A multi-dimensional framework for assessing disaster recovery pathways: Lessons and experiences from Germany and Nigeria

The recent global surge in extreme events is escalating, leading to intensified impacts on lives, livelihoods, and overall well-being with long-lasting effects. As a result, communities in exposed regions with limited adaptive capacity find themselves in modes of constant recovery. However, disaster recovery is often treated as a secondary concern within global disaster risk reduction policies and practices. Previous studies have primarily focused on recovering people, places, and processes, neglecting a comprehensive examination of the relationships between actors, institutions, and decision-making across different time horizons. This paper aims to address this gap by introducing the concept of disaster recovery pathways and presenting a multidimensional framework for assessing these pathways. The framework comprises four interconnected components: systems, community capacity, actors relationships, and institutions. To develop this framework, we first review existing frameworks on disaster recovery and identify their limitations. We then apply the new framework to Ahr Valley in Germany and Lagos in Nigeria through policy document analysis and in-depth interviews with stakeholders. Our findings reveal that both countries face challenges in achieving a truly sustainable and resilient recovery. Financial constraints, political polarization, and administrative factors often serve as barriers to “build back better,” and immediate relief and reconstruction efforts frequently prioritize innovative and sustainable practices in the recovery process. Our findings underscore the importance of collaboration, trust, and communication among stakeholders in driving effective recovery pathways efforts. We conclude that disaster recovery pathways encompass not only the reconstruction of physical infrastructure but also social, economic, psychological, environmental, and governance dimensions.