) or a lot (10% n = 47) of climate change knowledge, with 91% (n = 409) indicating that their community is impacted by climate change, and half correctly perceived changes in several climate-related hazards. However, a misconception held by experts regarding community knowledge represents a barrier that limits opportunities for leveraging community willingness to take action, and impedes the inclusion of community priorities into national policies. Opportunities exist to strengthen grassroots climate resilience by adopting a coherent approach which links DRR and CCA/M to key community concerns in sustainable development. National and regional actors need to work closely with municipal governments to mobilize synergies and foster meaningful grassroots action.

2020

The challenges of impact evaluation: Attempting to measure the effectiveness of community-based disaster risk management

Nicola Mary Banwell, Anthony Christopher Davison, Silvia Hostettler, Alfredo Rafael Kägi Trejo

Although disaster risk management is becoming increasingly important in development cooperation, there is still a lack of robust evidence regarding its effectiveness. Few studies based on a counterfactual have been conducted in the fields of disaster management and disaster risk reduction. This article describes a methodological approach to enabling more rigorous evidence-based decision-making in community-based disaster risk mitigation, and notably for assessing the degree to which it increases preparedness for the adverse effects of hazards in vulnerable communities. The effects of actions designed to reduce disaster-induced loss, damage, injuries, fatalities and resource degradation were evaluated at a Swiss and Honduran Red Cross’ intervention area in Honduras. Our results show that the intervention has had a significant positive effect in three important areas of resilience: knowledge and preparedness (e.g., existence of an early warning system); social cohesion (e.g., community institutions); and management of natural assets (e.g., firewood consumption). Our findings indicate that the intervention program has enhanced the capacities of treated communities to prepare for future hazards and to respond in case of an emergency at both household and community levels.

2020

Community-based landslide risk reduction: a review of a Red Cross soil bioengineering for resilience program in Honduras

Silvia Hostettler

Effective long-term participation of communities in disaster risk reduction measures in landslide-prone areas continues to be a challenge. This study aims to evaluate the extent to which community-based soil-bioengineering techniques allow for effective mitigation of shallow landslide events given technical, environmental, economic and socio-cultural sustainability criteria. The Red Cross has been implementing community-based disaster risk reduction programs aimed at increasing resilience at the community level in Honduras since 2005. Since 2010, 230 landslide hazard sites have been stabilized using soil-bioengineering measures (the use of living plant material to provide certain engineering functions) based on a carefully and systematically developed partnership with local communities. In 2018, an assessment of 73 sites established between 2010 and 2014 showed that (1) 83% of the sites were adequately maintained and (2) 69% of the sites fulfilled the function of soil stabilization. A cost-benefit analysis was conducted for two sites and indicated a cost-benefit ratio of 4.5 and 6 respectively. Some of the key factors for these high success rates include the fact that bioengineering is a locally adapted, easily implemented, cost-effective technology that offers landowners multiple benefits by increasing food security and creating income-generation opportunities. The Red Cross has recognized the importance of empowering communities by building self-confidence so that they can ultimately take responsibility for their own future. The creation of well-functioning local emergency committees has proven highly effective in achieving this goal. When adequately trained, these committees are able to support the replication and maintenance of disaster-risk reduction measures at the community-level in the long term. This case study supports the hypothesis that carefully designed participatory approaches are essential for achieving sustainable, long-term transformative change and risk reduction.

2019

Barriers to the implementation of international agreements on the ground: Climate change and resilience building in the Araucanía Region of Chile

Nicola Mary Banwell, Silvia Hostettler

2020

Community-based landslide risk reduction: a review of a Red Cross soil bioengineering for resilience program in Honduras

Silvia Hostettler

2019