Managing Risk in Megacities: Challenges and Opportunities for Researchers and Practitioners

Speaker:Fouad Bendimerad, Ph.D., P.E., Chairman of the Board,
Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative (EMI), www.emi-megacities.org Abstract:2007 was a turning point for humanity as for the first time in history, the world urban population has exceeded its rural population. In the next 20 years, the world's population is predicted to increase by an additional 2 billion. Most of the increase will be in cities of developing countries. Eventually, cities will account for all future global population growth with record concentrations in large urban conglomerations and megacities in the developing world. By 2015,12 out of the largest 15 cities in the world will be in developing countries.
Losses from a major disaster in large cities and megacities will harm large populations both within and far beyond their boundaries. Unfortunately, the planning and development of cities has only given scant consideration to the consequences of hazards such as earthquake, floods, hurricanes and others. Eight out of the ten most populous cities in the world can be severely affected by an earthquake, whereas six out of ten are vulnerable to storm surge and tsunami waves. Effects of climate change can exhacerbate the impacts of these hazards.
Urban risk from extreme hazards has largely been ignored. The premise has been that cities, especially megacities, have the capacity to address risk on their own. It is now clear that most cities, particularly in the developing world, are not effectively managing their risk. Dealing with megacities risk is becoming a global urgency. The role of academia is critical in providing and disseminating knowledge about risk, and in providing practical tools and methods to public officials and managers of megacities to achieve a more sustainable urban development.
The Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative (EMI) was created in response to the critical need to speed up risk management research and practice of complex urban centers. EMI creates mechanisms for the delivery of scientific and technical knowledge to the city managers, while supporting megacities in building disaster risk management practice. It achieves this by fostering partnerships and cooperation between megacities and scientific organizations, and advocating for megacities risk reduction in international forums.
This seminar provides an overview of issues related to megacities risk management and will show examples of methodologies, analytical tools and practical applications from various cities in the world.

Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Evangeline Reyes