September 21, 2023 (Thursday, 10:00-11:30 JST)
About the Webinar
The Philippines is highly susceptible to climate-related disasters. Data derived from our studies on household levels of preparedness for disaster as well as studies on the impacts of COVID-19 on marginalized communities across the Philippines suggest that not all people are equally vulnerable or resilient to disasters. Social, economic, and cultural factors all play a significant role in how Filipinos experience, learn from, and prepare for future disasters.
In this webinar, Dr. Vincenzo Bolletino will discuss Filipinos knowledge and perception of climate change and their association with what action Filipinos take to prepare for rapid onset natural hazards such as typhoons. Data for this presentation were collected from a nationally representative random survey of 5,184 adults conducted between March and April of 2017. Filipinos self-report relatively low levels of knowledge of climate change and cited increased temperatures, shifts in seasons, and heavier rains as the most likely consequences. Levels of disaster preparedness in the Philippines differ widely by region. Although most Filipinos perceive that natural hazards are a risk to them, only a third of Filipinos undertake measures to prepare for disasters. Filipinos who perceive climate-related changes directly impacting their households report taking greater action to prepare for disasters. Filipinos who believe they have been directly impacted by climate-related changes are also more likely to prepare for disasters, take planning actions, and undertake material actions to prepare, such as dwelling improvements. Other factors associated with disaster preparedness include gender, membership in an association, wealth, risk perception, and prior exposure to and losses due to disasters. The findings imply that, while posing different challenges and requiring different responses, adaptation to climate change and disaster preparedness are inherently associated and potentially mutually reinforcing. Policies and programs would arguably benefit from a more unified intervention framework that links climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness.
About the Speaker
Vincenzo Bollettino is Director of the Program on Resilient Communities at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative and Research Associate with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. His research and profession experience include disaster resilience, humanitarian action, civil-military engagement in emergencies, and humanitarian leadership. He has spent the past twenty years of his career at Harvard University in administration, teaching, and research. Current research focuses on disaster preparedness and resilience, humanitarian leadership, climate change, and civil military engagement during humanitarian emergencies.
Dr. Bollettino has taught courses on research design, peace building, and international politics at the Harvard Extension School and is the author of publications related to disaster preparedness, climate change, humanitarian civil-military coordination, and humanitarian leadership. He earned his PhD in International Studies and International Security, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA.
Dr. Bollettino currently serves as an Advisory Committee Member of the MSF Speaking Out Case Studies and is a former board member of ELRHA (Enhancing Learning and Research for Humanitarian Assistance), and former President of the ACF International Scientific Council (Action Against Hunger).
About the NERPS Webinar Series
The Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS) at Hiroshima University in Japan is hosting a series of webinars on the relationship between peace and sustainability in the context of environmental, socio-political, economic, and technological transformations. This series is situated within the urgent need to deal with the implications of global change, including the COVID-19 pandemic, for peace and sustainability. The webinar sessions serve as a platform for rethinking and updating the current discourse on peace and sustainability amidst these global challenges and transformations. Leading experts will discuss the role of resources, digital technologies, migration, governance, and education in peacebuilding, conflict mitigation, humanitarian aid, and capacity-building, among other components that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainability Development Goals, particularly that of Goal 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. Check out our previous webinars here.
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