More with Less: Disasters in an Era of Diminishing Resources

Business in an Age of Emergency

| 198 | Businesses have always had a role in helping communities during tough times and especially in response to disasters. After all, business would not exist without its communities. So when tornados, earthquakes , hurricanes, fires, or tsunamis strike, businesses must do their part. Companies small and large can and often do step into the breach to do whatever they can in the wake of disaster. Many businesses have services and products that can help with relief efforts, and all have communities and networks they can work with to raise awareness and much needed funds during an emergency. During any disaster response, pharmaceutical companies provide antibiotics, vitamins, medicine, and water purification tablets; telecoms offer text-to-donate capabilities and emergency communication support; distributors and transporters get food, medicine, and shelter to the affected people; banks offer matching grants and cash-for-work voucher assistance; construction companies provide labor, materials, and equipment; health-care providers sponsor emergency physicians and medical assistance. The list of private sector contributions goes on and on. Obviously this is good. Governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and local communities need help when disaster strikes. We’re fortunate across the Virgin Group that we’ve got businesses in over fifteen different industries we can rally for support. Virgin responds to many disasters with as much support as possible, but we all must do Business in an Age of Emergency RICHARD BR ANSON Business in an Age of Emergency | 199 more. In the last ten years, I have watched more disasters strike with a devastating human toll than in the previous thirty combined. I have come to believe that this is not an anomaly, but a new normal. We’ve entered an “Age of Emergency,” and it is related to many big trends: rapid urbanization and population growth have put billions more in harm’s way; climate change is leading to more uncertain and violent weather; and resource scarcity could lead us into a new era of tension and man-made crisis. Fortunately, for the first time in history, our newly connected world is better equipped to respond to disasters and mobilize global support. Now all we need to do is ensure we effectively coordinate and collaborate , bringing together the best of the business, social, and governmental sectors. Business also has a significant responsibility to help stop some of the emergencies from happening in the first place, for example by reversing trends like climate change and the degradation of our natural resources. The private sector should get serious about understanding the causes and consequences of disasters and playing a role in all phases of a crisis. The Age of Emergency Is upon Us Theincreasingdestructioncausedbynaturaldisastersismind-blowing. In the past decade, 3,800 disasters occurred and killed more than 780,000 people around the world. Over 2 billion people were affected— this averages to more than 250 million people a year. These extreme events have touched every corner of the globe and have cost the international community close to $960 billion.1 Earthquakes are now killing more people than ever in urban areas where buildings are not properly designed. More people live on coasts, and as climate change raises sea levels and increases the ferocity of storms, they will be on the edge of disaster. Many countries are increasing their reliance on nuclear power, with the risk of Fukushima-type disasters with long-term consequences. On top of these natural disasters, our global village continues to suffer from violent conflicts that become even greater emergencies 200 | Richard Branson when coupled with natural disasters such as drought. In Somalia, recent droughts caused tens of thousands of deaths and created millions of refugees. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that Dadaab, the world’s largest refugee camp in neighboring Kenya, swelled to over 460,000 people as a result.2 The vicious cycle of conflict and emergency can be unstoppable. Security threats from refugee flows, for example, lead regional security forces to enter into battle with rebel forces, driving even more displacement, causing more suffering, and disrupting relief efforts. Much of this could have been avoided if the world acted more effectively to stave off conflict and respond rapidly to new emergencies. Businesses, governments , and the social sector must start to coordinate—not only to respond to emergencies, but also to proactively forecast emergencies and try to stop them. In short, we have entered the Age...