I am pleased to share that today I delivered a guest lecture at the University of Vienna, within the international lecture series “Frontiers in Spatial Science: Natural Hazards, Vulnerability and Disasters”, which also brings together students from the partner universities of the Circle U. network.
The title of my lecture was “Disaster Risk Management and Environmental Security through Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction: The Case of the Western Balkans.” The lecture focused on contemporary approaches to disaster risk management, with particular emphasis on the role of local communities in prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
During the lecture, I addressed several key issues:
– the main concepts and theoretical foundations of disaster risk management, including hazard, risk, disaster, vulnerability, and resilience;
– the relationship between disaster risk management and environmental security, highlighting the importance of integrated and preventive approaches;
– the specific features of the Western Balkans as a region exposed to floods, earthquakes, landslides, droughts, and wildfires;
– the main similarities and differences among the countries of the region in terms of legal frameworks, institutional organization, preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery;
– the capacities and readiness of key emergency sectors, including firefighting and rescue services, police forces, and emergency medical services;
– recommendations for improving disaster risk management in the region through stronger prevention, modernization of capacities, better coordination, and deeper community engagement.
It was a particular pleasure to speak to students from different academic backgrounds, as this interdisciplinary exchange clearly shows how important the topics of natural hazards, vulnerability, resilience, and environmental security are for contemporary society.
My sincere thanks to Kerstin Krellenberg and Thomas Glade, as well as to the colleagues and organizers at the University of Vienna, for their kind invitation, trust, and excellent organization of this lecture. It was an honor to contribute to this important academic program.
Prof. Dr. Vladimir M. Cvetković
