The concept of resilience has become part of the lexicon for disaster researchers in universities and government agencies. The concept has evolved significantly over the past 5 years, in part because of experience with the Covid pandemic, and climate change, and in part because recent disasters have overwhelmed humanitarian aid and recovery programs. There are simply not sufficient resources to meet recovery needs (particularly housing) in a timely fashion. While there are many important lessons from successful recoveries in many countries, it has become clear that countries with high disaster risk must develop more extensive government capacity in their critical services such as schools and health care, business, infrastructure, and housing sectors – before a disaster strikes.
It is important to discuss what goes wrong and what works with case studies from multiple disasters, but equally important to consider policies and programs that are designed to improve capacity as an ex-ante recovery measure. One example is investment in the creation of housing programs, community planning, housing standards, and training for construction programs to improve government capacity to meet baseline, more equitable housing needs in the immediate term, but also help hazard-exposed countries reduce housing losses in future disasters. There are similar opportunities for resilience through investment in infrastructure, schools, health care, and other services.
November 10, 2023, 11:30am-12:30pm
The seminar will take place in blended mode: in presence at the Aula Caveau - DISG, Faculty of Engineering, via Eudossiana 18, Rome and online via Zoom.