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Post-disaster rebuilding often creates a massive spike in demand for construction materials, sometimes equivalent to 15 years of typical demand, which can lead to unregulated resource extraction and increased greenhouse gas emissions. The document highlights how the demand for cement and sand contributes to global CO2 emissions and ecosystem degradation, respectively. It advocates for the strategic recycling and reuse of disaster debris—such as concrete, metals, and wood—to reduce pressure on natural resources, lower costs, and create local jobs, thereby strengthening long-term community resilience.