CE-422

Sustainable Development & Disaster Risk

Management

Instructor:
Dr. Shahid Ullah
Assistant Professor
shahid.ullah@uetpeshawar.edu.pk

Earthquake Engineering Center

Department of Civil Engineering, UET Peshawar.
 Course Objectives

• Sustainable development: The purpose of this module is to encourage the

students in exploring the challenges that society is facing and to understand the
role of Civil Engineers in the society. To understand the interactions between the
Civil Engineering profession, physical infrastructure, and social institutions.
 
• Disaster Risk Management: The purpose of this module is to provide an
introduction to the roles of Engineers and Planners in Disasters response and
preparedness.  Engineers and Planners are concerned with the long-term aspects
of disaster: the processes of pre-disaster mitigation and post disaster recovery.
The course will only minimally touch on disaster response and emergency
preparedness.

• To introduce students with the tools and approaches to deal with complexity and
uncertainty
 Course Outline
Week Weekly Lectures CLOs PLOs Remarks

1 Introduction to sustainability the Humanity and To be taught from chapter 1 of the book
environment and its state; IPAT Equation; "Sustainability a comprehensive foundation"
Sustainability Challenges

2 Development of Public policy; Role of civil Chapter 2

engineers in the society; Sustainability and Public Chapter 1 of "Sustainable Development in
Policy; Environmental Risk Management Practice"

3 Definitions; Sustainable Development; Complex

engineering Problems. Introduction to the tools
and approaches for solving complex problems

4 Introduction to Triple bottom line; Life Cycle

Assessment; Multi Criteria Decision Making and
Analysis Concepts

5 Introduction to Systems Thinking and System

Dynamics as approach to deal with complexity
and uncertainty

6 Qualitative mapping and modeling of complex

problems on VENSIM (Systems Thinking
Software)

7 Quantitative mapping and modeling of complex

problems on STELLA (System Dynamics
Software)

8 Assigning Complex Engineering Problem to the

Students and Discussion
 Course Outline
Week Weekly Lectures CLOs PLOs Remarks

9 Overview of Disasters; Basic Disasters Concepts and Social

Contexts of Disasters
10 Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk (Probability and Statistics)
Concepts
11 A broad understanding of Disaster Risk Management,
including prevention / preparedness before Disasters and
recovery / reconstruction after Disasters.
12 Disaster Mitigation-Recovery policy and Disaster risk
management of national level with practical system and laws
13 Creation of Pakistan emergency management system

14 Introduction to risk management tools

15 Flood Risk Management

16 Earthquake Risk Management

Final Term Exam

Books
 Learning Objectives

1. Sustainable Development and its relationship with Disaster

2. Sustainable development concept evolution
3. Millennium Development Goals, Sustainable Development Goals
and Status of Pakistan
4. Purpose and use of IPAT equation
5. Challenges for Sustainable development
 Sustainable Development and Disaster Risk
Management (Relationship)
There exist a Connection between Sustainable development and
Disaster Risk Management and they are inter-connected.

“Disaster seriously impede the progress towards the Sustainable

Development, but conversely effective Disaster Risk Management
contributes towards the Sustainable Development”

( Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015-2030 at United

Nations, third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction)

The Sendai Framework is a 15-year voluntary, non-binding agreement that

maps out a broad, people-centered approach to disaster risk reduction,
succeeding the 2005-2015 Hyogo Framework for Action
 Sustainable Development and Disaster Risk
Management ( Relationship)
“Disaster Risk reduction is essential to achieve Sustainable
Development” (Uitto and Shaw, 2016).

Sustainable Development and Disaster risk reduction (Management) are

closely linked on many levels. Disaster, often adds devastating costs to
communities in terms of financial losses, destroyed infrastructure and
loss of human lives. They can setback development for years.

“Disaster Risk Management refers to efforts to reduce the long-term risk

posed by the Disaster events to life and property”
 Sustainable Development
The word, “Development” has a meaning of prosperity of people
and places. “It encourages improvement in Life and environmental
quality”

“ Development is accumulation of human capital and its effective

investment in the progress of the economy”
The word “Sustainable” is originated from the Latin word, “
sustinere” meaning:

To keep up, To hold up

“Sustainable Development is a kind of development that meets the

needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future
generations to meet their own needs” ( World Commission on
Environment and Development, 1987)
An Introduction to Sustainability: Humanity and
the Environment
What is Sustainability?
World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) became
widely known by the name of its chair Gro Harlem Brundtland, a medical
doctor and public health advocate who had served as Norway’s Minister
for Environmental Affairs and subsequently held the post of Prime Minister
for three terms. The commission had twenty-one members drawn from
across the globe, half representing developing nations. In addition to its
fact finding activities on the state of the global environment, the
commission held fifteen meetings in various cities around the world
seeking firsthand experiences on the how humans interact with the
environment. The Brundtland Commission issued its final report “Our
Common Future” in 1987
An Introduction to Sustainability: Humanity and the
Environment
Although the Brundtland Report did not technically invent the term
“sustainability” , it was the first credible and widely-disseminated
study that probed its meaning in the context of the global impacts
of humans on the environment.
Its main and often quoted definition refers to as sustainable
development:
“Development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs.”
Observations Made by Brundtland Report, 1987
 Living standards that go beyond the basic minimum are
sustainable only if consumption standards everywhere
have regard for long-term sustainability.
 Sustainable development requires that societies meet
human needs both by increasing productive potential and
by ensuring equitable opportunities for all.
 SD can only be pursued if demographic development are in
harmony with the changing productive potential of the
ecosystem.
 At a minimum, sustainable development must not
endanger the natural systems that support life on Earth:
the atmosphere, the waters, the soils, and the living beings.
 Role of technology is very crucial in management and
conservation of ecosystem.
 Sustainable Development

 Sustainable Development is a linkage between the environmental policies

and developmental strategies.
 “Objective of Sustainable Development is: Economic and Social progress
should be achievable without degrading the earth natural resources.

 It is a continuous process in which exploitation of resources, development

of technologies and institutional change is made consistent with the
present and future needs.

 It is continuous effort for building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient

future for this world ( people and planet)

 There are three elements ( pillars ) in Sustainable Development crucial to

make development Sustainable ( 1) Economic growth (2) Social
inclusiveness (3) Environmental Policies
 An Introduction to Sustainability: Humanity and
the Environment
The report uses the terms “ sustainable
development ”, ”sustainable,” and
“sustainability” interchangeably,
emphasizing the connections among social
equity, economic productivity, and
environmental quality.
the Intersection of Social and Economic
element can form the basis of social equity.
in the sense of enlightened management,
Viability is formed through consideration of
economic and environment interests.
Between environment and social elements lies
“bearability,” which means, functioning of
societies is dependent upon environmental
resources and services.
At the intersection of all three of these lies
sustainability.
 Relationship between three pillars of sustainable
development

 Among all, environment

has the largest area of
influence.
 Economic pillar has the
smallest area of
influence, determined by
social organization.
 Both society and
economy are sub sets of
nature, hence its
preservation and manage
should be of utmost
priority.
 An Introduction to Sustainability: Humanity and
the Environment
Economic interests define the
framework for making decisions, the
flow of financial capital, and the
facilitation of commerce, including the
knowledge, skills, competences and
other attributes embodied in
individuals that are relevant to
economic activity.
An Introduction to Sustainability: Humanity and
the Environment
• Environmental aspects
recognize the diversity
and interdependence
within living systems,
the goods and services
produced by the world’s
ecosystems, and the
impacts of human
wastes.
An Introduction to Sustainability: Humanity and
the Environment
Socio-political refers to
interactions between
institutions/firms and
people, functions
expressive of human
values, aspirations and
well-being, ethical issues,
and decision making that
depends upon collective
action.
 Sustainable Development

• Two Key Concepts of Brundtland Report are:

• Concept of Needs, in particular the essential needs
of the poor, to which adequate priority should be
given (No Poverty) ;
• Idea of Limitations ( Sustainable Use of natural
resources), implemented by the state of
technology and social organization to meet the
present and future needs
An Introduction to Sustainability: Humanity and
the Environment

The Brundtland Report makes it clear that while sustainable

development is enabled by technological advances and
economic viability, it is first and foremost a social construct that
seeks to improve the quality of life for the world’s peoples:
physically, through the equitable supply of human and ecological
goods and services; aspirationally, through making available the
widespread means for advancement through access to
education, systems of justice, and healthcare; and strategically,
through safeguarding the interests of generations to come. In
this sense sustainability sits among a series of human social
movements that have occurred throughout history: human
rights, racial equality, gender equity, labor relations, and
conservation, to name a few
Sustainability and Sustainable Development
The US Environmental Protection Agency
(US EPA) takes the extra step of drawing a
distinction between sustainability and
sustainable development, the former
encompassing ideas, aspirations and values
that inspire public and private
organizations to become better stewards of
the environment and that promote positive
economic growth and social objectives, the
latter implying that environmental
protection does not preclude (prevent)
economic development and that economic
development must be ecologically viable
now and in the long run
 Evolution of Sustainable Development
• United Nations Conference on Human Environment (UNCHE) held in
Stockholm (1972)
• World Commission on Environment and Development by United Nations
(WCED) in 1983, The final report of the commission was delivered with the
name, “Our Common Future”

• United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held

in Rio de Janeiro (1992), known as Earth Summit.

• Millennium Summit 2000, held at UN headquarter New York, Millennium

Development Goals, deadline till 2015

• United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) held at Rio

de Janeiro (2012), also known as Rio+ 20, Rio 2012 or Earth Summit 2012. The
resolution adopted is called “The future we want”
• United Nations, Sustainable Development Goals ( Implemented in 2015)
deadline 2030
Elements of Sustainable Development
 Weak and Strong Sustainability

• The notion of weak and strong sustainability is

developed from the fact working out tradeoffs.
• When economic and social institutions are dominant
and environment weakens, it is weak sustainability
• When environment is given more weightage in
decisions it is strong sustainability
• Capital is stock that generate services and goods to
satisfy the human needs. It has four types (1)
Manufactured (2) Human (3) Social (4) Natural
Capitals
 Weak and Strong Sustainability

• Capital may be defined as a stock that possesses the capacity to generate a flow
of goods and services that satisfy human needs. We can disaggregate the capital
stock available to generate this flow into four different types of capital (Costanza
and Daly, 1992; El Serafy, 1991; Ekins et al., 2003):
• Manufactured capital, comprising material goods – tools, machines, buildings,
infrastructure – which contribute to the production process but do not become
embodied in the output and usually are consumed‘ in a period of time longer than a
year;
• Human capital, that comprises all individuals‘ capacities for work;
• Social capital, that comprises the networks and organizations through which the
contributions of individuals are mobilized and coordinated;
• Natural capital, that provides goods and services such as resources for production
processes, absorption and recycling of wastes, water catchment and flow regulation
or control of erosion processes. Natural capital can be further sud-divided into
renewable natural capital and non-renewable natural capital.
Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s)
2000-2015
 Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s)
2000-2015

1) To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger;

2) To achieve universal primary education;
3) To promote gender equality and empower women;
4) To reduce child mortality;
5) To improve maternal health;
6) To combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases;
7) To ensure environmental sustainability; and
8) To develop a global partnership for development.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s)
Sustainable Development Goals
 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s)
(2015-2030)
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End Hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure, healthy lives and promote well beings for all at all stages
4. Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all woman
6. Ensure access to water and sanitation to all
7. Ensure, access to all affordable and sustainable energy
8. Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, decent employment for all
9. Build Resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure, sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take actins to combat Climate Change and its impact
14. Conserve and sustainably use oceans and marine resources
15. Sustainably manage forests
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies
17. Revitalize the global partnership for Sustainable Development
Sustainable Development
 People: Social Sustainability
 The social aspect of sustainability focuses on
balancing the needs of the individual with
the needs of the groups. As a global citizen,
we must never turn a blind eye to social
disruption that threaten the well- being of
people and our environment. This pillar
supports initiatives like peace, social
justice, reducing poverty, and other
grassroots movements that promote social
equity.
 Contd.
 Sustainable Development is directly concerned
with increasing the standards of living of the poor,
which can be measured in term pf increased food,
real income, education, health care, water supply,
sanitation and only indirectly concerned with
economic growth at the aggregate (Edward Barbier,
1987)
 Achieve distributional equity, adequate provision
of social services including health and education,
gender equity and political accountability and
participation (Jonathan Harris Tufts, 2000)
 IPAT Equation
One of the ways of measuring progress toward achieving sustainable
goals and begin to apply sustainability concepts.

IPAT equation was proposed by Erhlich and Holdren (Impact of

population growth, 1971):

I = P x Ax T or IPAT
This equation expresses that Impact on Environment (I) is product of
three factors: Total Population (P), Affluence (A) and Technology (T) of
human population in question.
IPAT equation is way to calculate the impact of human on Environment.
 The IPAT Equation
Suppose we wish to project
future needs for maintaining
global environmental quality
at present day levels for the
mid-twenty-first century.

For this we need to have

some projection of human
population (P) and an idea
of rates of growth in
consumption A.
 The IPAT Equation
Figure suggests that global population in
2050 will grow from World Population
Growth the current 6.8 billion to about
9.2 billion, an increase of 35%.
Global GDP (Gross Domestic Product,
one measure of consumption) varies
from year to year but, using Figure
Worldwide Growth of Gross Figure as a
guide, an annual growth rate of about
3.5% seems historically accurate
Domestic Product (growth at 3.5%,
when compounded for forty years,
means that the global economy will be
almost four times as large at mid-
century as today)
The IPAT Equation
 Challenges For Sustainability
• To alleviate poverty,
economic development is
must.
• Economic development leads
to environmental
degradation.
• Social problems are
interlinked with economic
development and
• Environmental problems with
economic development and
then with society.
 Challenges For Sustainability
• One of the challenges is to find out the
trade off between environmental damage,
economic development and social needs.
• Real world examples
i. Copper and gold mining in USA
ii. Road construction and Mass Transit

• the extent to which tradeoffs can be

made before irreversible damage
results is not always known, and in any
case, there are definite limits on how
much substitution among the three
elements is wise (to date, humans have
treated economic development as the
dominant one of the three)