Opportunities for green recovery and reconstruction: An introduction

Although disasters wreak havoc, the rebuilding efforts that follow represent a significant and important opportunity to restore communities in a more environmentally and socially sustainable way. Humanitarians, conservation practitioners, government officials, local communities, and donor organizations can take steps to ensure reconstructed communities are built back safer through actively addressing environmental sustainability, reducing risk and vulnerability to future disasters, and adapting to the realities of our changing climate. The Green Recovery and Reconstruction Toolkit (GRRT) is a training program designed to increase awareness and knowledge of environmentally sustainable disaster response approaches. The GRRT is made of ten modules which are designed to be delivered in a one-day training workshop. Each GRRT module package includes a trainer’s guide; training materials for a workshop; PowerPoint slides; a technical content paper that provides background information for the training; and additional resources for further study.