How Can Post-Disaster Recovery Plans Be Improved Based on Historical Learning? A Comparison of Wenchuan Earthquake and Lushan Earthquake Recovery Plans

Lei He, Ziang Xie, Yi Peng, Yan Song and Shenzhi Dai
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Lei He: College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Key Laboratory of Ecology and Energy-Saving Study of Dense Habitat (Ministry of Education), Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Ziang Xie: College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Key Laboratory of Ecology and Energy-Saving Study of Dense Habitat (Ministry of Education), Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Yi Peng: School of Public Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance & Economics, Hangzhou 310018, China
Yan Song: Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
Shenzhi Dai: College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Key Laboratory of Ecology and Energy-Saving Study of Dense Habitat (Ministry of Education), Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 17, 1-21

Abstract: Despite the emphasis on sustainability in post-disaster recovery plans (PDRPs), few studies have been conducted to investigate the information conveyed in disaster recovery plans in terms of sustainability. We aimed to investigate, in terms of sustainability, how post-disaster recovery plans can be improved from historical learning by examining local recovery plans that were developed and adopted after the Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes, which are two representative post-disaster recovery cases in China. An evaluation protocol for sustainability issues was developed to analyze the recovery plans of the most severely affected counties and towns in Wenchuan (16 samples) and Lushan (7 samples). A comparative analysis was conducted to identify the similarities, differences, and evolution of sustainability considerations in these PDRPs. Semi-structured interviews with key informants were conducted to supplement the evaluation with qualitative data. The results show that the components and concepts of sustainability in PDRPs are conveyed and developed mostly by following the organization’s existing patterns and regulations. In contrast, some components are retained across plans, thereby suggesting a substantial general structure of recovery plans. The underlying logic of this experience transfer across plans was discussed. The findings can help local governments and planners to effectively incorporate sustainability into PDRPs.

Keywords: Wenchuan earthquake; Lushan earthquake; post-disaster recovery plans (PDRPs); sustainability; plan evaluation; experience transfer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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