Environmental Hazards and Disasters: Contexts, Perspectives and Management focuses on manifested threats to humans and their welfare as a result of natural disasters. The book uses an integrative approach to address socio-cultural, political and physical components of the disaster process. Human and social vulnerability as well as environmental risks are explored within the comprehensive context of diverse natural hazards and disasters. Environmental Hazards and Disasters: Contexts, Perspectives and Management includes chapters on key topics such as the application of GIS in hazard studies; resiliency; disasters and poverty; climate change and sustainability and development. This book provides an essential, interdisciplinary text for students, emergency managers, planners and organisations involved in disaster response and mitigation. * An accessible intermediate level text on natural hazards and disasters for those students wishing to specialise in the subject * Focus on the positive and negative impacts of extreme events. * Interdisciplinary approach * Includes coverage of previously neglected areas of disaster studies such as gender * Includes numerous global case studies and examples of natural hazards and disasters to enhance student understanding * Includes chapters on the application of GIS in hazard studies; resiliency; disasters and poverty; climate change and sustainability and development

InhaltsangabePreface ix 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Hazards and disasters: definitions and distinctions 2 1.2 Types of hazards 15 1.3 Physical dimensions of natural hazards 21 References 33 2 History and Development of Hazard Studies in Geography 37 2.1 Historical perspective 37 2.2 The focus of hazard research 44 2.3 Conclusion 60 References 61 3 Vulnerability, Resiliency, and Risk 67 3.1 Vulnerability 67 3.2 Resilience 85 3.3 Risk 93 References 110 4 Disaster Effects and Impacts 119 4.1 Disaster effects 119 4.2 Disaster impacts 138 References 151 5 Disaster Cycles: Mitigation and Preparedness 157 5.1 Mitigation 158 5.2 Preparedness 169 References 192 6 Disaster Cycles: Response and Recovery 197 6.1 Response 197 6.2 Recovery 217 References 233 7 Disaster Relief 237 7.1 Providers and distributors of disaster aid 237 7.2 Conclusion 263 References 264 8 Hazards/Disasters: Special Topics 269 8.1 Gender and natural disasters 269 8.2 Global warming and climate change 277 References 302 Author Index 307 Subject Index 315

Leseprobe