Opinion | Disaster after disaster
Summary
This Christmas marks 21 years since the Indian Ocean tsunami, prompting reflection on the challenges of reconstruction including resource demand, environmental impacts, and the need for sustainable building materials management.
Key Points
- The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 caused massive loss of life and infrastructure, highlighting challenges in post-disaster rebuilding.
- Disasters cause spikes in demand for building materials, leading to shortages and price hikes that delay reconstruction.
- Unsustainable extraction of resources for rebuilding has led to severe environmental damage in multiple countries.
- Global calls urge international bodies to adopt policies for sustainable building material management to build back better and safer.
