Assessing Infrastructure Resilience in Small Islands: Methodology Proposal

Abstract

Small islands face unique challenges when it comes to increasing the resilience of their infrastructure systems, especially against climate-related disruptions. This proposal outlines a resilience-focused methodology for assessing critical infrastructure in such environments, integrating four interrelated phases: (1) literature review and documentary analysis to understand the context and existing knowledge, (2) conducting participatory workshops for local insights, (3) semi-structured interviews for in-depth perspectives, and (4) data analysis to integrate findings. This methodology, centered on participatory approaches, seeks to explore the dynamics of the impacts of disasters on the infrastructure of small islands. Developed as part of doctoral research at the German Aerospace Center and the University of Wuppertal, this methodology will be tested on Germany's East Frisian Islands from 2023 to 2026. Its emphasis on stakeholder involvement aims to bridge gaps in existing research and provide practical strategies to enhance the long-term disaster resilience of small islands communities.