Knowledge Gaps in Disaster Resilience: Public Understanding of Social and Green Infrastructure in Japan
In their latest article published in Environmental Science & Policy, Daniel P. Aldrich and co-authors examine why top-down technical interventions to climate risk often fall short and how investing in social infrastructure can bridge the gap between climate adaptation and lasting community resilience.
Through case studies from the Global South and beyond, the authors argue that trust, social ties, and strong local networks are as crucial as seawalls or emergency shelters when it comes to surviving and thriving in the face of climate disruption. The article challenges us to rethink resilience not just in terms of infrastructure, but in terms of people, power, and participation.
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Award winning author, Daniel P. Aldrich has published five books including Building Resilience and Black Wave, 110 peer-reviewed articles, and written op-eds for the New York Times, CNN, HuffPost, and many other media outlets. He has spent more than 5 years in India, Japan, and Africa carrying out fieldwork and his work has been funded by the Fulbright Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the Abe Foundation, the Rasmussen Foundation, and the Japan Foundation, among other institutions.