Community resilience, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation

Factors such as climate change and inequity are increasing the frequency, impacts and complexity of many types of hazard events, including disasters, in many parts of the world. In this unit, you will explore two major international approaches to addressing these challenges: 1) the focus on strengthening community resilience which is essential for all countries: and 2) the emphasis on managing disaster risk, not only managing disasters, across all aspects of societies worldwide. You will begin this unit by exploring the context for the causes and determinants of disaster risk and events, the diversity of communities and how disasters actually, or potentially, threaten the social, economic,  environmental, cultural and political status of communities, including the health, lives and livelihoods of people who are disproportionately affected. After a review of key national and international strategies and guidelines, and local and national systems for risk reduction and community resilience, you will consider deconstructing disaster risk and community resilience through multiples lenses, such as hazards, vulnerabilities, strengths and capabilities, as well as children, gender, nature and biodiversity, the built environment, indigenous ways of doing and being, health and psychology. These lenses offer conceptual frameworks and practical methods to strengthening community resilience and safety, and associated capabilities such as risk assessments, community engagement, assessing community resilience, local planning and community leadership; adaptation, capacity building, research and sustainable development in the setting of disasters, humanitarian crises and climate change.