Low-carbon Reconstruction: A Meta-Synthesis Approach for the Sustainable Development of a Post-Disaster Community

Achieving sustainable development is a major challenge for a post‐disaster community. This paper studies development issues in a post‐disaster community from a systemic perspective and discusses the reconstruction requirements for a sustainable, resilient, low‐carbon community. A meta‐synthesis approach to low‐carbon reconstruction is proposed, which has three integrated components; systems thinking, a systemic framework and intervention strategies. Using this approach, the community capital decreased in the disaster is able to achieve sustainable development leading to the development of a low‐carbon, well organized community. Empirical research from the Guangyuan case study in post‐Wenchuan earthquake is presented. The results from this research verify the effectiveness of a low‐carbon reconstruction approach for post‐disaster communities in an under‐developed region.