Disaster risk reduction

Disaster Risk Reduction plays a pivotal role in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of global objectives established by the United Nations in 2015. These goals aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity and peace for all by the year 2030. Within this framework, Disaster Risk Reduction, with its focus on mitigating the impacts of natural and man-made hazards, is integral to several of these goals.

Specifically, Sustainable Development Goal 11, which aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, includes a target (11.5) dedicated to significantly reducing deaths, the number of people affected, and the direct economic losses resulting from disasters. This target emphasizes the protection of the poor and those in vulnerable situations, who are disproportionately affected by disasters. Implementing effective Disaster Risk Reduction strategies can enhance the resilience of cities and communities against various disasters, including water-related events like floods, tsunamis, and storm surges.

Disaster Risk Reduction's influence extends beyond Sustainable Development Goal 11. It significantly impacts Sustainable Development Goal 1 (No Poverty) and Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger). Disasters often exacerbate poverty by destroying livelihoods and resources. By reducing vulnerability to disasters, Disaster Risk Reduction measures can prevent such setbacks, aiding in the fight against poverty. Similarly, Disaster Risk Reduction is critical for achieving Zero Hunger. Disasters can disrupt food production and distribution, leading to shortages and malnutrition. Resilient agricultural systems, as part of Disaster Risk Reduction strategies, are essential in safeguarding food security.

Sustainable Development Goal 3, which focuses on Good Health and Well-being, is also closely linked to Disaster Risk Reduction. Disasters can have a devastating impact on public health, both directly through injuries and indirectly through the spread of diseases and disruption of healthcare services. Preparing for and mitigating the impacts of disasters is a key component of maintaining and improving public health.

Furthermore, Disaster Risk Reduction plays a key role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals 14 (Life Below Water) and 15 (Life on Land). Disasters can cause significant damage to terrestrial and marine ecosystems. For example, floods and landslides can result in habitat destruction and pollution. Therefore, measures that mitigate the environmental impacts of disasters are crucial for the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems.

Disaster Risk Reduction is also intertwined with Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action). Many disasters are exacerbated by climate change, such as the increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. Disaster Risk Reduction strategies contribute indirectly to climate change adaptation efforts.

Additionally, Disaster Risk Reduction contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by promoting resilient infrastructure, and to Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) by fostering effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels, which are essential for disaster risk management.

Disaster Risk Reduction is not an isolated concept but is deeply integrated into the broader framework of sustainable development. Its effective implementation is vital for building societies that are resilient to disasters, ensuring progress towards all Sustainable Development Goals. The interconnectedness of Disaster Risk Reduction with multiple goals underscores the necessity of a holistic, multi-sectoral approach to disaster risk management. This approach highlights the importance of collaboration among governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector in achieving these objectives.

This chapter advances the UN SDG Goal 3: Good Health and Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities by bringing attention to the urgent need for high-quality mental health services and psychosocial support in crisis areas.
Elsevier, Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Volume 149, May 2021
In this paper, we address the problem of humanitarian aids distribution across refugee camps in war-ridden areas from a network design perspective. We show that the problem can be modeled as a variant of multi-period hub location problem with a particular demand pattern resulted by the user's behavior. The problem has been motivated by a case study of Lebanese experience in Syrian war refugee accommodation. We elaborate on the complexity and real-life constraints and, propose a compact formulation of a mathematical model of the problem.
Elsevier,

Earthquakes and Sustainable Infrastructure, Neodeterministic (NDSHA) Approach Guarantees Prevention Rather Than Cure, 2022, Pages 77-95

This book chapter addresses SDGs 9 and 11 by explaining how prediction and prevention of earthquake-related disasters are key to creating sustainable cities.
Elsevier,

The Journal of Climate Change and Health,
Volume 2,
2021,
100013

The goal of this review is to highlight the implications of climate change on the health of Karachi residents and actions which need to be undertaken for the betterment of future environmental policies.
This chapter aligns with Goal 2: Zero Hunger, Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, and Goal 13: Climate Action by exploring how extreme flooding has significant implications for local, regional, and national populations, particularly regarding agriculture and food supply.
Disasters around the world are becoming more frequent, diverse, complex and extremely challenging, causing millions of casualties and affecting both human development and available resources. Consequently, the present study addresses a multi-objective location, inventory and multi-scale routing (2E-LIRP) problem, which supports comprehensive decision making, so that the logistics network designer and manager can obtain adequate strategic planning in the face of uncertainty and the negative impact that an adverse event can generate.
Elsevier, Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Volume 143, January 2021
The refugee crisis is one of the major challenges of modern society. The influxes of refugees are usually sudden and the refugees are in sheer need of services such as health care, education and safety. Planning public services under an imminent humanitarian crisis requires simultaneous strategic and operational decisions. Inspired by a real-world problem that Red Crescent is facing in Southeast Turkey, we study the problem of locating refugee camps and planning transportation of public service providers from their institutions to the located camps.

Wildland firefighters work on wildfire incidents all over the United States and perform arduous work under extreme work conditions, including exposure to smoke. Wildland fire smoke is a mixture of hazardous air pollutants. For assessing wildland firefighter exposure to smoke, most studies measured carbon monoixde (CO) and particulate matter and reported changes in lung health by measured lung function, airway responsiveness, and respiratory symptoms across individual work shifts and single fire seasons.

Elsevier,

D. Sugawara, Chapter 10 - Lessons from the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami: implications for Paleotsunami research, Editor(s): Tsunemasa Shiki, Yoshinobu Tsuji, Teiji Yamazaki, Futoshi Nanayama, Tsunamiites (Second Edition), Elsevier, 2021, Pages 155-181, ISBN 9780128239391,

In response to the extensive loss of life and property caused by the Tohoku-oki tsunami, as well as the fact that geological precursor evidence has not been effectively used in disaster management programs, the importance of tsunami deposit research has gained significant attention with the expectation that it will provide reliable information on the recurrence interval and size of devastating tsunamis. This book chapter advances SDGs 11 and 15.
Elsevier,

Climate Change Adaptation for Transportation Systems, 2021, Pages 1-24

This book chapter advances SDGs 9, 11, and 13 by providing a general introduction to climate change adaptation for transportation systems and a set of guiding principles for the planning and implementation of adaptation programs.

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