Presentation given by Charles Dowdall at the Dealing with Disasters International Conference 2010 in Newcastle hosted by Northumbria University.

1. Progressing the concept of
resilience in risk reduction
and disaster management
Charlie Dowdall
Global Risk Forum GRF Davos
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2. Resilience; the capacity of a system to
withstand shocks due to internal or external
forcing, to rebuild itself with efficiency, and
to improve on the pre-existing state
wherever possible
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3. The phases of a disaster cycle
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4. Schematic of Resilience
Event Resilience is high if A is small
(Vulnerability)
Functionality
A
Functionality
Loss in
Robustness
Recovery Time
Time
t event t recovery
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5. Resilience
Vulnerability
Functionality
Recovery Time
t event Time t recovery
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6. Resilience
Vulnerability Resilience
Functionality
Recovery Time
t event Time t recovery
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7. Resilience
Vulnerability
Functionality
Recovery Time
t event Time t recovery
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8. Resilience
Vulnerability
Resilience
Functionality
Recovery Time
t event Time t recovery
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9. Resilience
Robustness Vulnerability Resilience
Functionality
Recovery Time
t event Time t recovery
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10. Conclusions
• Present thinking on risk reduction, disaster management and
climate change adaptation would be better served if they were to
harmonise more effectively
• The challenge going forward for resilience theory will be to
achieve such an holistic direction, and to more readily
understand and better explain the nature of uncertain futures
• Resilience measures are implemented during all phases of the
disaster cycle, enabling societies to be more adaptable to future
shock
• Resilience theory has great potential to strengthen sustainability
and to contribute enormously to a more safe and secure future
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