Natural disasters affected two billion people between 2000 and 2009, costing an average of £100 billion per annum during this period.
Engineers from across the world came together for the 6th ICE Asia Pacific Convention in Sri Lanka to discuss the causes, effects and complex challenges surrounding natural disasters.
The engineer’s role
Brunel lecturer Jo da Silva delivered the keynote lecture on Shifting Agendas: from Response to Resilience – the Role of the Engineer in Disaster Risk Reduction. She spoke about the ways in which engineers could encourage a culture of safety that recognises risk. She also addressed the ways in which buildings and communities could be made more resilient and about integrating safety practices into business planning and strategy.
The lecture was followed by speakers from around the Asia Pacific region including Japan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Natural Disasters: the Engineer's role in Preparedness, Mitigation and Recovery took place from 24-27 January in Mt Lavinia, Sri Lanka.
ICE President plays host
The event was hosted by the current ICE President Barry Clarke. He was joined by past president of ICE Gordon Masterton. Gordon had previously visited Sri Lanka in 2005 following the Indian Ocean Tsunami to see how damage to the country’s transport infrastructure was affecting relief and rebuilding.
Sharing knowledge internationally
The Asia Pacific conventions are held biennially and serve to strengthen communications between ICE and its representatives in Asia Pacific. They give ICE Representatives the opportunity to share best practice and pick up new ideas for ICE in their region.
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