Establishing Relationships between Disasters and Global Environmental Problems for Sustainable Communities

Many types of disasters are related to environmental problems. Today, frequently occurring disasters and global environmental problems have begun to threaten human life and welfare. Consequently, building sustainable communities requires assessing relationships between environmental problems and disasters using a broad, open approach and with a long-term perspective. This paper attempts to identify the need for conceptualizing disasters and environmental problems together by comparing mechanisms of both disasters and environmental problems, and attempts to integrate both of these seemingly different types of phenomena as similar types of risk threatening human existence. Based on this work, a chart is proposed for qualitatively organizing disasters, environmental problems and their mutual influences, as well as providing a framework for potential quantitative analysis. It is hoped this research serves to contribute to effective mitigation to both disasters and environmental problems in today's age of global environmental issues.