Post-Disaster Governance in Southeast Asia: Response, Recovery, and Resilient Societies

This book explores how Southeast Asian countries have responded to disasters, recovered, and rebuilt, highlighting the challenges and opportunities for disaster risk reduction and climate change implementation. It provides insights from emergency response and recovery cases and aims to improve planning for future disasters and governance for effective emergency response.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 307 pages
Publication date: 05 December 2022
Publisher: Springer Verlag, Singapore

This book aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how Southeast Asian countries have responded to disasters, recovered, and rebuilt. It delves into emergency response and disaster recovery cases at both national and regional levels, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities faced by these countries in their efforts to mitigate the impact of disasters and promote sustainable development.

Recovery from catastrophic disasters presents affected nations with formidable organizational, financial, and opportunities for post-disaster improvement. Moreover, disasters serve as crucial junctures for disaster risk reduction, particularly in the context of climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals. Insights drawn from these cases can assist other countries in enhancing their preparedness for response and recovery before the next disaster strikes.

While the experiences of disaster risk reduction and climate change implementation in Southeast Asian countries have been extensively documented, the tacit knowledge gained from emergency response and recovery efforts has yet to be transformed into explicit knowledge. There are limited books that comprehensively integrate information and lessons from post-disaster governance in the region, emphasizing the importance of presenting real-life situations. This book, due to its focus on recent events, will appeal to a wide range of policymakers, practitioners, and academics, seeking to gain a deeper understanding of how to plan for future disasters and enhance governance to ensure effective emergency response and encourage a build back better and safer towards a more resilient and sustained recovery.

In the aftermath of disasters, Southeast Asian countries have demonstrated resilience and adaptability in their response efforts. They have implemented various strategies to minimize the impact of disasters and support recovery, including early warning systems, disaster risk reduction measures, and emergency response plans.

One notable example is the response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which struck several countries in the region. Despite the devastation caused by the tsunami, many countries in Southeast Asia were able to respond quickly and effectively, saving thousands of lives and providing immediate relief to affected communities.

Another example is the response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, which left over 200,000 people dead and caused widespread destruction. In contrast, the response to the earthquake in Japan was widely praised for its swift and coordinated efforts, which included the deployment of emergency medical teams, the provision of temporary shelters, and the reconstruction of affected areas.

However, disaster recovery is not an easy task, and it requires a long-term commitment and sustained efforts from all stakeholders. It involves addressing the immediate needs of affected communities, such as providing food, water, and medical care, as well as rebuilding infrastructure and promoting economic recovery.

Financing is a critical aspect of disaster recovery, and Southeast Asian countries have faced challenges in accessing adequate funding for their recovery efforts. Many countries rely on international aid and donations to support their recovery, but the availability and distribution of these resources can be unpredictable and uneven.

To address this challenge, some Southeast Asian countries have implemented disaster risk financing mechanisms, such as insurance schemes and catastrophe bonds. These mechanisms aim to provide a source of funding for disaster recovery and reduce the financial burden on affected communities and governments.

In addition to financing, post-disaster governance is also crucial for promoting sustainable recovery. It involves engaging with local communities, building their capacity to respond to disasters, and ensuring that recovery efforts align with sustainable development goals.

One example of post-disaster governance in Southeast Asia is the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which was adopted by the United Nations in 2015. The framework aims to promote a holistic approach to disaster risk reduction, including measures to reduce the vulnerability of communities, strengthen disaster management institutions, and promote the integration of disaster risk reduction into development planning.

Another example is the disaster management framework in the Philippines, which emphasizes the importance of community participation and the involvement of local government in disaster response and recovery. The framework also includes measures to reduce the risk of disasters, such as improving infrastructure and implementing early warning systems.

Despite these efforts, disaster recovery in Southeast Asian countries continues to face challenges. One of the biggest challenges is the impact of climate change on the frequency and intensity of disasters. Climate change-induced events, such as floods, droughts, and storms, are becoming more frequent and severe, posing significant risks to communities and economies.

To address this challenge, Southeast Asian countries are implementing climate change adaptation measures, such as improving water management systems, enhancing coastal infrastructure, and promoting sustainable land use practices. They are also working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy sources to mitigate the impact of climate change.

In conclusion, this book aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how Southeast Asian countries have responded to disasters, recovered, and rebuilt. It explores emergency response and disaster recovery cases at national and regional levels, highlighting the challenges and opportunities faced by these countries in their efforts to mitigate the impact of disasters and promote sustainable development.

The experiences of disaster risk reduction and climate change implementation in Southeast Asian countries have been well documented, but there is still room for improvement in transforming tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge. By integrating information and lessons from post-disaster governance in the region, this book can contribute to better preparedness for future disasters and promote a build back better and safer towards a more resilient and sustained recovery.

Policymakers, practitioners, and academics alike can benefit from the insights presented in this book, as it provides valuable information and lessons that can be applied in other countries facing similar challenges. Disaster recovery is a complex and multifaceted process, and it requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders to achieve sustainable and effective outcomes.

As we continue to face the increasing threat of disasters, it is essential to invest in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation measures to ensure the safety and well-being of communities and economies. By learning from the experiences of Southeast Asian countries, we can develop and implement effective strategies to respond to disasters and promote sustainable development in a rapidly changing world.

Weight: 498g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789811674037
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022