Publication Details
Abstract
Effective legal and policy frameworks are essential for reducing earthquake risk and strengthening disaster resilience. This review critically examines the legislative and institutional frameworks governing earthquake disaster risk reduction (DRR), preparedness, and emergency management across selected earthquake-prone countries, with particular attention to building codes, land-use planning regulations, emergency management laws, and international disaster risk governance. A comparative analysis is undertaken of the legal approaches adopted in New Zealand, Chile, Turkey, the United States, and Nigeria to mitigate the seismic vulnerability of existing buildings and communities. The review evaluates these frameworks against the objectives of proactive risk reduction and resilience enhancement embodied in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. It identifies key strengths, institutional gaps, overlapping mandates, implementation challenges, and examples of effective practices across the selected countries. The findings reveal significant variations in legislative effectiveness, enforcement mechanisms, and institutional coordination, highlighting the importance of integrating risk-informed policies with strong governance and compliance systems. Based on the comparative analysis, the study proposes policy and legal recommendations to strengthen national earthquake disaster management systems, improve regulatory enforcement, and enhance resilience in earthquake-prone regions, particularly in developing countries.