Sustainability and Disaster Planning: What Are the Connections?

Abstract

In this article, we examine the connections between resiliency and sustainability by asking: Can disaster planning lead to more sustainability actions? In a survey we conducted of 1,899 cities, towns, and counties across the United States in 2015, we found that disaster plans are three times more common than sustainability plans. Our regression models find both types of plans lead to sustainability action as does regional collaboration across the rural‐urban interface. However, we find that hazard mitigation planning may be done without including sustainability staff, citizens, and other officials. After controlling for motivations, capacity, and cooperation, we find that rural communities are more likely to have sustainability plans than suburbs, though their level of sustainability action is lower due to capacity constraints. Our models of multilevel governance find local motivations balance sustainability’s concept of environmental protection, economic development, and social equity—and are more important drivers of action than grassroots or higher‐level government funding and policy. This bodes well in a context where federal government leadership on sustainability is absent.

Does public ownership of utilities matter for local government water policies?

“…In general, the understood risk to a community, as with climate change, seems to be a factor for inducing sustainability action (Zahran et al, 2008). Reactions to disasters, such as prolonged drought, can encourage sustainability actions (El-Khattabi, 2018;Homsy et al, 2019a). Studies of neighboring communities facing similar drought conditions in California show a wide range of conservation efforts (Sierra Club, 2011).…”

“…In the United States, local governments are increasingly seen as leaders of sustainability efforts (Homsy et al, 2019a;Liao et al, 2020;Opp et al, 2014;Zhang et al, 2017). In this article, we focus on what differentiates municipalities that implement equity and environmental policies in drinking water provision.…”

Which US municipalities adopt Pay-As-You-Throw and curbside recycling?

“…Smaller places in the Netherlands tend to adopt more unit-based pricing for waste in contrast to the United States where smaller municipalities lag across a range of sustainability policy adoption (Homsy and Warner, 2015;Homsy, 2018;Homsy et al, 2018). The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world and this may explain the higher use of PAYT in that country compared to the US where small communities are more likely to be rural.…”

“…They argued that with lower population density, the opportunities to dump municipal solid waste might be larger, although their empirical results did not substantiate this hypothesis. Similarly, implementing a PAYT program requires additional administration and staffing (Elia et al, 2015), which might be more difficult for the rural areas due to their limitations in administrative capacity (Homsy and Warner, 2015;Homsy et al, 2018). We also control for the geographical region because the Northeast and West Coast of the US generally have more environmental policies than the North Central and the South.…”

Multi-Objective Evcuation Planning Model Considering Post-Earthquake Fire Spread: A Tokyo Case Study

“…Improving the seismic resilience of buildings [8] can directly decrease damage caused by earthquakes. Additionally, disaster mitigation planning, including risk assessment, disaster prevention, and humanitarian responses, leading to sustainability actions [9], is critical for protecting the gains of development [10]. Successful cases around the world have proven this.…”