"This introduction provides an overview of the disaster law and policy topics explored in the chapters that follow. Before sharing that overview, there are a few threshold questions to consider. What does the word "disaster" mean? What concerns are reasonably encompassed by the field of disaster law and policy? And where might disaster law and policy be headed in its evolution as a field of practice and study? The answer to each of these questions is malleable, and the developing and dynamic nature of disaster law and policy is reflected in the contributions the chapter authors have made to this volume. The Handbook's foreword and thirty-three chapters highlight a range of ongoing efforts to advance international, national, and local responses to disasters as well as plans to prepare for them. We offer here brief initial thoughts on three foundational considerations"--

This century's major disasters from Hurricane Katrina and the Fukushima nuclear meltdown to devastating Nepalese earthquakes and the recent crippling volcanic eruptions and tsunamis in Tonga have repeatedly taught that government institutions are ill-prepared for major disaster events, leaving the most vulnerable among us unprotected. These tragedies represent just the beginning of a new era of disaster – an era of floods, heatwaves, droughts, and pandemics fueled by climate change. Laws and government institutions have struggled to adapt to the scope of the challenge; old models of risk no longer apply. This Handbook provides timely guidance, taking stock of the field of disaster law and policy as it has developed since Hurricane Katrina. Experts from a wide range of academic and practical backgrounds address the root causes of disaster vulnerability and offer solutions to build more resilient communities to ensure that no one is left behind.

The number, intensity, and impact of diverse forms of 'natural' and 'human-made' disasters are increasing. In response, the international community has shifted its primary focus away from disaster response to prevention and improved preparedness. The current globally agreed upon roadmap is the ambitious Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, central to which is the better understanding of disaster risk management and mitigation. Sendai also urges innovative implementation, especially multi-sectoral and multi-hazard coherence. Yet the law sector itself remains relatively under-developed, including a paucity of supporting 'DRR law' scholarship and minimal cross-sectoral engagement. Commonly, this is attributable to limited understanding by other sectors about law's dynamic potential as a tool of disaster risk mitigation, despite the availability of many risk-related norms across a broad spectrum of legal regimes. This unique, timely Handbook brings together global and multi-sector perspectives on one of the most pressing policy issues of our time.

Through assessing climate disaster law in relation to international, public, private and environmental law this Research Handbook considers the unique challenges, barriers and opportunities that climate disasters pose for law and policy. Scientific and empirical evidence suggests that the laws addressing natural disasters cannot be adequately applied to disasters that are caused by climate change. Featuring contributions from leading international experts, this Research Handbook will be a useful resource for those with an interest in environmental law and international policymaking.

This book provides a unique, comprehensive and interdisciplinary analysis of climate justice and disaster law.

"Globalization has unleashed new health threats, connecting societies in shared vulnerability to common challenges, including infectious disease, non-communicable disease, environmental pollution, injuries, and inequitable poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the cataclysmic health threats of a rapidly globalizing world and the limitations of domestic law and policy in addressing economic, social, and political determinants of health. No country acting on its own can stem major health hazards that go well beyond national borders. Where national laws cannot reach threats beyond national borders, global law is necessary to promote health and justice. If globalization has presented global challenges to disease prevention and health promotion, global health law offers the promise of bridging national boundaries to promote health and reduce health inequities"--

Disasters can strike often and with unexpected fury, resulting in devastating consequences for local populations that are insufficiently prepared and largely dependent upon foreign aid in the wake of such catastrophes. International law can play a significant role in recovery after natural disasters; however, without clear legal frameworks, aid may be stopped, delayed, or even hijacked - placing the intended recipients in critical condition. This edited volume brings together experts, emerging scholars, and practitioners from North America, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia to analyze the evolution of international disaster law as a field that encompasses new ideas about human rights, sovereignty, and technology. Chapters focus on specific natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, Cyclone Nargis, and Typhoon Haiyan in addition to volcanic and earthquake activity, wildfires, and desertification. This book begins a dialogue on the profound implications of the evolution of international law as a tool for disaster response.