JEMUN 2019 Volume 3 | Page 40

Technology Systems for Disaster Risk Reduction

By Runa Watabe and Ayaka Makiuchi

The JEMUN Crisis Simulation Room mostly focuses on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).

Any disaster can cause severe damage to people, the environment, and economies. Earthquakes, floods, and other natural disaster kill many people every year. Predicting the exact occurrence of disasters is currently impossible using present technology. However, there are some things that people can do to prevent damage from disasters.

The use of early warning systems, the detection and prediction of natural hazards, and seismic isolation systems will be able to solve or mitigate many of the problems disasters cause.

This does not mean that every country could utilize every solution. Some developed countries, like Italy and Australia, could be good examples. When asking Mr. Sean Narron from Hokuriku University, representing Italy, he said, “Italy is a developed country, but there is no high technological machines for enduring disasters. There are many old buildings that are incapable of enduring earthquakes.”

The implementation of these technology systems have other issues attached to them. One of these issues is the gap of diffusion between developed countries and developing countries. Generally, developing countries do not introduce such technology systems in their countries due to the high cost. The delegate of Slovenia, Mr. Yuta Mifuchi of Doshisha University, said, “Slovenia doesn’t have strong enough technology systems, even though other countries nearby, such as Germany, have good ones implemented.”

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