As a major city, Tokyo faces one of the highest disaster risks in the world with a 70% probability of being struck by a major earthquake in the next 30 years. In pre-modern Japan, disasters were accepted as a force outside of out control, and subsequently residents had a high level of awareness of disaster risk. Today, with emergency management agencies established and large engineering projects in place, catastrophes are seen as manageable by experts and authorities, leading to disengagement of citizens with their own resilience.

Associate Professor Christian Dimmer joins the show to discuss this challenge, in light of the 15 year anniversary of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Christian discusses the concept of a ‘quadruple disaster’, which includes demographic challenges alongside the immediate impacts of the earthquake and tsunami. Christian emphasizes the importance of understanding the historical context of disasters in Japan, the shift in disaster response culture, and the need for community engagement in disaster preparedness and recovery.

Christian is an Associate Professor for Urban Studies at Waseda University in Tokyo. He has a background in urban planning, disaster recovery and community resilience. He earned his PhD in Urban Engineering from The University of Tokyo and has served on the faculties of both the University of Tokyo and Waseda, teaching courses in transition design, sustainable urbanism and theories of public space. Christian is also a co-founder of the Tohoku Planning Forum and the Tokyo chapter of the design-led disaster response organisation Architecture for Humanity, where he has worked to connect civil society, professionals and communities in rebuilding after major disasters.

Links:
Journal article by Christian Dimmer: Tokyo’s Perpetual Resilience Project: Between Local Knowledges and Universal Modernist Concepts

Deputy Commissioner of the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) Melissa Pexton shares the recovery story of Fitzroy Crossing, a remote community devastated by tropical cyclone Ellie in 2022 / 2023.

Located 400 kilometers east of Broome, this region faced unprecedented flooding that challenged traditional emergency management approaches.

In this episode, Melissa shares how the recovery process focussed on community empowerment, provided economic opportunities to local Aboriginal businesses and harnessed community leadership. Over 90 Aboriginal businesses were contracted to deliver recovery works, securing more than $90 million in contracts. This strategy not only rebuilt physical infrastructure but also created significant economic opportunities, with local workers trained and employed in reconstruction efforts.

A key lesson from the recovery effort was understanding the community context and allowing local leaders to guide the recovery process. Key insights from the discussion include the critical role of cultural navigation, the need for robust community discussions, and the importance of creating long-term sustainable recovery strategies.

Disaster recovery can be a transformative process that goes far beyond rebuilding infrastructure – join Andrew, Josh and Mel as they discuss the recovery efforts in the Kimberley.

Communities have always played an important role during disasters. Australia’s growing population, exposure to increasingly frequent and impactful severe weather events and evolving trends in volunteerism are transforming how communities respond to disasters. As natural hazards become more frequent and severe, non-government organisations and grassroots community groups will increasingly seek to – and must – play a role in during response and recovery efforts.

In 2024, Andrew was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to travel to some of the most disaster affected countries and those which have experienced large numbers of community members mobilising to assist. Andrew and Josh visited Japan, Türkiye, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, the UK, US and Chile.

In this episode, Andrew and Josh discuss insights and findings from the trip, and lessons for others considering how to better prepare for informal volunteers.

Download the full report from the Churchill Trust website.