A Roadmap to Scale up Progress with Risk-Informed Recovery
Resilient recovery, recovery readiness The session, “Building A Roadmap to Scale up Progress with Risk-Informed Recovery,” focused on the significant need to enhance readiness for resilient recovery. Through a dynamic discussion between recovery thought leaders and participants, the session aimed to gather insights and develop strategies to address existing and emerging gaps and challenges through readiness. Discussions sought to identify solutions that can contribute to tools supporting countries and communities in enhancing their recovery readiness and improving recovery outcomes. The session began with an emphasis on the importance of recovery readiness in mitigating the constraints typically encountered during post-disaster recovery efforts. It was highlighted that readiness is essential for supporting countries to make progress with resilient recovery. Throughout the session, several common bottlenecks in the recovery process were identified. One significant issue discussed was the challenges communities face with envisioning longer-term goals for resilience and building back better. Without engaging communities and building capacities to understand risk, resilience, or sustainability prior to an event, there are too often challenges with inclusion and recovery planning, leading to preventable delays and undermining results. Another critical bottleneck highlighted was the challenge of balancing the speed of recovery with the need for safety and consensus building. The necessity for quick recovery actions often conflicts with the time required to ensure safety and build consensus among stakeholders. Additionally, budget constraints pose a significant hurdle, as pre-disaster investments are often insufficient, and funding mechanisms for recovery can be inadequate or slow to materialize. To address these bottlenecks, the discussion emphasized the importance of recovery readiness. By planning for recovery before a disaster strikes, communities can better address the challenges of envisioning recovery goals and managing the speed and quality of recovery efforts. Capacity building was also highlighted as a crucial solution, with training and development programs for local and national government officials being essential for effective recovery management. Engaging communities in recovery planning before disasters strike, particularly representatives of vulnerable and disadvantaged populations, was deemed vital to ensure that recovery efforts are inclusive and reflect the needs and priorities of those affected. Participants discussed the identified bottlenecks and proposed additional solutions based on their recovery experiences. The discussions featured a rich exchange of ideas and insights, further highlighting the importance of community involvement and the need for flexible, context-specific approaches to recovery. Reflections on current practices and recovery frameworks from various countries, including Japan and Malawi, provided valuable lessons and underscored the need for adaptable strategies that consider local contexts. Participants discussed the challenges faced by developing countries, where recovery efforts are often hindered by limited resources and frequent disasters. The speakers underscored that in this context, recovery efforts are often upended by the frequency of events and that national governments have no choice but to enhance their readiness and improve decision-making about risk-informed recovery considering, what are often limited resources.
The session highlighted several important outcomes necessary for enhancing recovery readiness and resilience. Participants emphasized the need for pre-disaster recovery planning as an essential tool to mitigate post-disaster challenges. It was noted that communities often struggle with envisioning long-term recovery goals and building back better, partly due to a lack of prior engagement and capacity building. To address these issues, session participants recommended developing recovery plans that include build-back-better principles, supported by legal frameworks to ensure the inclusion of vulnerable populations. Additionally, the session underscored the importance of balancing the speed of recovery with safety and consensus building, noting that quick recovery actions must not compromise these essential aspects. Financial constraints were identified as a significant barrier, highlighting the need for better allocation of resources and the establishment of pre-disaster financing mechanisms. The session also called for enhanced capacity building for local and national government officials, emphasizing the need for continuous training and development to manage recovery processes effectively. Engaging communities in recovery planning before disasters strike was deemed vital, especially in ensuring that recovery efforts are inclusive and reflect the needs and priorities of those affected. The discussions further acknowledged the necessity for adaptable and context-specific recovery strategies, particularly in developing countries facing frequent disasters and limited resources. The session outcomes pointed towards a strategic approach that integrates recovery planning into broader development frameworks, prioritizes community involvement, and emphasizes the importance of preparedness and resilience in the face of increasing disaster risks. Organized by: UNDRR – International Recovery Platform (IRP)
