Abstract
Global cities in the context of accelerated urbanization have to deal with more diverse risk factors than ever before, which highlights the need for a faster and more creative response capacity. Although it is necessary to strengthen technical systems, since they are surrounded by human systems, individual resilience will help to strengthen the community. The educational system is key to developing the human factor in a world where various systems in global cities are increasingly interconnected, which in turn increases risks. Japan is fostering a culture of disaster risk reduction in both the formal, non-formal, and informal education sectors, in which creativity and autonomy are key competencies. Tokyo is the highest populated metropolitan area globally, and its educational system is the international model for education in disaster risk reduction. Urban areas around the world face similar challenges and experience similar needs. This article addresses the challenges that the human factor faces in large cities and the possibilities of increasing resilience in both individuals and communities through Disaster Resilience Education (DRE), taking the Japanese educational system as a model.
Highlights
We explore some global initiatives to build urban resilience before explaining why Disaster Resilience Education (DRE) is important for urban resilience and why Japan is a model in disaster education
The UNDRR defines the term resilience as “the ability of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate, adapt to, transform and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient manner, including through the preservation and restoration of its essential basic structures and functions through risk management” [8]
Resilience is about being able to resist in the face of adversity; while, on the other hand, it is the ability of a system to return to its original state after a shock or, if that failed, to accommodate or adapt to the new situation instead
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The authors of this article contend that Japan has gone one step further by building into the national school curriculum the elements needed to foster resilience in both individuals and communities, becoming a role model for other countries, cities, and municipalities worldwide. Policymakers should bear in mind that resilience starts with education It is imperative on the one hand to foster soft skills and, on the other hand, to insert disaster preparedness, sustainable development, and environment-related subjects in formal education (main subjects in school curricula), non-formal education (complementary subjects in curricula), and informal education (outside the classroom setting). This article aims to outline how educational systems can foster resilience in urban areas by focusing on the case of Japan and the lessons that can be extracted from the country’s long tradition in disaster risk management and reduction. The lessons that can be transferred to urban resilience are analyzed in the discussion section, and some conclusions are extracted
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