Blogs

Disasters happen. There is nothing humanity can do to prevent earthquakes, tsunamis, or volcanic eruptions from occurring, and even disasters with a human cause may strike suddenly and without warning. However, communities and populations can be made more resilient in the face of disaster through building resilient land and geospatial information systems.

At the height of summer, the air conditioner is your best friend. But what do you do when blistering hot summer days become more frequent and intense? That’s increasingly the case in many European and Central Asian cities.

It is not enough to have generic remedies and guides for current public investment needs in the region; instead, we propose five measures to improve regional capacities while promoting resilient public investment

Disability-inclusive recovery is about creating equal opportunities through the removal of barriers. We can do this by gathering baseline disability data and incorporating that in post-disaster needs assessments, by mainstreaming disability inclusion in the recovery program, and by recommending specific interventions. Importantly, persons with disabilities should be consulted throughout the process.

Have you ever invited representatives from different sectors to imagine their dream city? All around the table, designing their neighborhoods with wide public spaces and green areas, accessible platforms for cultural activities and even spaces that retain water to prevent flooding. There is an urban planning exercise that is just for that, and it is showcased by the experience of the Río Abajo basin in Panama City.

Earlier this month, as the co-chair of Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), I had the opportunity to participate in the GFDRR-hosted webinar on managing tropical storms during the COVID-19 crisis. I heard inspiring examples of how my peers in similar roles are leading responses in Vanuatu, the Caribbean, and Japan. 

While rapid urbanization is creating economic growth, it is also changing the disaster risk profile of countries from predominantly rural — with drought and food security challenges — to predominantly urban, with floods, cyclones, landslides, and earthquakes. 

At the time of writing, there are over 9 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide. Governments are racing to curb its spread, in part by ramping up social distancing policies. Many non-essential businesses are closed, and citizens have been asked (or ordered) to stay home—all with the goal of saving lives and livelihoods.