Search Results (10)

With the increasing and intensifying effects of global climate change and the rapid development of higher education, energy and resource consumption at university campuses has been rising drastically. This shift has been worsened by campuses’ expanded role in addressing extreme weather hazards and taking on additional cultural and community functions. This article carries out a comprehensive literature review of the low-carbon measures and resilient behaviors implemented on university campuses based on publications published in two major databases, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Web of Science (WOS). Results show that: (1) most existing studies only focus on campus carbon emission reduction from a single perspective, without considering the correlation between carbon emissions in different dimensions on campuses and without analyzing the causes of excessive campus carbon emissions from the perspective of the built environment; (2) current studies have not constructed an assessment system for campus carbon resilience and lack the tools and methods for assessment. After summarizing and analyzing, this study proposes the concept of campus “carbon resilience”, which refers to the ability of campuses to cope with the risks of disasters and uncertainties caused by excessive carbon emissions. The research framework of this study is divided into three parts: connotative characteristics, influencing factors, and optimization strategy. Following this framework, the concept and critical features of campus carbon resilience “carbon minus resilience”, “carbon saving resilience”, “carbon reduction resilience”, and “carbon sequestration resilience” are analyzed and outlined. Next, an integrated impact factor system for campus carbon resilience is proposed. This system incorporates aspects such as land utilization, building operation, landscape creation, and energy regeneration from the perspective of the built environment. Finally, with the core objective of effectively reducing the dynamic range of carbon emissions when dealing with critical disturbances and improving the adaptability and resilience of campuses to cope with excessive carbon emissions, this study proposes an optimization strategy of “setting development goals–establishing an evaluation system–proposing improvement strategies–dynamic feedback and adjustment” to provide ideas and theoretical guidance for responding to university campus carbon risk and planning carbon resilience. Full article

Background: Mental health in Puerto Rico is a complex and multifaceted issue that has been shaped by the island’s unique history, culture, and political status. Recent challenges, including disasters, economic hardships, and political turmoil, have significantly affected the mental well-being of the population, coupled with the limitations in the accessibility of mental health services. Thus, Puerto Rico has fewer mental health professionals per capita than any other state or territory in the United States. Objective: This comprehensive review examines the impact of disasters on mental health and mental health services in Puerto Rico. Given the exodus of Puerto Ricans from the island, this review also provides an overview of mental health resources available on the island, as well as in the continental United States. This review identifies efforts to address mental health issues, with the intent of gaining a proper understanding of the available mental health services, key trends, as well as observable challenges and achievements within the mental health landscape of the Puerto Rican population. Design: A comprehensive search using the PRIMO database of the University of Central Florida (UCF) library database was conducted, focusing on key terms related to disasters and mental healthcare and services in Puerto Rico. The inclusion criteria encompassed studies on Puerto Rican individuals, both those who remained on the island and those who migrated post-disaster, addressing the mental health outcomes and services for adults and children. We included peer-reviewed articles published from 2005 onwards in English and/or Spanish, examining the impact of disasters on mental health, accessibility of services, and/or trauma-related consequences. Results: In this scoping review, we identified 39 studies addressing the mental health profile of Puerto Ricans, identifying significant gaps in service availability and accessibility and the impact of environmental disasters on mental health. The findings indicate a severe shortage of mental health services in Puerto Rico, exacerbated by disasters such as Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the earthquakes of late 2019 and early 2020 that followed, and the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in substantial delays in accessing care, and limited insurance coverage, particularly in rural regions. Despite these challenges, efforts to improve mental health services have included substantial federal funding and community initiative aimed at enhancing care availability and infrastructure. Limitations include the use of a single database, language restrictions, and potential variability in data extraction and synthesis. Conclusions: This scoping review highlights the significant impact of disasters on mental health in Puerto Rico and the challenges in accessing mental health services exacerbated by disasters. Despite efforts, significant gaps in mental healthcare and services persist, emphasizing the need for more rigorous research and improvements in infrastructure and workforce to enhance mental health outcomes for Puerto Ricans both on the island and in the continental United States. Full article

In 2015, hazard mitigation became a top priority on the international agenda, according to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. When it comes to architectural heritage, it is crucial to develop tools and site-specific response plans that can help the prompt and effective management of seismic events. The paper presents part of a research study carried out at the University of Parma, aimed at improving emergency strategies for the protection of cultural heritage damaged by earthquakes. Specifically, it analyses first aid and recovery reinforcements, with a specific focus on masonry churches affected by the 2012 quake in the Emilia Romagna region (Italy). The study highlights criticalities and good practices of a site-specific response. It shows that recovery with a sharp separation between emergency and reconstruction activities leads to wasted resources in terms of cost, material, and time. On the other hand, the most effective strategies for the conservation of architectural heritage in earthquake-prone areas have proved to be based on an integrated and shared approach, aimed at balancing safety, conservation, and economic issues. This leads to a broadening of the concept of emergency interventions and, more generally, of structural reinforcement in the field of architectural conservation. Full article

The COVID-19 outbreak revealed the fragility not only of our species but also of society, which has demonstrated its ability to adapt to challenging conditions and to learn from disasters. One of the most pressing issues during the pandemic was the delivery of education during lockdowns. Education in emergency was established using various communication media, hastening the digitalization of education. However, this also highlighted the impact on the mental health of students, who were already experiencing overuse of the internet and electronic devices prior to the pandemic. In response, Tecnologico de Monterrey, a private Mexican university that also offers high school programs, launched the “Unplugged Day” initiative, which encouraged students to disconnect from electronic devices and participate in physical, cultural, creative, or reflective activities. This study applied a voluntary survey to 1850 students from March to May 2021 on a weekly basis, with the aim of analyzing symptoms of insomnia, emotions, perceptions of online education, sources of stress, and the need for professional support to manage their emotions in relation to their participation in Unplugged Day activities. Our results, obtained through a quantitative methodology, confirmed the impact of the emergency, lockdown, and forced remote education on the mental health of students. Furthermore, the results revealed that the Unplugged Day initiative is a strategy that promoted students’ well-being during online education. The respondents also suggested strategies for promoting mental health and well-being of learners, whether in an emergency or not. These findings provide valuable information for governments and educational institutions to implement policies and strategies for planning education in emergency situations and for addressing the ongoing global problems of stress and mental health, which are related to the increasing use of electronic devices and the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of global society. It is our responsibility to improve education so that it can play its role in preserving cultural heritage, overcoming adversity, rebuilding after catastrophes, and shaping a better future for generations to come. Full article

Despite mitigation and adaptation efforts, the residual risks of climate change will continue to impact the most vulnerable communities globally. Highly exposed regions, such as the Pacific Islands, will continue to experience profound negative loss and damage as a result of climate change, which will challenge current ways of life. Knowledge on the extent to which regional and national climate change polices can identify and respond to non-economic loss and damage (NELD) is limited. From the perspectives of stakeholders in the Pacific Islands region, this research aims to gain insights into how regional and national policies are responding to NELD, as the well as the barriers, shortcomings, and requirements for future responses. Utilising a mixed qualitative–quantitative approach, this research explores the perspectives of expert informants, including those from the government, donors and development partners, civil society, intergovernmental organisations, and other relevant bodies, such as universities. The key findings of this study indicate that current policy responses include a regional policy that integrates disaster and climate change losses, national efforts to preserve traditional and local knowledge, national adaptation and resilience planning, community-based projects, and relocation and resettlement. Additionally, NELD is a relatively new concept for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers, and it is difficult to conceptualise the diversity of issues related to NELD in the region. Owing to this poor understanding, a key gap relates to the dominance of the economic lens when characterising climate-induced impacts in the region. As such, there is a limited holistic consideration of climate change impacts, and thus a limited appreciation of the interrelated factors of NELD within policy responses that then cascade towards communities. Finally, the paper outlines key policy insights as follows: policies on integration, adaptation, resilience planning, relocation and resettlement have advanced; the economic lens dominates when characterising climate-induced impacts on the region; there is a limited appreciation of the interrelated factors of NELD; and there exists a need to account for residual and intangible losses to land, culture, traditional knowledge, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human agency. The insights gained from this research can provide a practical basis for guiding local to regional action and help support and design comprehensive risk management solutions in order to address NELD associated with climate change. Full article

In recent decades, Latin America (LA) has been frequently and severely affected by floods and landslides. There is an urgency for adopting Comprehensive Disaster and Climate Risk Management (CRM). In 2016, a group of Peruvian universities established a network (Gestión Integral del Riesgo de Desastres y Adaptación al Cambio Climático (GIRD-ACC)) committed to the principles of CRM. This article compiles and evaluates the network results/plans and actions. A qualitative study and a methodological strategy are reported featuring: a bibliographic/network documentary review; an account of the events that led to the start and development of the network; and a case study of a three-university network. Results show that the network can help in deepening knowledge and forging a culture of risk prevention. This is by incorporating risk management and climate change awareness in professional training and intensive activity to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs -11, 13, and 17). Results indicate the importance of gaining consensus (a notoriously difficult task in LA) between the authorities and the operational departments; the role of universities’ social responsibilities; incorporating sustainability and risk management themes in the mainstream curricula; and developing a network by learning from similar groupings across LA to improve CRM within universities. Full article

With the widespread and increasing number of cases of Coronavirus Disease (2019) globally, countries have been taking preventive measures against this pandemic. However, there is no universal agreement across cultures on whether wearing face masks are an effective physical intervention against disease transmission. We investigated the relationship between mask wearing and COVID-19 among close contacts of COVID-19 patients in the Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. In the Hiroshima Prefecture, a COVID-19 form adapted from the reporting form, “Japanese Surveillance in Post-Extreme Emergencies and Disasters”, was developed to collect data from COVID-19 patients’ close contacts under active epidemiological surveillance at Public Health Centers. The relative risk of COVID-19 for mask users versus non-mask users was calculated. A total of 820 interviewees were included in the analysis and 53.3% of them responded that they wore masks. Non-mask users were infected at a rate of 16.4%, while mask users were infected at a rate of 7.1%. Those who wore masks were infected at a rate of 0.4 times that of those who did not wear masks. (RR = 0.4, 95%CI = 0.3–0.6; Adjusted RR = 0.6, 95%CI = 0.3–0.9). These findings implied that COVID-19 could be avoided to a certain degree by wearing a mask. Full article

Historic buildings, due to their architectural, cultural, and historical value, are the subject of preservation and conservatory works. Such operations are preceded by an inventory of the object. One of the tools that can be applied for such purposes is Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). This technology provides information about the position, reflection, and intensity values of individual points; thus, it allows for the creation of a realistic visualization of the entire scanned object. Due to the fact that LiDAR allows one to ‘see’ and extract information about the structure of an object without the need for external lighting or daylight, it can be a reliable and very convenient tool for data analysis for improving safety and avoiding disasters. The main goal of this paper is to present an approach of automatic wall defect detection in unlit sites by means of a modified Optimum Dataset (OptD) method. In this study, the results of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) measurements conducted in two historic buildings in rooms without daylight are presented. One location was in the basement of the ruins of a medieval tower located in Dobre Miasto, Poland, and the second was in the basement of a century-old building located at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland. The measurements were performed by means of a Leica C-10 scanner. The acquired dataset of x, y, z, and intensity was processed by the OptD method. The OptD operates in such a way that within the area of interest where surfaces are imperfect (e.g., due to cracks and cavities), more points are preserved, while at homogeneous surfaces (areas of low interest), more points are removed (redundant information). The OptD algorithm was additionally modified by introducing options to detect and segment defects on a scale from 0 to 3 (0—harmless, 1—to the inventory, 2—requiring repair, 3—dangerous). The survey results obtained proved the high effectiveness of the modified OptD method in the detection and segmentation of the wall defects. The values of area of changes were calculated. The obtained information about the size of the change can be used to estimate the costs of repair, renovation, and reconstruction. Full article

In recent years, the competition of uses for scarce and highly valuable natural resources, and the frequency and severity of natural and technological disasters have increased, and this trend is likely to worsen in the years to come. In the Mediterranean area, especially in its Eastern part, the high human exploitation driven by different economic sectors and interests is resulting in intensive use of the land and its resources. Tourism intensification, rapid growth of urban settlement and related sprawl, movement and displacement of populations, rural abandonment, and adoption of different agricultural techniques are profoundly and rapidly changing the landscape character of the East Mediterranean. In view of the risks to cultural and natural heritage, a Landscape Risk Assessment Model (LRA) and Decision Support System (LDSS) were developed through the MedScapes-ENPI project. This paper reports the experience conducted at the Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management Department (LDEM) in the American University of Beirut (AUB) in developing the two tools, LRA and LDSS. It aims to provide insight into the methodology designed and tested during the length of the project to take into account the protection of landscapes of particular interest as well as the rational planning of all the landscapes with special emphasis on the use of natural resources. The assessment was applied in the study area of each partner country of the ENPI project, allowing for a better understanding of the implications in land-use and conservation decision-making. Full article

From a global perspective, the universality of gender-related societal issues is particularly significant. Although gender inequality is considered a sociological problem, the large number of female victims in disasters warrants an assessment of disaster management sciences. In this article, related concepts are discussed based on their relevance sociologically and in disaster management to develop a common terminology and examine this complex topic, which is rooted in different social profiles and anthropological heterogeneity throughout the world. A brief history is discussed, and significant examples are provided from different disasters in Turkey to illustrate why a woman-oriented approach should be adopted when evaluating concepts of gender inequality. Observations of disasters have shown that it is important to apply international standards (humanitarian charter and minimum disaster response standards), especially during periods of response and rehabilitation. Relevant factors related to gender should be included in these standards, such as women’s health and hygiene, which will be discussed in more detail. A woman-based approach is designed in relation to two aspects: risks and resources. Thus, gender-sensitive methods of mitigating and preventing disasters are provided. The main purpose of the article is to contribute to the development of a universal culture that prioritizes gender in disaster management. Full article