Discussing the Role of ICT in Sustainable Disaster Management

Abstract

This paper analyses the role of information and communications technology (ICT) in supporting the implementation of the actions to be undertaken by the various actors of the Quadruple Helix (science, policy, industry, and society) in case of a disaster through the lens of sustainable development. A two-step methodology consisting of an online forum discussion with experts from SSH and ICT fields and a desk analysis of sustainable development goals and ICT tools for disaster management has been adopted. A set of actions that Quadruple Helix actors should implement under the ten sustainable development goals related to disaster risk reduction is provided in the paper. The role of ICT in favouring the implementation of the actions for achieving the sustainable development goals is underlined.

1. Introduction

Disasters are the consequences of phenomena unleashing processes that lead to physical damage, the loss of human lives, and disruption of the economic activity of the affected territories [1]. According to Tiraboschi [2], disasters have significant economic consequences; they usually impact the integrity of structures and infrastructure (tangible and intangible), labour market dynamics, the production system, and the income of the population due to the closure of companies and the interruption of production activities. It is also necessary to consider the social and cultural issues connected to disasters. Indeed, when a disaster occurs, it is essential to consider the social events, observable in space (i.e., where the disaster is located) and time (when the disaster happens), in which certain social entities suffer upheavals in their ordinary activities as a consequence of the threat produced by the relatively sudden appearance of dangerous agents, which cannot be fully and directly controlled through existing social knowledge [3]. Moreover, the environmental dimension is essential when considering disaster management, as disasters can cause structural modifications in ecosystems, change habitats, natural resources, food availability, etc. [4].

The emergence of an increasing number of disaster events (not least the COVID-19 pandemic) has highlighted the need to evolve disaster management approaches toward sustainable development. The sustainability concept is based on three interrelated pillars: economic, environmental and social, as the Brundtland Commission defined in 1987 [5]. The commission recognised the need to include all three pillars; indeed, omitting one of them, e.g., the environment, could negatively affect the remaining two (i.e., economy or society). The interaction among these pillars makes it possible to achieve a balanced integration of social, environmental and economic performance for the benefit of current and future generations. In this perspective, sustainable disaster management approaches allow the study of the social, economic, and environmental impacts of a specific disaster event and its dependence on the context, considering the specific vulnerabilities and economic losses of disaster-affected populations and regions, and the influence of the environmental landscape on resilience planning. The strengths of these approaches in reducing the impacts of disasters are underlined in different studies for disaster mitigation [6,7], recovery [8,9], preparedness, and response [10]. Various studies developed sustainable disaster management approaches/frameworks and analysed their criticalities [11,12,13]. In [14], the knowledge gap characterizing the relationships between sustainability and resilient design strategies in buildings has been analysed. The study provided the groundwork for qualitative modelling using Building Information Modelling (BIM) and hazard assessments within life cycle assessment for resilient strategies to meet the challenge of resilient and sustainable building designs. Gaudencio et al. [15] identified the gaps in the sustainability reports from the year 2015 as sustainability management tools of four oil companies. The study underlined the lack of clear guidelines to adopt and focused on the need to develop a system of more resolvable indicators that enable measuring the sustainability performance of oil companies down to the level of operating units. According to Ayala-Orozco et al. [16], handling the complexity of sustainability issues often exceeds the capabilities of a single actor, such as a policymaker.

Sustainable disaster management approaches allow the quality of life of all people affected by a disaster to be maintained as much as possible, stimulating (i) policymakers to encourage citizens’ participation in all the phases of the disaster management process, (ii) an economic system with long-term productive capabilities, and (iii) a social system that facilitates cooperation and collaboration even during a crisis [17].

A crucial question is: “How does one make a disaster management approach sustainable?” According to Sowah [18], achieving sustainability in disaster management ‘requires the formulation of clear actions, visions, and competence and guidance of relevant stakeholders… It also requires the coordination and collaboration among disaster management organisations in the different phases of the disaster management cycle to successfully implement policies and programs pertinent to risk reduction and sustainable development.’ Therefore, in a sustainable disaster management approach, it is crucial to strengthen coordination among the various actors of the Quadruple Helix (QH) (i.e., science, policy, industry, and society) [19]. The QH model is grounded in the idea that research and innovation are part of an interactive process that involves these actors according to their competencies, attitudes, and ‘institutional’ roles in society. Collaboration among the various actors is required for sustainable disaster management. This implies that it is necessary to (i) align disaster management with societal needs; (ii) anticipate and be responsive to ethical, environmental, and societal concerns; and (iii) enhance these efforts through the engagement of a broad range of stakeholders [20].

Information and communications technology (ICT) plays an essential role in stimulating this collaboration, facilitating the direct engagement of all actors (i.e., science, policy, industry, and society) throughout the whole sustainable disaster management process, making it easier to align both the process and its outcomes with the values, needs, and expectations of each actor. Moreover, according to Kostoska and Kocarev [21], ICT is an essential tool within the sustainable disaster management field. Examples of recent studies describing case studies where ICT was used in disaster management were provided in [22,23,24]. In particular, Yulianto et al. [22] analysed the role of communication technology in facing the danger of natural disasters (magnitude earthquakes and tsunamis) in regions in Indonesia; Hodgkins [23] presented the role of social media sites Twitter and YouTube in the context of the 2014 South Napa Valley, California earthquake. The study described by Stone et al. in [24] described the use of ICT applications like Zello—an agile variation of Short Message Service—Facebook, and other media for recruiting and coordinating volunteers and managing the recovery needs of the victims of hurricanes and floods in coastal Louisiana and Texas. Technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GISs), sensors, drone technology, and technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and big data are transforming the complex disaster management process with a focus on sustainable development. Indeed, the use of specific instruments such as, for example, GISs, enables rapid identification of the extent of damages; moreover, the use of all the available technologies facilitates adequate communication to support emergency and recovery operations [25]. Earth observation is displayed in conjunction with other digital, spatial data in a geographic information system, highlighting dangerous areas, linking these areas to the vulnerabilities of on-site communities, and estimating the size of the population segment potentially affected by a disaster [26]. The use of internet technologies (such as social media platforms) is important both in translating disaster information for a broad audience to reduce information asymmetries [27] and in providing valuable information at the country level before, during, and after a disaster event that could significantly help to minimise the consequences of the event and improve the preparedness of the residents [28]. Geographic information also plays a significant role, ranging from public contributions to online crowdsourced mapping projects and location-related posts on social media sites [29]. In this context, mobile broadband provides overwhelming gains in information accessibility, scalability, and affordability, allowing people affected by a disaster to close the numerous development gaps at the highest speed ever recorded, without the outlay of traditional infrastructure [30]. The full potential of ICT for disaster management can be realised if topics such as “infrastructures” are considered and integrated into disaster risk research and practices [31].

Starting from the considerations cited above, this paper analyses the role of ICT in supporting the implementation of the actions to be undertaken by the various actors of the QH (science, policy, industry, and society) in case of a disaster through the lens of sustainable development. A two-step methodology consisting of (i) an online forum discussion implemented within the framework of the HubIT project that involved European experts with different backgrounds (from the SSH and ICT fields) and (ii) a desk analysis of Sustainable Disaster Goals (SDGs) and ICT tools for disaster management has been adopted. A list of the actions that QH actors should implement under the ten SDGs related to disaster risk reduction emerged from the two-step analysis. Moreover, the paper discusses the role of ICT in favouring the implementation of the actions in light of the SDGs.

The paper is structured as follows. Section 2 describes the method used for the analysis. In Section 3, a description of the main results is provided, while a discussion is given in Section 4. Section 5 concludes the paper.

2. Materials and Methods

The study adopted a two steps qualitative methodology. In the first step an online forum discussion was carried out. It was organised within the activities of the H2020 project “HubIT—The HUB for boosting the Responsibility and inclusiveness of ICT enabled Research and Innovation through constructive interactions with SSH research” (grant n. 769497). The online forum discussion took place within the platform implemented for the HubIT project [32]. A total of 10 European experts attended the online forum. In particular, five participants with expertise in ICT had specific skills related to deep knowledge, information engines, semantic digital libraries, biotech, health technologies, and the circular economy. Five experts from various SSH sectors had competencies in education, international relations and economics, digitalisation, human capital, statistics, and human behaviour. Experts from SSH and ICT fields were involved in stimulating constructive and co-creating interactions on sustainable disaster management (which was an objective of the activities of the HubIT project), considering both the societal and technological points of view. The experts discussed the actions that the actors of the QH should implement under the ten SDGs related to disaster risk reduction (SDG1, SDG2, SDG3, SDG4, SDG6, SDG9, SDG11, SDG13, SDG14, and SDG15).

The actions emerging from the experts’ discussions have been integrated with actions defined starting from a desk analysis of SDGs and ICT technologies and tools for disaster management [21,24,25,26,27,28,29,33], providing suggestions from a wider point of view.

The two-step analysis resulted from a list of the actions that QH actors should implement under the ten SDGs related to disaster risk reduction. The role of ICT in favouring the implementation of the actions to achieve the sustainable development goals also resulted from the analysis.

In the following section, a classification of the actions is provided.

3. Results

A list of actions resulting from the online forum and desk analysis was classified according to the different QH actors that should implement them and the SDGs related to disaster risk reduction. The role of ICT in implementing the actions for the achievement of the SDGs has also been underlined. The actions are targeted at the general public (i.e., all people) affected by a disaster and QH stakeholders.

3.1. Actions Classified According to QH Actors

The actions have been classified according to the different QH actors that should implement them to achieve the ten SDGs (as illustrated in

Table 1. Actions associated with the QH actors.

QH Actor	Actions That Should Be Implemented
Science	Giving all people updated and correct official information (service providers’ websites are often too static) Improving environmental awareness and stimulating information sharing
Policymakers	Creating an environment to bridge the digital divide Enhancing the effectiveness of the healthcare system and safeguarding the population and the community infrastructure Stimulating online training programs for global citizenship education Creating a water resource management policy that encompasses the policymaking processes that affect the collection, preparation, use, and protection of water resources Improving reconstruction processes by using geospatial information across the construction lifecycle Planning and implementing urban resilience and involving the entire population (including young and elderly people) Improving marine management policies with a large-scale integrated framework based on marine ecosystem tracking Improving environmental mitigation measures by using monitoring technologies to ensure that environmental data are complete, accurate, and submitted on time
Industry	Improving information dissemination to the agriculture sector Adapting and modifying the ways of working by facilitating remote working activities (such as during the COVID-19 pandemic)
Society	Facilitating more involvement in environmental issues

).

The highest number of answers was associated with challenges to be addressed by policymakers. According to experts’ comments, ICT can provide policymakers with significant support for risk communication and the dissemination of information when they are responding to a disaster. Appropriate communication is essential during a disaster event because a lack of knowledge can lead to underestimating the potential risks and damage. Information management and communication should be part of a designed plan and its execution. Unplanned communication could be costly and unsatisfactory. It is crucial to remember that information is often interpreted with strong emotional tones during an emergency due to stress, fear, and life-threatening conditions. Having a plan for information management and communication helps to (1) reduce the feeling of vulnerability of the victims, (2) reduce the perception of the absence of help, (3) inform the victims about challenges and issues, (4) provide directions to first aid locations, and (5) promote adaptive countermeasures. Many communication tools can be effectively used for these purposes.

Beyond the traditional means of communication, such as radio and television, which are ideal for one-way mass communication, web technologies and social media (also available via smartphones) ensure speedy communication. They stimulate cooperation among the different actors involved in disaster management. Web technologies also facilitate the development of the teaching and learning courses necessary for developing a disaster management ‘culture’ (in a preliminary phase) and building skills required to face the disaster. For example, what citizens do before a disaster event can make a difference in their ability to cope with and recover from it. Educated citizens can reduce their fear, anxiety, and losses due to the emergency, improving their ability to address emerging problems.

The scientific community experts can also play a central role; they can use web technologies to disseminate and share correct information (to dispel irrational collective fears) and define pre-specified standards for disease reporting and scientific cooperation. Moreover, thanks to other ICTs, such as GIS technology, scientists and technologists can trace and manage disaster occurrences. GIS technology facilitates the collection and representation of data and the analysis of impacts at locations where disasters occurred in the past; this enables the development of more efficient methods to reduce the negative impacts of future disasters and foresee hazards that might happen and potentially impact a specific area. This allows the definition of plans to minimise any shortcomings.

At the economic level, during a disaster, companies need to understand, almost daily, how to redirect operations, investment choices, cash options, and personnel policies. Spaces in the workplace have to be redefined considering the new forms of business organisation, which are also consequential to the resizing of offices. ICT infrastructures and services such as an intranet, groupware, and the cloud can enable workers to handle their daily tasks without time or space restrictions. Moreover, companies can mitigate crises created by disasters using e-commerce, potentially simplifying logistical challenges. Web technologies represent a solution that allows sales to continue during a disaster. Furthermore, ICT will also enable digital convergence between offline and online spaces and will most likely benefit many traditional retailers.

Finally, at the social level, ICT has been progressively changing how information is shared and how services are used during disasters. Community-generated data, such as pictures, messages, and tweets, exchanged on the Internet using online social communities can provide information for crisis management and situational awareness if such crowdsourced data are analysed. Anyone with a computer (or smartphone) and an Internet connection can create, distribute, and retrieve critical information. The friends and families of those affected by disasters can use social networking sites to seek information and assistance. Mainstream news organisations also use social media to distribute news and information.

3.2. Actions Classified According to SDGs and the Role of ICT in Achieving Them

The actions have been classified according to the ten SDGs related to disaster risk reduction. The role of ICT in implementing these actions to achieve the SDGs is also underlined.

3.2.1. SDG1: End Poverty in All Its Forms Everywhere

This SDG calls for the eradication of poverty in all its manifestations. This SDG underlines the need to ensure that the entire population, especially the poorest and most vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources and access to basic services, property, land control, natural resources, and new technologies. One action addresses this aim (see

Table 2. Actions related to SDG1 and the role of ICT in achieving them.

QH Actor	Actions That Can Be Taken to Achieve the SDG Objective	How Do ICT Tools Allow These Actions to Be Carried Out?
Policymakers	Creating an environment to bridge the digital divide	Digital technologies allow access to financial resources, social services, healthcare, and education services.

).

Socio-economic inequality increases during disaster events for those countries, people, and businesses with limited opportunities to manage their risks and strengthen their resilience. Poor people are often forced to use their limited assets to buffer disaster impacts, which drives them into further poverty. According to the experts, ICT can allow people to move out of poverty. The development of digital technologies, especially in remote areas, enhances people’s economic opportunities by increasing access to financial resources, social services, healthcare, and education. However, to gather evidence of the transformative power of ICT, it is important to recognise that the challenge is not only technological; a better understanding of the poor, the difficulties they face, their resources, and the information they lack is required. This process requires policymakers to create an environment to bridge the digital divide, considering the availability of tools, infrastructures and the capability to use them.

3.2.2. SDG2: Reach Zero Hunger

Ending hunger and achieving food security is a major challenge due to climate shocks and plagues of locusts. This SDG underlines the need for a profound change in the food and agriculture system from this perspective. One action addresses this aim (see

Table 3. Actions related to SDG2 and the role of ICT in achieving them.

QH Actor	Actions That Can Be Taken to Achieve the SDG Objective	How Do ICT Tools Allow These Actions to Be Carried Out?
Industry	Improving information dissemination to the agriculture sector	Mobile-enabled information services allow timely direct access to market information for farmers and entrepreneurs.

).

Smallholder farms and agricultural enterprises, which still provide a significant portion of the world’s food, need information to carry out their work. However, they often lack access to essential real-time information on prices, markets, services, varieties, production techniques, processing, and storage. As a result, they remain primarily dependent on word of mouth, local leadership, and previous experience. According to the experts, the rapid growth of connectivity and mobile-enabled information services provide ways to improve information sharing and dissemination within the agriculture sector, overcoming the information asymmetry among farmers.

3.2.3. SDG3: Ensure Healthy Lives and Promote Well-Being for All at All Ages

This SDG reflects the complexities and the interconnectedness of health and well-being. It aims to achieve universal health coverage and provide access to safe and effective healthcare services for all. Two actions address this aim (see

Table 4. Actions related to SDG3 and the role of ICT in achieving them.

QH Actor	Actions That Can Be Taken to Achieve the SDG Objective	How Do ICT Tools Allow These Actions to Be Carried Out?
Policymakers	Enhancing the effectiveness of the healthcare system and safeguarding the population and community infrastructure	Digital technologies enable citizens to access information and diagnostic services; analytics can help make projections about disease outbreaks, health service usage, patient knowledge, attitudes, the continuous personal management of diseases, and health practices.
Science	Implementing useful food tracing	Traceability systems improve consumers’ confidence and also address food documentation requirements during disaster management.

).

Health strongly affects various aspects of disaster management, such as healthcare, food security, etc. According to the experts, the appropriate use of ICT can enhance the effectiveness of the healthcare system and safeguard the population. Real-time data facilitates decisions about the most appropriate actions. For example, tracing and distributing food effectively is more critical and challenging than ever for food safety and quality during a disaster event. The use of ICT for logistical issues (food tracing and the distribution of food insecurity) facilitates food distribution. It improves the supply chain efficiency, enhancing the effectiveness of food distribution and matching the actual needs of the population.

3.2.4. SDG4: Ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Promote Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All

Quality education is the main way to escape the poverty cycle, and it empowers people to lead more sustainable, healthier lifestyles, thus benefiting society as a whole. This SDG underlines the need to increase and diversify learning opportunities so that all youth and adults, especially girls and women, can acquire the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies for decent jobs and lives. One action addresses this aim (see

Table 5. Actions related to SDG4 and the role of ICT in achieving them.

QH Actor	Actions That Can Be Taken to Achieve the SDG Objective	How Do ICT Tools Allow These Actions to Be Carried Out?
Policymakers	Stimulating online training programs for global citizenship education	Online education for all, particularly underserved populations, those living in remote, resource-poor areas, people with disabilities, and women, strengthens resilience to a disaster event and the creation of an outlook and culture of prevention and adaptation.

).

Education is one of the most important social determinants of health during a disaster event. The proper education of global citizens allows them to understand why actions need to be taken. Web technologies stimulate the development of training programs. According to the experts, all citizens are entitled to receive appropriate education and training, which can strengthen their resilience to a disaster event and create an outlook and culture of prevention and adaptation to disaster events. Through online training programs, citizens can grasp the concept of disasters, the factors leading to the occurrence of a disaster, and the risks. These training programs also aim to empower citizens to act to prevent threats to their lives by formulating plans to counter disasters, implementing these plans, and strengthening organisational and collective unity. Even if face-to-face education is frequently more engaging than online education, online training represents the only opportunity in many situations, such as during a disaster or in some areas of the world.

For this reason, they are crucial to improving inclusiveness. The training programs must be designed and implemented as a participatory education process to help citizens understand their vulnerabilities and strengths. It is also important to promote education among decision-makers that highlights how a ‘development’ decision can impact risks. This is because many decisions that affect vulnerable people are driven by external decision-makers, including national and local governments and private companies. In some cases, these decisions are even made in another country (particularly in the case of transboundary river management, which can lead to flooding in the lower part of the watershed).

3.2.5. SDG6: Ensure the Availability and Sustainable Management of Water and Sanitation for All

This SDG seeks to ensure water and sanitation availability and sustainable management. One action addresses this aim (see

Table 6. Actions related to SDG6 and the role of ICT in achieving them.

QH Actor	Actions That Can Be Taken to Achieve the SDG Objective	How Do ICT Tools Allow These Actions to Be Carried Out?
Policymakers	Creating a water resource management policy that encompasses the policymaking processes that affect the collection, preparation, use, and protection of water resources	Satellite remote sensing, sensor webs, cloud computing, and geographical information systems (GISs) are used to obtain real-time water use information to track and forecast water sources and optimise their use.

).

Water resources, water supplies, and sanitation facilities are often contaminated, damaged, or destroyed during a disaster event, causing waterborne illnesses to spread quickly. Water of adequate quality and services such as plant growth, natural habitats, nutrient recycling, and waste removal are vital for supporting ecosystems (mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes). Inadequate access to these resources and services is a significant hindrance to sustainable development, affecting people’s health, reducing productivity, increasing healthcare costs, and undermining the freshwater ecosystem. In this sense, the main objective is to create a water resource management policy encompassing the policymaking processes that affect the collection, preparation, use, and protection of water resources. According to the experts, ICT tools provide a unique opportunity for water stakeholders to obtain reliable and relevant information easily. Satellite remote sensing, semantic sensor webs, cloud computing, and geographical information systems (GISs) can be used to obtain real-time water use information that can be used to track, forecast, and identify water sources and optimise their use. The accessibility of precise and reliable information is crucial for proper decision-making within a watershed system.

3.2.6. SDG9: Build Resilient Infrastructure, Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialisation, and Foster Innovation

This SDG calls for building resilient and sustainable infrastructures, supporting social well-being for all. One action addresses this aim (see

Table 7. Actions related to SDG9 and the role of ICT in achieving them.

QH Actor	Actions That Can Be Taken to Achieve the SDG Objective	How Do ICT Tools Allow These Actions to Be Carried Out?
Policymakers	Improving reconstruction processes by using geospatial information across the construction lifecycle	Geospatial solutions allow the management of complex interactions in building resilient infrastructure in sustainable cities, providing designers with accurate information relevant to the design and construction of resilient infrastructure and even construction materials.

).

Infrastructure encompasses the built infrastructure (industry, transportation, and buildings) and the integrated built and natural systems essential to society’s needs. In this context, resilience is an infrastructure asset’s ability to absorb the disturbances caused by a disaster event and retain its functionality and structural capacity. According to the experts, to achieve the goal of resilience, policymakers (mainly in many low- and middle-income countries) need to improve reconstruction processes by using geospatial information throughout the construction lifecycle. Geospatial solutions allow the management of complex interactions in building resilient infrastructure in sustainable cities, providing designers with accurate information relevant to the design and construction of resilient infrastructure and even construction materials.

3.2.7. SDG11: Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient, and Sustainable

This SDG aims to create inclusive, safe, and sustainable cities. It underlines the need for innovative solutions that can stimulate a people-centred perspective. Two actions address this aim (see

Table 8. Actions related to SDG11 and the role of ICT in achieving them.

QH Actor	Actions That Can Be Taken to Achieve the SDG Objective	How Do ICT Tools Allow These Actions to Be Carried Out?
Science	Giving all people updated and correct official information (service providers’ websites are often too static)	Online open data allow members of the public to be included in the process of information management.
Policymakers	Planning and implementing urban resilience and involving the entire population (including young and elderly people)	TV, news channels, social media, apps, and targeted messages from responsible organisations via e-mails, SMS, etc., allow the entire population to be involved.

).

It is essential to minimise destruction and the consequent cascading effects on cities and infrastructures during a disaster event. To be prepared for such shocks and stresses and to minimise disruption, policymakers need to plan for and implement urban resilience, which refers to the capacity of the individuals, communities, institutions, businesses, and systems within a city to survive, adapt, and grow no matter what chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience. To implement urban resilience, policymakers and the scientific community need to help citizens understand disaster phenomena and self-protection procedures. In fact, during a disaster, demand for information undergoes rapid growth. Often, information may appear insufficient or contradictory, and the need and desire for information are significant. The emergency lasts until the communication channels can involve the entire population in the information flow and convey enough data to stimulate adaptive responses. With the development of social media tools, members of the public can be more actively engaged in the process of information management. This has led to the innovation of crowdsourcing, where tasks can be completed by distributing them to a large group of volunteers. Crowdsourcing is also used to obtain feedback and information from the public. Moreover, excess data (the overabundance of data generates an information complexity that is challenging to manage during a disaster) and lack of data both involve a lack of information. Correct official information, the availability of open data, the arrival of rescuers, and the installation of first aid posts have a reassuring psychological effect.

3.2.8. SDG13: Take Urgent Action to Combat Climate Change and Its Impacts

Taking action to prepare for and adjust to both the current effects of climate change and its predicted impact in the future is the main aim of this SDG. One action addresses this aim (see

Table 9. Actions related to SDG13 and the role of ICT in achieving them.

QH Actor	Actions That Can Be Taken to Achieve the SDG Objective	How Do ICT Tools Allow These Actions to Be Carried Out?
Industry	Adapting and modifying ways of working by facilitating remote working activities (such as during the COVID-19 pandemic)	Smart computing technologies enable the switch from localised IT servers to cloud computing. Wireless communication allows employers to monitor employees remotely.

).

Climate change represents a big challenge; millions of people are already suffering from the catastrophic effects of extreme disasters exacerbated by climate change. The devastation caused by climate change will continue to increase in the future. It has become highly urgent to implement actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions immediately. According to the experts, the most significant impact ICT players can have on climate change is to enable other sectors of the economy to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The introduction of smart working facilitates the development of online work activities, reducing the need to commute to work. Cloud computing enables real-time access, monitoring, and control, which will result in information that is easy for both workers and businesses to use in their daily activities. At the same time, wireless communication is used for the remote monitoring of equipment, such as utility meters, water pumps, parking meters, and office equipment.

3.2.9. SDG14: Conserve and Sustainably Use the Oceans, Seas, and Marine Resources for Sustainable Development

This SDG underlines the importance of developing effective strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of increased ocean acidification and advance the marine ecosystem’s sustainable use. One action is associated with this SDG (see

Table 10. Actions related to SDG14 and the role of ICT in achieving them.

QH Actor	Actions That Can Be Taken to Achieve the SDG Objective	How Do ICT Tools Allow These Actions to Be Carried Out?
Policymakers	Improving marine management policies with a large-scale integrated framework based on marine ecosystem tracking	Satellite-based monitoring allows the collection of timely and accurate data on the status of oceans and seas. Big data are used to analyse short- and long-term trends in biodiversity and marine ecosystem evolution.

).

Some disasters are caused by the driving forces behind the deteriorating health of the oceans and seas, which are the world’s largest ecosystems and the source of oxygen and climate regulation for our entire planet. According to the experts, efforts to improve marine area management must be rapidly intensified to tackle environmental pressures, impacts, and resource management issues that require a large-scale, integrated framework. ICT can play a significant role in the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, notably through improved monitoring and reporting, which leads to increased accountability. Satellite-based monitoring delivers timely and accurate data on a global basis, while local sensors deliver on-the-spot updates in real-time. Big data can be used to analyse short- and long-term trends in biodiversity, pollution, weather patterns, and ecosystem evolution, and plan mitigation activities.

3.2.10. SDG15: Protect, Restore, and Promote the Sustainable Use of Terrestrial Ecosystems; Sustainably Manage Forests; Combat Desertification; Halt and Reverse Land Degradation, and Halt Biodiversity Loss

This SDG focuses on managing forests sustainably, halting and reversing land and natural habitat degradation, successfully combating desertification and stopping biodiversity loss. All these efforts combined aim to ensure the benefits of land-based ecosystems will be enjoyed for generations to come. Three actions were associated with this SDG (see

Table 11. Actions related to SDG15 and the role of ICT in achieving them.

QH Actor	Actions That Can Be Taken to Achieve the SDG Objective	How Do ICT Tools Allow These Actions to Be Carried Out?
Policymakers	Improving environmental mitigation measures by using monitoring technologies to ensure that environmental data are complete, accurate, and submitted on time	Sensor monitoring technologies allow the acquisition of better environmental information.
Society	Facilitating more involvement in environmental issues	Mobile devices and social media platforms allow access to information, allowing citizens to discuss environmental issues, monitor adherence to environmental conservation targets, and inform enforcement authorities of illegal activities.
Science	Improving environmental awareness and stimulating information sharing	Online open data and digital ecosystems allow members of the public to be included in the process of information management.

).

Desertification and soil degradations are drivers and consequences of disaster events, reducing the capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological needs. The results are severe human suffering; people have long depended on the land and its resources to meet their basic needs and support their families. According to the experts, improving mitigation measures will secure long-term socio-economic benefits by reducing the vulnerability of the environment. ICT applications can be used to strengthen mitigation measures by providing opportunities for the effective implementation and enforcement of environmental standards. The advantages of ICT tools include better environmental knowledge (information acquired and continuously delivered by remote sensors or blockchain, which allows for (automated) checks to ensure that the environmental data are complete, accurate and submitted on time). Increasing attention is being paid to generating and exchanging knowledge about the environment with citizens (open data and digital ecosystems). Moreover, mobile devices and social media platforms allow citizens to access information to discuss environmental issues, monitor adherence to environmental conservation targets and inform enforcement authorities of illegal activities.

4. Discussion

This study gives an original contribution to analysing the role of ICT in favouring the implementation of a set of actions that QH actors should implement under the ten SDGs related to disaster risk reduction.

Table 12. Matching of SDGs with ICT tolls for disaster management.

Considered SDGs	ICT Tools That Allow the Implementation of the Actions
SDG1, SDG2, SDG3, SDG4	Digital technologies, mobile-enabled information services, traceability systems, online education tools
SDG9, SDG 11	Geospatial solutions, online open data, TV, news channels, social media, apps, targeted messages from responsible organisations via e-mails, SMS, etc.
SDG6, SDG13, SDG14, SDG15	Cloud computing, geographical information systems (GISs), smart computing technologies, wireless communication, satellite-based monitoring, sensor monitoring technologies, big data, mobile devices, social media platforms, online open data, digital ecosystems

summarises the ICT tools that are associated with the considered SDGs.

From the experts’ discussions, it became clear that when it is used effectively, ICT plays the role of a catalyst in all three cornerstones of sustainable development (social inclusion, economic development, and environmental protection).

At the social level, maintaining the stability of social services following a disaster event is critical for sustainable cities and communities. Achieving proper access for all, in particular for the poor and those in vulnerable situations (SDG1), to services such as healthy living (SDG3) and education (SDG4) is key to allowing policymakers to bring normalcy back to people and to reduce the impacts of a disaster. Digital technologies enable access to healthcare services in the form of connected health tools (e.g., telehealth services, patient portals to electronic health records, remote monitors, and mobile apps). In the context of health, the use of traceability systems for the safe tracing and distribution of food has also been underlined by experts. In considering the education sector, the experts highlighted the potential for e-learning, distance education, open learning, and online learning tools to train and promote continuous learning in vulnerable people to enhance their capacity to perform appropriate risk reduction. The experts have also underlined the use of mobile-enabled information services, especially the possibility for companies to improve information dissemination (mainly in the agriculture sector), and overcome the information asymmetry existing among farmers, stimulating the implementation of resilient agricultural practices (SDG2).

At the economic level, ICT is making labour markets innovative, comprehensive, and universal, transforming the work world by creating new working opportunities. The experts also underlined the role of smart computing technologies, cloud computing, and wireless communication in accessing, monitoring, simplifying, and controlling work activities. This has also made an impact on an environmental level: ICT is used as a potential solution for mitigating the effects of climate change (SDG13) by reducing CO₂ emissions.

On the environmental level, monitoring technologies, such as satellite-based monitoring, sensors, big data, and geographical information systems (GISs), can ensure that environmental data are complete, accurate, and submitted on time. This allows the scientific community, as well as policymakers, to improve mitigation measures by providing opportunities for the effective implementation and enforcement of environmental standards in different sectors, including water resources (SDG6), ocean, sea, and marine resources (SDG14), and terrestrial ecosystems (SDG15). Moreover, mobile devices and social media platforms allow citizens to access information so that they may discuss environmental issues, monitor adherence to environmental conservation targets and inform enforcement authorities of illegal activities. Experts have also underlined the use of ICT at the infrastructural level, where the use of geospatial solutions allows the management of complex interactions involved in building resilient infrastructure in sustainable cities (SDG9). In this context, the experts also underlined the important role of online open data, digital ecosystems, and communication channels such as TV, news channels, social media, apps, targeted messages from responsible organisations via e-mails, SMS, etc., in involving the entire population to stimulate the development of urban resilience (SDG11).

5. Conclusions

This study provides a set of actions that QH actors should implement under the ten SDGs related to disaster risk reduction. The actions are adaptable, as they can be used to manage different kinds of disasters (such as natural disasters, pandemic crises, etc.). The discussion among the experts on the existing technologies that support the implementation of such actions represents a starting point for understanding how these technologies can be improved.

The primary limitation of the study is the limited number of European experts involved; thus, future research will carry out a survey involving QH actors at the European level to collect information, points of view, and suggestions for potential services that ICT can provide to address the challenges that emerge when a disaster occurs.

Future studies must be focused on implementing the targeted actions, addressing disaster management at the local, national, and international levels, and considering differences. In implementing such strategies, actors of the QH should collaborate at national and European levels. This can represent a significant contribution, especially considering that the European-level legislation does not contain a single legal act that entirely and directly regulates disaster management issues. Therefore, the key aim remains the harmonisation and amendment of the legal regulations of the member states in the European Union. Moreover, it is important to stimulate the use of ICT in the construction of a sustainable society for generations to come. This will include coordinating policy issues concerning the synergies of a multi-stakeholder and people-centred information-driven society and sustainable development goals.