Framework for integrating indigenous and scientific knowledge for disaster risk reduction Jessica Mercer, Ilan Kelman, Lorin Taranis and Sandie Suchet-Pearson 1 A growing awareness of the value of indigenous knowledge has prompted calls for its use within disaster risk reduction. The use of indigenous knowledge alongside scientific knowledge is increas- ingly advocated but there is as yet no clearly developed framework demonstrating how the two may be integrated to reduce community vulnerability to environmental hazards. This paper presents such a framework, using a participatory approach in which relevant indigenous and scientific knowledge may be integrated to reduce a community’s vulnerability to environmental hazards. Focusing on small island developing states it presents an analysis of the need for such a framework alongside the difficulties of incorporating indigenous knowledge. This is followed by an expla- nation of the various processes within the framework, drawing on research completed in Papua New Guinea. This framework is an important first step in identifying how indigenous and scientific knowledge may be integrated to reduce community vulnerability to environmental hazards. Keywords: disaster risk reduction, indigenous knowledge, Papua New Guinea, scientific knowledge, small island developing states Introduction Since the 1970s a growing body of literature has emphasised the importance of incorporating local knowledge and practices into development and conservation projects (see Table 1). Increasingly, the importance of local knowledge and prac- tices has also been highlighted in relation to environmental hazards and disasters (Cronin et al., 2004a, 2004b; Dekens, 2007a, 2007b; Haynes, 2005; Howell, 2003; Jigyasu, 2002; Mitchell, 2006). However, while in theory the importance of such work has been recognised within the international community, the practical appli- cation generally only occurs on a small scale within communities of developing countries (Dekens, 2007a). For example, indigenous residents of Tikopia Island in the Solomon Islands struck by Cyclone Zoe in December 2002 survived using age- old indigenous practices of traditional housing (some of which survived the cyclone) and taking shelter under overhanging rocks on higher ground as the cyclone struck (Anderson-Berry et al., 2003; Kelman, 2005; Vettori and Stuart, 2004; Yates and Anderson-Berry, 2004). The National Disaster Management Office and associated international agencies helped their post-disaster reconstruction, but only after the people had secured their own survival in the short term. Such stories of survival through indigenous practices have directly contributed to challenging mainstream scientific views, which downplay the potential of indigenous knowledge. This has doi:10.1111/j.0361-3666.2009.01126.x © 2009The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2009 Published by Blackwell Publishing, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UK฀and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA