World Reconstruction Conference Roundtable: Rebuilding and Protecting Critical Infrastructure - Lessons from Japan and Other Catastrophes

Description

The March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake dramatically illustrates the dependence of modern society on critical infrastructure, and the risks faced by individuals and government when critical infrastructure fails. In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, damaged and interdependent electrical, communications and transportation systems can complicate emergency relief efforts. During reconstruction a slow rebuilding of critical infrastructure will delay economic recovery at both the macro and micro levels. This roundtable will explore experiences related to the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, highlighting the immediate challenges arising from critical infrastructure failures. Discussions will also focus on prioritization and opportunities for integrating risk reduction into the rebuilding of critical facilities, leveraging lessons from similar experiences such as the rebuilding of the Kobe container port after the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake, reconstruction of key facilities following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and upgrading the communications network after the 2010 Chile Earthquake

Chair/Moderator/Faciliator

Mr. Richard Andrews, Former Director of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, State of California, United States of America (CHAIR/MODERATOR)

Speakers

Mr. Kenichi Suganuma, Ambassador, The Permanent Mission of Japan to the UN and Other International Organizations in Geneva
Mr. Hirokazu Tatano, Professor, Integrated Management for Disaster Risk, Kyoto University, Japan
Mr. Charles Scawthorn, Professor (Ret.), Kyoto University, President, SPA Risk
Mr. Murat Bursa, CEO, Zorlu Energy Group, Turkey
Mr. Pablo Allard, National Reconstruction Program Coordinator, Ministry of Housing and Urbanization, Chile
Mr. Otto Kocsis, Head of Business Resilience Practice, Zurich Risk Engineering, Zurich, Insurance Company Ltd.

Report

> Report on the World Reconstruction Conference Roundtable: Rebuilding and Protecting Critical Infrastructure - Lessons from Japan and Other Catastrophes [PDF, 205.86 Kb]