How can you prepare for disasters using sustainable development principles?

1 Assess your risks and vulnerabilities

The first step to prepare for disasters is to assess your risks and vulnerabilities. What are the hazards that could affect your area, such as floods, earthquakes, wildfires, or pandemics? How exposed and sensitive are you and your community to these hazards? What are your capacities and resources to cope and recover from them? A risk and vulnerability assessment can help you identify the potential impacts of disasters on your social, economic, and environmental aspects, and prioritize your actions accordingly.

3 Plan your disaster response

The third step to prepare for disasters is to plan your disaster response. This means having a clear and coordinated strategy for how you and your community will respond to a disaster situation, and what resources and support you will need. For example, you can develop an emergency plan that outlines your roles and responsibilities, communication channels, evacuation routes, shelter options, and contingency measures. You can also prepare an emergency kit that contains essential items such as water, food, medicine, flashlight, radio, and documents. You can also participate in drills and simulations to test and improve your plan and kit.

4 Learn from your disaster experience

The fourth step to prepare for disasters is to learn from your disaster experience. This means reflecting on what worked and what did not work in your disaster response, and what lessons and opportunities you can draw from it. For example, you can conduct a post-disaster review that evaluates your performance, identifies your gaps and challenges, and recommends actions for improvement. You can also share your experience and knowledge with others, and learn from their best practices and innovations. You can also leverage your disaster experience to advocate for more sustainable policies and actions at local, national, and global levels.

5 Build back better

The fifth step to prepare for disasters is to build back better. This means using the recovery process as an opportunity to restore and improve your social, economic, and environmental conditions, and to address the root causes of your disaster risk. For example, you can rebuild your infrastructure and facilities with more resilient and energy-efficient materials and designs, and with more participatory and inclusive processes. You can also restore your livelihoods and income sources with more diversified and sustainable options, and with more equitable and fair distribution. You can also enhance your environmental quality and protection with more conservation and restoration measures, and with more awareness and education.

6 Prepare for the next disaster

The sixth step to prepare for disasters is to prepare for the next disaster. This means recognizing that disasters are inevitable and unpredictable, and that you need to be constantly ready and adaptive. For example, you can update your risk and vulnerability assessment regularly, and monitor the changes in your hazards and capacities. You can also review and revise your disaster risk reduction actions periodically, and incorporate new technologies and innovations. You can also maintain and replenish your emergency plan and kit frequently, and participate in ongoing training and capacity building. You can also continue to learn from your own and others' disaster experience, and to build back better with sustainable development principles.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?