Relocating disaster-prone villages and improving villager well-being: Evidence from Beijing, China

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Abstract

Relocating disaster-prone villages serves both as a strategy and a method for the Beijing Municipal Government to address the life and work challenges faced by these communities. This approach ensures the safety and security of villagers’ lives and property, reduces community and resident vulnerability to disaster risks, enhances resilience, and promotes sustainable development. Using a questionnaire research and disaster sociology perspectives, this study explored the perceptions of the well-being of 360 relocated villagers from ten disaster-prone villages in rural Beijing. Findings show that follow-up support projects, CCP branch secretaries, and community services in these relocated villages significantly improved villagers’ well-being. Therefore, we suggest that relocation, the role of the CPC branch, and the development of a diversified social security and service network focused on livelihoods and production are effective in enhancing villagers’ well-being.

Keywords

disaster-prone villages / Beijing / relocation / well-being

CHANGE HISTORY

A Correction to this paper has been published:
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