私たちは、理学系および工学系の専門的な知識と経験を持つ技術士として、SDGsに関するさまざまな活動を行う方々を紹介し、社会問題の解決に向けて情報発信や議論を行っています。その一環として、地域の防災及び減災をテーマとしたYou Tube配信番組「座談会」を制作しました。
災害対策基本法は、災害を防ぎ、被害が起きた際に迅速な対策や復旧を行うことを目的に作られた法律です。阪神・淡路大震災や東日本大震災をきっかけに予算が大幅に増え、堤防の強化や橋の耐震補強といった災害への備えが進んできました。しかし、こういった施設の整備（ハード対策）だけでは災害を完全に防ぐことは難しく、ハザードマップの作成や防災教育など、人の行動を変える取り組み（ソフト対策）も欠かせません。
災害が起きたときには、物資や人材を届ける国や自治体による支援「公助」が大切です。しかし、規模の大きい災害や気候変動による頻繁な災害に備えるには、公助だけでは限界があるかもしれません。そのため、家族や地域で災害に備える「自助」や「共助」が重要になります。実際、阪神・淡路大震災では、救出活動の約8割が自助や近隣の人による共助によって行われたというデータがあります。 
こうした課題を踏まえ、令和5年7月には「新たな国土強靭化基本計画」が閣議決定されました。この計画では、地域の防災力を高めることや社会の持続可能な発展を目指すSDGsの考え方を取り入れた街づくりが進められています。 
今回の座談会では、防災の重要性をテーマに、地域で自助や共助を進める取り組みとして「防災ミッションラリー」について紹介しました。この活動は2023年度から立命館大学OICキャンパスで始まり、行政や企業、大学が連携して、地域住民の防災意識を高めることを目的としています。たとえば、防災ゲームや非常用トイレの展示など、楽しみながら防災を学べるイベントを開催し、地域の人々が自然に防災への関心を持つきっかけを作っています。特に、子どもや保護者を対象とした活動を通じて、防災意識の薄れという問題に取り組み、地域全体の意識向上に貢献しています。
さらに、防災教育は、地域のつながりを深めるとともに、避難や復旧をよりスムーズに進める土台となります。災害後の復旧では、地域の文化や住民の声を反映することが大切であり、そのためには普段から地域内で協力し合える体制を作っておくことが必要です。
この座談会を通じて、地域の防災について少しでも興味を持っていただけることを願っています。
We, as professional engineers with expertise and experience in the fields of science and engineering, introduce individuals and organizations engaging in various activities related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and disseminate information and hold discussions aimed at solving social issues. As part of these efforts, we have produced a YouTube discussion program titled "Roundtable Talk," which focuses on the themes of disaster prevention and mitigation in local communities.
The Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act is legislation established to prevent disasters and ensure prompt responses and recovery when damage occurs. Budget allocations were significantly increased following the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake, driving the reinforcement of levees and the seismic strengthening of bridges to enhance disaster preparedness. However, infrastructure improvements (hard measures) alone are not enough to completely prevent disasters; initiatives like creating hazard maps and providing disaster education (soft measures) are equally essential to changing human behavior and responses.
During a disaster, public assistance, including the provision of supplies and personnel support by national and local governments, plays a critical role. However, for large-scale disasters or the increasing frequency of disasters caused by climate change, relying solely on public assistance may have its limits. This highlights the importance of "self-help," where individuals prepare for disasters on their own, and "mutual help," where communities work together to respond. For instance, during the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, roughly 80% of rescue operations were performed through self-help or mutual aid efforts by neighbors, as shown by data.
Addressing these issues, the "New National Resilience Basic Plan" was approved by the Cabinet in July 2023. This plan emphasizes improving local disaster preparedness while promoting sustainable urban development according to SDGs principles.
In the latest roundtable discussion, we introduced the "Disaster Mission Rally" as an initiative to foster self-help and mutual aid within communities. Launched in 2023 at the Ritsumeikan University OIC Campus, this activity aims to elevate disaster awareness among residents through collaboration between government, businesses, and academia. Examples of activities include disaster-themed games and displays of emergency toilets, offering enjoyable and educational ways for people to learn about disaster preparedness. Particularly, initiatives targeting children and their parents have been tackling the issue of declining disaster awareness and contributing to raising consciousness across the wider community.
Moreover, disaster education plays a vital role in deepening connections within communities and laying the foundation for smoother evacuation and recovery processes during emergencies. Recovery efforts after disasters should reflect the unique culture of the region and the opinions of residents. Achieving this requires establishing systems for collaboration within communities during peacetime.
We hope that this roundtable discussion inspires viewers to take an interest in disaster preparedness within their own communities.