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Managing disaster risk in Mexico: Market Incentives for Mitigation Investment Alcira Kreimer, World Bank 0 Resenhas World Bank Publications, 1999 - 57 páginas Disaster Risk Management Series. Since 1980, Mexico has suffered from 79 disaster events. Over half of these disasters were weather related, such as hurricanes or flooding. One fourth of them were geology related, that is, volcanic eruptions, landslides, or earthquakes. The rest of them were instigated by humans in the form of industrial accidents, chemical and oil spills, explosions, and structural fires. Mexico was chosen for the first appraisal mission due to its experience with natural disaster losses, and because it is considering significant public policy changes in the realm of insurance regulations. The World Bank established the Disaster Management Facility in July 1999 to provide proactive leadership in coordinating efforts to introduce disaster prevention and mitigation practices in development-related activities. This report synthesizes the findings of a World Bank mission to Mexico on disaster management, mitigation, and financing, which was followed up by a workshop to discuss those findings. The scope of this study is quite broad and examines the following issues: -- Mexico's experience with disasters of all kinds; -- how risk and vulnerability are assessed and can be assessed as a means toward greater mitigation, that is, better planning and construction standards; -- disaster mitigation in practice; -- the specific contribution that the insurance industry can make to disaster mitigation in Mexico, and why this industry is so underutilized at present; and, -- the government's role in risk transfer as a way of enhancing mitigation especially through the operation of its Natural Disaster Fund, FONDEN.

Hazard mitigation and preparedness: building resilient communities Anna K. Schwab, David J. Brower, Katherine Eschelbach 0 Resenhas Wiley, 2006 - 568 páginas With this book, readers will learn how to apply their knowledge and skills in order to create communities that are more resilient to the impacts of hazards. It clearly presents the major principles involved in preparing for and mitigating the impacts of hazards in emergency management. This resource also provides real-world examples of different tools and techniques that emergency managers can use to reduce the impact of different types of hazards.

Natural disasters and extreme events in agriculture: impacts and mitigation M. V. K. Siva Kumar, Mannava V. K. Sivakumar, Raymond P. Motha, Haripada P. Das 0 Resenhas Springer, 2005 - 367 páginas Agricultural production is highly dependent on weather, climate and water availability and is adversely affected by the weather and climate-related disasters. Droughts and natural disasters such as floods can result in crop failures, food insecurity, famine, loss of property and life, mass migration and negative national economic growth. It may not be possible to prevent the occurrence of these natural disasters, but the resultant disastrous effects can be reduced considerably through proper planning and effective preparation. Vulnerability associated with the hazards of natural disasters can be controlled to some extent by accurate and timely prediction and by taking counter-measures to reduce their impacts on agriculture. This book based on an expert meeting held in Beijing, China should be of interest to all organizations involved in disasters reduction and mitigation of extreme events. TOC:Preface.- Impacts of Natural Disasters in Agriculture.- The Role of Disaster Preparedness in National Planning.- The Occurrence and Predictability of Extreme Events.- Accessibility of Database Information.- Tools for Forecasting or Warning.- Agrometeorological Impact Assessment.- Damage Assessment of Agrometeorological Relevance.- Impacts of Tropical Cyclones on Chinese Lowland Agriculture.- Frost and High Temperature Injury in China.- Impacts of Sand Storms/Dust Storms on Agriculture.- Disaster Reduction Planning and Response.- Agricultural Drought Policy and Practices in Australia.- Agrometeorological Disaster Risk Management in China.- Degradation of Vegetation and Agricultural Productivity.- Agricultural Drought Mitigation.- Early Detection and Monitoring of Drought and Flood in China.- The Decision of the Center of a Tropical Cyclone.- Application of Remote Sensing and GIS fo

NHESS - Special Issues Year Special Issues 2011 "Progress in research on earthquake precursors" Eds. K. Eftaxias, T. Maggipinto, and C.-V. Meister 2010 "Extreme and rogue waves" Eds. E. Pelinovsky and C. Kharif "New developments in tsunami science: from hazard to risk" Eds. I. Didenkulova, S. Monserrat , and S. Tinti "Geo-hydrological risk and town and country planning" Eds. F. Luino and D. Castaldini "11th Plinius Conference on Mediterranean Storms" Eds. M.-C. Llasat, A. Mugnai, G. Boni, R. Deidda, and Jordi Salat "Understanding dynamics and current developments of climate extremes in the Mediterranean region" Eds. R. García-Herrera, P. Lionello, and U. Ulbrich "Approaches to hazard evaluation, mapping, and mitigation" Eds. G. R. Iovine, J. Huebl, M. Pastor, and M. Sheridan "Radon, health and natural hazards" Eds. G. Gillmore, R. Crockett, T. Przylibski, and F. Guzzetti 2009 "Applying ensemble climate change projections for assessing risks of impacts in Europe" Eds. T. Carter, G. Leckebusch, and J. E. Olesen "Ground and satellite based observations during the time of the Abruzzo earthquake" Eds. M. E. Contadakis, P. F. Biagi, and M. Hayakawa "The GITEWS Project (German-Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System)" Eds. A. Rudloff, J. Lauterjung, and U. Münch "Documentation and monitoring of landslides and debris flows" Eds. L. Franzi, M. Arattano, M. Arai, P. Allasia, and D. Giordan "Models, theory, and empirical studies in wildfire hazard" Eds. R. Lasaponara "Assessment of different dimensions of vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change" Eds. T. Glade and J. Birkmann "The RISKMED Project (Weather Risk Reduction in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean)" Eds. A. Mugnai and A. Bartzokas "Extreme events induced by weather and climate change: evaluation, forecasting and proactive planning" Eds. A. Loukas, M.-C. Llasat, and U. Ulbrich "Rockfall protection - from hazard identification to mitigation measures" Eds. A. Volkwein, V

About the Deepwater Horizon Study Group   The Deepwater Horizon Study Group was formed by members of the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management (CCRM) in May 2010  in response to the explosion and fire at British Petroleum's Deepwater  Horizon well on April 20, 2010.  CCRM is a group of academic researchers and practitioners from diverse disciplines who attempt to share their knowledge of safety, organizational reliability and the mitigation of adverse human and natural events.   CCRM researchers have laudable expertise in engineering, law, the offshore petroleum industry, accident investigation, protection of sensitive environments, and in organizational management for dangerous environments.  Prompted by inquiries from industries, government agencies, the news media, and concerned individuals around the world regarding the causes and possible remediation of the oil spill at Deepwater Horizon, CCRM members organized the Deepwater Horizon Study Group (DHSG) to consider ways they might help to mitigate the effects of this incident.  DHSG is comprised of faculty members from the University of California and other institutions, accident investigators, petroleum engineers, social scientists, environmental advocates, and directors of research centers. DHSG members identified critical goals for the better understanding and prevention or mitigation of future accidents.  The first goal of DHSG is to capture facts and observations from workers, managers, witnesses, regulatory agencies, and other sources that may be lost if not gathered and preserved immediately.   An archive for this evidence will be established and accessible to interested researchers and investigators.  DHSG will produce its own in-progress reports and analyses of this incident from these data.  Finally, DHSG will attempt to disseminate the results of its inquiry and analysis to the public, to national and local governments, to industries that must operate in potentially dangerous environ

Introduction to emergency management George D. Haddow, Jane A. Bullock, Damon P. Coppola 1 Resenha Butterworth-Heinemann, 2006 - 408 páginas Introduction to Emergency Management, Second Edition is a practical reference for students and professionals covering disaster response planning and mitigation. The book details the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (U.S), the Federal Response Plan (FRP), and the roles, responsibilities, and interrelationship between FEMA and state and local emergency management systems. It also covers the changes in emergency management since the events of September 11, 2001, the latest information on the Office of Homeland Security, and includes several detailed appendices. This Second Edition is completely updated and continues this title's success as a practical reference for students and professionals covering disaster response planning and mitigation. - Includes continual connection of theory to real-world examples of disasters including the Tsunami disaster and instances of terrorism - Contains dozens of diagrams and statistics illustrating disaster management history and facts - Provides links to Emergency Management Web sites and information sources, including homeland security sources

Natural Hazards Center Publications Descriptions and links to publications of the Natural Hazards Center are provided below. In most cases, downloadable versions of the publications are available, along with archives of past publications. An updated PDF file listing all of the Natural Hazards Center Publications is available. For information on ordering hard copies of any publications, visit our publications purchasing page. Natural Hazards Observer The Natural Hazards Observer is the bimonthly periodical of the Natural Hazards Center. It covers current disaster issues; new international, national, and local disaster management, mitigation, and education programs; hazards research; political and policy developments; new information sources and Web sites; upcoming conferences; and recent publications. Disaster Research Disaster Research (DR) is a biweekly e-newsletter that includes some news items that also appear in the Natural Hazards Observer as well as other timely articles about new developments, policies, conference announcements, job vacancies, Web resources, and information sources in the field of hazards management. Quick Response Reports With funds contributed by the National Science Foundation, the Natural Hazards Center Quick Response program offers social scientists small grants to travel to the site of a disaster soon after it occurs to gather valuable information concerning immediate impact and response. Scholars participating in the program submit reports, which the Center makes available for free online. Research Digest Research Digest is a quarterly online publication that compiles recent research into an easily accessible format for the hazards and disasters community. It provides complete references and abstracts (when available) for current research in the field. The issues include more than 35 peer reviewed publications. Natural Hazards Review The Natural Hazards Review is a joint publication of the Natural Hazards Center and the American Societ

Natural Hazards Analysis: Reducing the Impact of Disasters John Pine 0 Resenhas Taylor and Francis, 2008 - 304 páginas With an emphasis on hazard analysis, this volume assesses critical preparedness issues that emergency personnel must face in the event of a disaster of any kind. The author discusses the nature and consequences of such hazards and examines strategies at the individual, organization, community, and regional levels. He presents a systematic process for hazards identification, vulnerability determination, and consequence assessment for natural, built, and human environments. Covering every step, from planning and preparedness to mitigation, response, and recovery, the book provides information on hazard identification, modeling, loss estimation, risk perception and definition, and sustainability.

Social Vulnerability to Disasters Brenda Phillips, Cheryl Childers, Alice Fothergill, Deborah Thomas 0 Resenhas CRC PR INC, 2009 - 406 páginas Standard emergency management training programs prepare for the effects of a disaster on a community. However, factors beyond logistics, such as understanding at-risk populations, can be critical in ensuring that a disaster does not become a catastrophe. Based on materials developed for the FEMA Higher Education Project, this book, designed for classroom use, explores how vulnerable social groups cope with hazardous events. The authors examine historical, geographical, social, and cultural factors that put people at risk, before, during, and after disasters. The text also offers strategies for community-based mitigation programs that engage those people most at risk.

Introduction to international disaster management Damon P. Coppola 3 Resenhas Butterworth-Heinemann, 2007 - 547 páginas The purpose of Introduction to International Disaster Management is to provide practitioners, educators and students with a comprehensive academic overview of the players, processes, and the special issues involved in the management of large-scale natural and technological disasters that exceed one or more nations' capacity to respond. The book provides a global perspective on risk, hazards, and disasters. It explains the various private, non-governmental, national, and international agencies that assist in the preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery to national and regional events. The book discusses special issues encountered in the management of international disasters, and gives a detailed explanation of the conflict related to 'complex humanitarian emergencies.' It also serves as a reference to governmental and other agencies involved in international disaster management activities, and is the first of its kind to take a global approach to the topic of international disaster management. -Caters to both students within disaster management programs and young professionals entering the field -Provides links to disaster management websites and information sources -Numerous case studies examine a diverse range of issues involved in the management of large-scale, international disasters, including the 2004 Asian Tsunami disaster, the SARS epidemics, and Hurricane Mitch

Coping with Drought Risk in Agriculture and Water Supply: Drought Management Guidelines for the Mediterranean Ana Iglesias, Luis Garrote, Antonio Cancelliere 0 Resenhas Springer, 2009 - 320 páginas Today drought causes severe social problems and receives broad attention from the international scientific and policy communities. Drought management in the Mediterranean region exemplifies many other drought-prone regions with rapidly expanding populations that are placing increased pressure on already limited water supplies. The experiences in the development and implementation of drought management plans in the Mediterranean highlight the success and challenges of coping with drought for societies with different vulnerabilities. Based on these experiences and the current methods for evaluating risk, the book synthesises guidelines for drought management that can be applied to other regions. Coping with Drought Risk in Agriculture and Water Supply Systems addresses the growing issue of drought preparedness planning, monitoring, and mitigation which has worldwide application. The book collates considerable information from diverse disciplines. The information is presented to appeal to a broad scientific and policy audience seeking to develop proactive drought management plans effective for decreasing social vulnerability

Drought and water crises: science, technology, and management issues Donald A. Wilhite 0 Resenhas CRC Press, 2005 - 406 páginas Today the world is facing a greater water crisis than ever. Droughts of lesser magnitude are resulting in greater impact. Even in years with normal precipitation, water shortages have become widespread in both developing and developed nations, in humid as well as arid climates. When faced with severe drought, governments become eager to act. Unfortunately, this eagerness usually wanes when precipitation returns to normal. Drought and Water Crises: Science, Technology, and Management Issues explains the complexities of drought and the role of science, technology, and management in resolving many of the issues associated with the world's expanding water crises. Contributors discuss a broad range of topics in attempting to answer these most pressing questions: How can we can improve planning tools and make mitigation tools more readily available and adaptable? How can we promote widespread adoption of new water-conserving technologies and encourage their use during non-drought periods? How can seasonal forecasts and early warning systems be made more reliable and expressed in ways to better meet the needs of end users? How can the drought-related policy experiences of some countries be systematically utilized to benefit others? Drought and Water Crises collates considerable information from diverse disciplines with the goal of reducing societal vulnerability to drought. Featuring case studies and stressing new technologies, the book seeks to encourage nations to adopt a more risk-based, proactive policy for water and drought management.

Silting Problems in Hydro Power Plants: Proceedings of the First International Conference, New Delhi, India, 13-15th October 1999 C.V.J. Varma 0 Resenhas Taylor & Francis, 2000 - 356 páginas The 33 papers focus primarily but not exclusively on the Indian subcontinent, through which passes nearly a third of all the earth carried by rivers and streams to the sea. Their concern is with design, operation, and maintenance approaches to preventing or mitigating the filling of reservoirs and damaging turbines and other equipment used in hydro-electric plants. Plenary papers discuss the Indian scenario, environmental and economic aspects, and reducing silt by implementing ISO 14000 for hilly projects. The technical sessions cover reservoir sedimentation, desilting and its economic optimization, damage mechanisms and their analysis, design criteria, and material technology. There is no index.

Natural disasters and sustainable development Riccardo Casale, Claudio Margottini 0 Resenhas Springer, 2004 - 397 páginas nbsp;Natural disasters are a clear example of people living in conflict with the environment. Disasters cause human, social and environmental losses and, sometimes, even threaten geopolitical stability, as in many less developed countries. They are also a problem of global concern, even when damage is local: the mechanisms are often dependent on global meteoro-climatic circulation. Losses frequently affect severalnbsp; countries, as could be seen in the floods in central Europe in 2002. It is obvious that there is a clear need for a new approach, capable of incorporating the prevention of natural disasters, whilst mitigating strategies within the cycle of sustainable development. There are no thematic disciplines or political boundaries limitating initiatives: the integration of data providers, data users/information providers and information users,nbsp;in a global and holistic manner, is the desired outcome of the new frontier. This book falls into this new category: multidisciplinary interventions and socio-economic point of views are the basic inputs for a changing science, implementing sustainable development for the benefit of citizens and society. It is comprised of studies and investigations which explain natural processes and modelling, as well as assessing hazards and risks and is rounded of with suggestions for sustainable development. Thus reflecting the best results of research on this topic funded by the European Commission. « Menos

Global warming, natural hazards, and emergency management Jane A. Bullock, George D. Haddow, Kim Haddow 0 Resenhas CRC Press, 2008 - 282 páginas Due to the damage caused by global warming, scientists predict that the frequency and severity of weather-related disaster events will increase dramatically. This book provides a clear procedural roadmap for emergency managers, policy makers, and community officials, demonstrating how to reduce the impacts of future disaster events intensified by the effects of global warming. Case studies describe past and present real-world experiences in community-based hazard mitigation and illustrate how efforts should be designed and implemented. The authors explain in detail how to develop community partnerships that include all stakeholders and identify staffing and resource requirements for successful programs.

Disaster communications in a changing media world George D. Haddow, Kim Haddow 0 Resenhas Butterworth-Heinemann, 2009 - 218 páginas Communications that supports disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery by disseminating accurate information to the general public, to elect

Mapping vulnerability: disasters, development, and people Greg Bankoff, Georg Frerks, Dorothea Hilhorst 0 Resenhas Earthscan, 2004 - 236 páginas * Major disasters increased over 93 per cent during the 1990s, reaching 712 in 2001 * Up to 340 million people are affected by disasters every year * 'Vulnerability' is the key to understanding the causes, impacts and ways to mitigate disasters In this penetrating analysis, the authors critically examine "vulnerability" as a concept that is vital to the way we understand the impact and magnitude of disasters. This book is a counterbalance to technocratic approaches that limit themselves to simply looking at natural phenomena. Through the notion of vulnerability, the authors stress the importance of social processes and human-environmental interactions as causal agents in the making of disasters. They critically examine what renders communities unsafe, a condition they argue that depends primarily on the relative position of advantage or disadvantage that a particular group occupies within a society's social order. Bolstering their theoretical analysis with case studies drawn from Asia, Africa and Latin America, the authors also look at vulnerability in terms of its relationship to development and through its impact on policy and peoples' lives.

Offshore Risk Assessment was the first book to deal with quantified risk assessment (QRA) as applied specifically to offshore installations and operations. Risk assessment techniques have been used for some years in the offshore oil and gas industry, and their use is set to expand increasingly as the industry moves into new areas and faces new challenges in older regions. This updated and expanded second edition has been informed by a major R&D programme on offshore risk assessment in Norway (2002-2006). It starts with a thorough discussion of risk analysis methodology with subsequent chapters devoted to analytical approaches to escalation, escape, evacuation and rescue analysis of safety and emergency systems. Separate chapters analyze the main hazards of offshore structures: fire, explosion, collision and falling objects. Risk mitigation and control are discussed, as well as a thorough discussion of how the results from quantitative risk assessment studies should be presented.Not only does Offshore Risk Assessment describe the state of the art of QRA, it also identifies weaknesses and areas that need development. A comprehensive reference for academics and students of marine/offshore risk assessment and management, the book should also be owned by professionals in the industry, contractors, suppliers, consultants and regulatory authorities.

he United States and other nations are facing large-scale risks at an accelerating pace. In 2005, three major hurricanes-Katrina, Rita, and Wilma-made landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast within an eight-week period. The damage caused by these storms led to insurance reimbursements and federal disaster relief of more than $180 billion-a record sum. Today we are more vulnerable to catastrophic losses because of the increasing concentration of population and activities in high-risk coastal regions of the country. The question is not whether but when future catastrophes will strike. Who should pay the costs associated with catastrophic losses suffered by homeowners in hazard-prone areas? In At War with the Weather, Howard Kunreuther and Erwann Michel-Kerjan and their colleagues deliver a groundbreaking analysis of how we currently mitigate, insure against, and finance recovery from natural disasters in the United States. They offer innovative, long-term solutions for reducing losses and providing financial support for disaster victims that define a coherent strategy to assure sustainable recovery from future large-scale disasters. The amount of data collected and analyzed and innovations proposed make this the most comprehensive book written on these critical issues in the past thirty years.

How should we deal with societal ills such as crime, poverty, pollution, terrorism, and corruption? The Character of Harms argues that control or mitigation of 'bad' things involves distinctive patterns of thought and action which turn out to be broadly applicable across a range of human endeavors, and which need to be better understood. Malcolm Sparrow demonstrates that an explicit focus on the bads, rather than on the countervailing goods (safety, prosperity, environmental stewardship, etc.) can provide rich opportunities for surgically efficient and effective interventions - an operational approach which he terms 'the sabotage of harms'. The book explores the institutional arrangements and decision-frameworks necessary to support this emerging operational model. Written for reflective practitioners charged with risk-control responsibilities across the public, private, and non-governmental sectors, The Character of Harms makes a powerful case for a new approach to tackling the complex problems facing society