Disaster Recovery by Design

The world is facing six simultaneous disasters: The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic; volatile and unbalanced economic meltdown; degradation of global climate; population growth threatening the environment, communities and livelihoods; scarcer and more expensive resources; and changing sociopolitical systems. These events have interlinked characteristics and are defining the 21st century through a series of unprecedented urban challenges that urgently require new capacities, abilities, tools and knowledge to confront and mitigate them. Global needs have already reached an all-time high and are expected to continue to rise, driven by more complex cultures, contextual differences, longer conflicts and by fragility and vulnerability. This article outlines the need for an Institute for Post Disaster Recovery, a centre of expertise and know-how to help cities, organisations and people prepare for and recover from disasters by design.<p></p>