Objectives

 

• Capturing the lessons learned from the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic response rooted in socioeconomic inequality and opportunities for building equity in post-pandemic recovery

• Discussing the underlying drivers of vulnerabilities to disasters​

• Drawing connections with climate change adaptation and all-hazards approach to resilience and recovery

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Abstract

As a society, we are as resilient as our most vulnerable. Disasters have a disproportionate impact on low-income communities and marginalized groups who typically have less access to information and institutions to prepare for a disaster. Due to lower financial means, they live in lower quality buildings located in hazard-prone areas, don’t have insurance or the means to evacuate safely. They might have higher levels of underlying health conditions or jobs that put them at higher risk at the time of a disaster. The Sendai Framework for DRR (2015-2030) places a strong emphasis on ensuring the DRR actions, policies, and programs consider the needs of the vulnerable groups. The global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG2030) have goals dedicated to gender equality (goal 5) and reduced inequalities (goal 10) while the issue of equity is reflected in many other goals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the societal vulnerabilities that are rooted in socio-economic inequalities and inequities in society. Meanwhile, we are living through widespread public awareness and protests on the systemic socioeconomic and racial inequalities in various countries, including in Canada. While recognizing that we are still in the middle of the pandemic response and early stage of recovery planning, this session aims to establish a dialogue on what we are learning from challenges faced during pandemic response rooted in socio-economic inequalities as well as the opportunities for equity-based recovery. Our distinguished speakers and commentators among the audience will also help us to make the connections with the multi-hazards approach to resilience and recovery planning in BC and Canada.

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Contributors:

 

Convened and moderated by Ms. Sahar Safaie, Sage On Earth Consulting and member of DRR Pathways Project Team.

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Additional contributions for designing the session came from Ms. Nicole Spence, Health Emergency Management British Columbia (HEMBC).

       
Panelists:

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• Ms. Mitzi Dean, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity

• Dr. Robin Cox, Program Head for Master of Arts in Climate Action Leadership; Disaster Management graduate program faculty at Royal Roads University

• Dr. Emily Dicken, Director of Emergency Management at First Nations Health Authority (FNHA)

• Dr. Jackie Yip, Coastal risk scientist at Natural Resources Canada

• Dr. Laurie Johnson, Principal and Founder, Laurie Johnson Consulting I Research (USA)