REDUCING RISK AS A TOOL FOR URBAN IMPROVEMENT - THE CAQUETA RAVINE, LIMA, PERU

This paper presents a description of the Caqueta district in Lima and describes the methodology and research meth ods used. It presents the key findings of the project and concludes with a brief discussion of m itigation as a tool for urban development. The paper seeks to reinforc e the key point of the project: the adherence to ''top down'' interven tions can ignore community level initiatives and the positive inputs o f other actors; also that risk reduction can be used as a tool in unit ing key actors to focus on protecting livelihoods, as well as lives, i n the promotion of sustainable urban development. This paper results f rom a recently completed project entitled ''Reducing Risk In Vulnerabl e Communities, Lima, Peru. Phase One: Caqueta Pilot Project''. The pri nciple aim of the project was to identify and subsequently develop, wi th the participation of key ''stakeholders'', sustainable risk reducti on measures for Caqueta, a particularly low-income area of Lima, Peru, vulnerable to landslides, earthquakes and fire.