By Brendan Barett, Al Jazeera, February 11, 2012
Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/
Tokyo, Japan - In March 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing and destroyed 125,000 buildings in the Tohoku region of Japan. The two disasters also caused three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to melt down, which released dangerous levels of radiation into surrounding areas and led to national power shortages. Tokyo’s iconic neon signs were switched off as rolling blackouts spread across the country. Faced with the greatest reconstruction task since World War II, Japan is asking difficult questions about the future of its energy supply and just what sort of society should emerge from the ruins.
So far, rebuilding efforts have focused on construction of temporary housing, restoration of crippled infrastructure and clearing the estimated 25 million tonnes of debris created by the destructive force of the tsunami. Officials say it could take ten years to completely rebuild the affected areas.
In the coming months, even years, there is a catchphrase familiar in disaster recovery that we can expect to hear a lot of in Japan: “Build back better.” This concept has gained prominence since the recovery process following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and, more recently, with the earthquake in Haiti.
The underlying principles of build back better include:
- Maintaining and enhancing quality of life for those affected by the disaster
- Enhancing local economic viability
- Promoting equity
- Maintaining environmental quality
- Reducing vulnerability by increasing disaster resilience
- Incorporating a participatory process with respect to rebuilding efforts
Prime Minister Naoto Kan, before his resignation, urged Japan to embrace the European eco-town model – with communities that strive to be both carbon neutral and affordable – as the country looked to rebuild. In the United Kingdom, eco-towns are being explored as new developments that reflect the “four Cs” – climate, connectivity, community and character.