Opinion: Why there is no such thing as a ‘natural’ disaster
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Charting a safer, more resilient course means first acknowledging that there is no such thing as a "natural disaster." The word "natural" implies these events are entirely out of our control, thereby absolving us of the responsibility to prepare and reduce risk from natural hazards.
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Because disasters reveal our vulnerabilities, they reflect the choices we make as a society. When we destroy and degrade much of the natural world, we make communities more vulnerable to disasters.
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Natural and green infrastructure from wetlands to rain gardens and green roofs - in addition to supporting a diverse array of life - can help communities absorb rainwater, reduce water pollution and regulate temperature. In the wake of Hurricane Stan in 2005, Guatemala and Mexico diversified their farming systems to improve resilience and reduce future disaster risk. Likewise, after Hurricane Michael practically wiped out Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida in 2018, the military bolstered the base's natural defenses against storm surges by reinforcing dunes, restoring marshes, planting seagrass beds and engineering oyster reefs.
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This choice should not be reserved only for a few select people in positions of power. If communities decide to integrate the power of nature into disaster mitigation solutions to prevent, recover from and rebuild after catastrophes, it's all hands on deck. By working together across society, policymakers, humanitarians, engineers, community organizers, environmentalists, urban planners, lawyers, business owners, nonprofit groups and everyday citizens can help their communities withstand, recover and rebuild from crises.
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