When disasters strike, saving lives becomes the top priority. In the urgency and chaos of immediate response, speed can take precedence over long-term planning or ecological considerations. The humanitarian sector is structured to respond rapidly, often relying on pre-designed plans to deliver aid and address critical needs. But what could it look like if these immediate responses to disasters could also be regenerative? Could we find ways for responses to be holistic, culturally embedded, and inspired by the ecosystems they are part of? How might we integrate environmental care and nature-based solutions into our rapid response?
When we consider regenerative responses, we often focus on the time before or after disasters. We usually either think about Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) to grow resilience before a disaster - or, as Sarah Queblatin reframes it - Designing for Resilience and Regeneration. Then after a disaster and initial response has occurred, we come to recovery and redevelopment, where there are many excellent examples and case studies of Regenerative and Permaculture designed approaches to meeting the needs of communities who have faced, or even been displaced by, disasters.
Tinka John of KAFRED Uganda emphasises, "Firstly, it’s about awareness and education. We need to teach people how to read and understand their ecosystems. If they know the importance of each element of an ecosystem and how they relate to one another, they might understand the importance of healthy ecosystems and eventually may know how to build the health and resilience of their ecosystems. That way, they can better respond to disasters and shocks."
Tinka’s insight points to the need for ecological literacy, where people can read their landscapes and respond to its needs when it’s damaged. When communities have a deep understanding of their local ecosystems they can act as stewards, leveraging the interconnections within living systems to recover more effectively.
Yet still, this speaks to learning which needs to happen months or years before a disaster strikes. It can take years to become socialised into nature-inspired ways of thinking. So what about times of urgent and emergency need? What about the moments when crises unfold? Can we still embed regenerative design principles into the way we act in emergencies?
Ecological, Regenerative Design in Rapid Disaster Response
Conventional humanitarian responses rightfully prioritise speed and efficiency, yet this often comes through a standardised approach across many contexts. This approach saves lives, and that should always be a top priority. However, standardised approaches can often overlook opportunities for cultural alignment and ecological care. To a regenerative or Permaculture designer, the idea of acting in a ‘high speed’ way might seem counter intuitive. As Permaculture designers, we’re taught to be slow and to take time to observe. But in times of need, a rapid regenerative response is called for.Â
We can ask ourselves:Â
How might we work with nature, rather than against nature, in this scenario?Â
How might we integrate culturally significant practices, rather than erase them?Â
How might we use locally available and renewable resources where possible?
Disaster-struck agrarian, land-based, indigenous or peasant communities often already respond in this nature-centric way, through cultural wisdom, necessity, and because disaster relief agencies may not be able to respond as quickly as needed. Ideas of what a nature-based response looks like in practice already exist, but humanitarian actors will need more solid plans in order to scale out these solutions. What is needed is an adaptable, regenerative process and plan that country offices of humanitarian agencies can work with to co-create a rapid response with their communities, in advance of when disasters happen. With climate chaos already wreaking havoc across the world, and with this set to increase, every community will need a plan.
What’s needed for an Adaptive Rapid Regenerative Relief Plan
An Adaptive Rapid Regenerative Relief Plan (A3RP) must be, as the name suggests, adaptive. Arguably, it wouldn’t be regenerative if it wasn’t adaptable, because all cultures and ecosystems have uniquenesses, and as such need a unique approach that integrates local elements rather than a ‘one size fits all’ solution. Regenerative approaches look different depending on the context, and they also go beyond ‘doing no harm’, seeking to grow the health of the communities and ecosystems they are part of.
An A3RP could have a common structure (an example community consultation guide is suggested here) to make it easier for humanitarian organisations to operationalise and implement, but crucially it would integrate processes and plans inspired by living systems. Consultation and design processes should include the communities affected to integrate cultural wisdoms, traditional ecological knowledge, and also to build community cohesion.
An A3RP approach may include:
Ecosystem-Inspired Designs
Healthy systems in nature are adept at responding to shocks. Left to its own devices after a wildfire, life takes mere moments to re-root and begin the (albeit slow) process of regrowth. Or for another example we could look to the flood defence skills that mangroves teach us, softening the blows of damaging coastal weather. Disaster response plans can mimic these systems by incorporating strategies found in nature: growing wind breaks and natural barriers; restoring degraded landscapes to slow, store and sink water; or using biomimicry to design infrastructure that can withstand environmental stressors.
Traditional Ecobuilding Practices
Many indigenous, land-based, peasant and traditional cultures have long histories of constructing shelter using renewable, locally sourced materials. These methods are often intrinsically aligned with their landscapes, sometimes looking almost as if they have emerged from the land. Crucially, they can sometimes be quicker to implement than Western-style shelter, though sometimes with a more complex materials supply chain (as you can't necessarily buy the materials quickly from a supplier, but may have to find renewable, living materials locally and test them for effectiveness). Ecobuilding for immediate post-disaster offers models for housing that if respectful of local culture, reduces dependency on external resources, and minimises carbon costs of flying or shipping materials. One example of these is traditional Filipino bamboo vernacular, which has been known to withstand strong typhoons.
Celebrating Local Uniquenesses
Food security is critical in immediate disaster responses, and a regenerative response would look toward locally adapted, preferably perennial, plant species to offer a source of food, fuel, medicine, and building materials, while also restoring and stabilising ecosystems. Similarly, local cultures may have found ways that are culturally significant to adapt to crises. Ceremonies and significant cultural customs can help communities come together to repair and regenerate after disasters or traumas.
A Call for trialling Adaptive Rapid Regenerative Relief Plans in action
A regenerative response is not necessarily a rejection of speed or efficiency, but a deepening of our understanding of the spaces in which we operate and the communities with whom we work. By learning from ecosystems and the wisdom of local cultures, humanitarian agencies can create interventions that not only save lives but also plant the seeds of ecological recovery and community resilience.
As Tinka John reminds us, understanding and valuing ecosystems is the foundation for responding effectively to disasters. Whether through fostering ecological literacy, designing culturally and environmentally embedded plans, or leveraging the resilience of natural systems, a regenerative approach to disaster response has the potential to transform crisis into opportunity for both people and the planet.
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Re-Alliance is an education and networking organisation comprising over 250 members applying regenerative approaches in disaster and displacement, and focussed on bringing regenerative solutions to the humanitarian sector. If you are part of a humanitarian agency and would like to discuss the A3RP approach in your contexts, reach out to the team on contact@re-alliance.org or join the network at www.re-alliance.org/join.
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