Theme study on building resilience to natural disasters and major economic crises

This report addresses the series of shocks, both natural and financial crisis, that battered the Asia-Pacific region in recent years. It highlights the unrealistic traditional way of considering these events individually, and responds to the need for governments to deal with overlapping shocks that demand a more comprehensive and systemic approach to building resilience. It provides a comprehensive response to addressing multiple shocks in Asia and the Pacific. It shows how people, organizations, institutions and policymakers can work together to weave resilience into economic, social and environmental policies.

The report is divided into seven chapters: (i) chapter one explains the concept of resilience, and gives examples of shock and resilience to shock; (ii) chapter two examines the effect of shock on international economies and the financial benefit of disaster risk reduction; (iii) chapter three outlines the factors which play into creating resilient communities, such as considering vulnerable populations and coping strategies post-shock; (iv) chapter four addresses the concerns of land, water, and energy scarcity, and suggests possible courses of action; (v) chapter five discusses ways of protecting the financial sector, critical infrastructure, and social infrastructure; (vi) chapter six describes strengthening supply chains to offset the effects of disaster; and (vii) chapter seven emphasizes regional cooperation as a method of building resilience to shock.