Sustainable Pre-Disaster Mitigation and Post-Disaster Recovery Strategies for Resilient Societies

Dear Colleagues,

This Topic focuses on sustainable pre-disaster mitigation and post-disaster recovery as complementary strategies for strengthening societal resilience. We invite the submission of interdisciplinary research that advances theory, evidence, and practice on reducing disaster risk, limiting cascading impacts, and enabling equitable recovery. Topics of interest include governance and institutional capacity; recovery planning and financing; resilient infrastructure and lifeline systems; housing and livelihood restoration; community participation, trust, and social capital; nature-based solutions and hazards recovery from extreme climate events, floods, earthquakes, etc.; and frameworks for measuring resilience and recovery outcomes. Contributions should offer clear implications for policy and implementation across diverse contexts.

We welcome the submission of interdisciplinary perspectives and diverse methodologies, including comparative analyses, case-based research, and applied frameworks with clear policy relevance. Collectively, with this Topic, we will be able to advance knowledge and actionable insights for building more resilient, sustainable, and just societies.

Suggested Thematic Subtopics

1. Linking Mitigation and Recovery
• “Build back better”, risk reduction through reconstruction, and recovery as a window for transformation.
2. Governance, Institutions, and Recovery Capacity
• Multi-level governance, inter-organizational coordination, legitimacy, and accountability.
3. Resilient Infrastructure and Critical Lifeline Systems
• Cascading failures, interdependencies, robustness vs. adaptability, and prioritization of investments.
4. Equity, Community Participation, and Social Capital
• Vulnerable populations, trust-building, participatory recovery planning, and social cohesion and conflict.
5. Nature-Based Solutions and Climate Adaptation in Recovery
• Ecosystem services, hybrid infrastructure, sustainable land-use planning, and climate-informed recovery pathways.

Prof. Dr. Deborah F. Shmueli
Prof. Dr. Eli Salzberger
Topic Editors