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Resilience is an illusion

Emergency Planning

After much pondering of the question, I have come to the conclusion that resilience is an illusion. This is not to denigrate the work of resilience managers, as there is obviously much to be done to reduce the risk and impact of adverse events. However, the concept of resilience is, I think, suspect. References Alexander, D.E.

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The 2019 Global Assessment Report (GAR)

Emergency Planning

An example of this for the 2013 GAR can be found in Di Mauro (2014). Unofficial voices have suggested that the 'cure to damage ratio' for natural hazards is 1:43. Global probabilistic assessment of risk from natural hazards for the Global Assessment Report 2013 (GAR13). The GAR notes that "we all live in communities".

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Leonardo and the Deluge

Emergency Planning

Towards the end of his life he became preoccupied with the threat of the Universal Deluge (in this he was not alone: see my paper on the etymology of the term 'resilience'). Resilience and disaster risk reduction: an etymological journey. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 13(11): 2707-2716. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8306.1986.tb00102.x

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Using Budget Principles to Prepare for Future Pandemics and Other Disasters

National Center for Disaster Prepardness

Expansion of pre-disaster mitigation funding such as through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, and new funding for infrastructure resilience embedded in the bi-partisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are also steps in the right direction. 90 programs across 20 agencies is simply too many.

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Community Resilience or Community Dystopia in Disaster Risk Reduction?

Emergency Planning

In disaster risk reduction circles, there is an almost desperate reliance on 'community' and a strong growth in studies and plans to "involve the community" in facing up to risks and impacts (Berkes and Ross 2013). The struggle to create community resilience pits organised collective action against individualism.