RISK-DISASTER-AND-INSURANCE

Las perforaciones en la Plataforma Continental Exterior (OCS) amenazan a nuestras playas, océanos, comunidades costeras y vida marina El Presidente Bush y algunos miembros del Congreso están presionando para abrir áreas que han sido protegidas de la perforación petrolera por muchos años, incluyendo las costa este y oeste, y Florida. Pero según la propia Administración de Información de Energía de la administración Bush, el efecto de permitir las perforaciones en esas áreas sería "insignificante". Y los costos ambientales y económicos serían inmensos.   La infraestructura petrolera y de gas en tierra daña los terrenos, las economías y las comunidades costeras Las explotaciones petroleras y de gas en ultramar requieren caminos costeros, tanques de almacenado, tuberías, plantas de procesamiento y otras instalaciones industriales. Todo eso puede dañar playas, humedales y hábitat de la costa, con consecuencias para las economías costeras que dependen del turismo, la recreación y la pesca.   Un peligro para la salud del océano Las perforaciones y la producción en ultramar crean inmensas cantidades de desechos que contienen contaminantes tóxicos y radioactivos que pueden contaminar a los peces y a las especies marinas que consumen los seres humanos. Los desechos de la perforación contienen metales tóxicos, incluso mercurio, plomo y cadmio. Cada pozo crea decenas de miles de galones de estos desechos y la mayoría se tira en las aguas circundantes.  Cada pozo también descarga cientos de miles de galones de "agua producida", que contiene contaminantes tóxicos que incluyen benceno, arsénico, plomo, radio, naftalina, zinc y tolueno, además de hidrocarburos de petróleo.   Contaminación del aire y emisión de gases de efecto invernadero Los pozos en ultramar emiten contaminantes del aire que son carcinógenos conocidos, causan problemas respiratorios y son gases de efecto invernadero. Las emisiones de la perforación de un pozo de e

Risks in modern society Hans-Jürgen Bischoff 0 Resenhas Springer, 2008 - 329 páginas This book describes the complex issue of risks in a changing world (of work), and how to find solutions through risk management and risk governance - for the benefit of employees, employers, other stakeholders, shareholders and society in general. The focus is on occupational safety and health, also the complex structure of 'surrounding' political, cultural, natural and economic environments are considered.

The Social Contours of Risk: Risk analysis, corporations and the globalization of risk Jeanne X. Kasperson, Roger E. Kasperson 0 Resenhas Earthscan, 2005 - 326 páginas We live in a 'risk society' where the identification, distribution and management of risks, from new technology, environmental factors or other sources are crucial to our individual and social existence. Jeanne and Roger Kasperson are two of the world's leading and most influential analysts of the social dimensions of risk. 'The Social Contours of Risk' brings together in two volumes their most important contributions to this fundamental and wide-ranging field. Volume 2 centers on the analysis and management of risk in society, in international business and multinationals, and globally. The 'acceptability' of risk to an individual depends on the context, whether in the larger society or in, say, a corporate framework. Their work clarifies the structures and processes for managing risks in the private sector, and the factors that produce or impede effective decisions. Corporate culture is crucial as they show in determining risk management. They analyze the transfer of corporate risk management systems from industrial to developing countries, and how globalization is spreading and creating new kinds of risk -- the combination of traditional and modern hazards presented by climate change, technology transfer and economic growth. They describe the new priorities and capacities needed to deal with these enhanced vulnerabilities around the globe.

Risk and blame: essays in cultural theory Mary Douglas 0 Resenhas Routledge, 1994 - 323 páginas "The idea of risk has recently risen to prominence in political debate, and has become the regular coinage of exchange in public policy." InRisk and Blame, a collection of essays, Mary Douglas studies the concepts of risk and blame, and suggests how political and cultural bias can be incorporated into the study of risk perception and the discussion of reponsibility and danger in public policy. Risk and Blameargues that any analysis of risk perception that ignores cultural and political bias is worthless. The text goes on to discuss questions of cultural theory, including questions of autonomy, credibility and gullibility, the origin of wants, and the idea of a distinctive thought style that is part of a way of life. Because these topics have so far only been lightly touched upon in the social sciences, risk perception is now moving center-stage as the dominant idiom of policy analysis, forcing radical reconsideration of other key topics. InRisk and BlameMary Douglas suggests that the prominence of risk discourse will force upon the social sciences a program of rethinking and consolidation which will include the anthropological approaches studied in these pages. The range of this book extends far beyond anthropology to philosophy, cultural theory, and organizational theory, making it a welcome text for anthropologists, philosophers, sociologists, and theorists.

Risk and culture: an essay on the selection of technical and environmental dangers Mary Douglas, Aaron Wildavsky 2 Resenhas University of California Press, 1983

The next catastrophe: reducing our vulnerabilities to natural, industrial, and terrorist disasters Charles Perrow 3 Resenhas Princeton University Press, 2007 - 377 páginas Charles Perrow is famous worldwide for his ideas about normal accidents, the notion that multiple and unexpected failures--catastrophes waiting to happen--are built into our society's complex systems. InThe Next Catastrophe, he offers crucial insights into how to make us safer, proposing a bold new way of thinking about disaster preparedness. Perrow argues that rather than laying exclusive emphasis on protecting targets, we should reduce their size to minimize damage and diminish their attractiveness to terrorists. He focuses on three causes of disaster--natural, organizational, and deliberate--and shows that our best hope lies in the deconcentration of high-risk populations, corporate power, and critical infrastructures such as electric energy, computer systems, and the chemical and food industries. Perrow reveals how the threat of catastrophe is on the rise, whether from terrorism, natural disasters, or industrial accidents. Along the way, he gives us the first comprehensive history of FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security and examines why these agencies are so ill equipped to protect us. The Next Catastropheis a penetrating reassessment of the very real dangers we face today and what we must do to confront them. Written in a highly accessible style by a renowned systems-behavior expert, this book is essential reading for the twenty-first century. The events of September 11 and Hurricane Katrina--and the devastating human toll they wrought--were only the beginning. When the next big disaster comes, will we be ready?

Normal accidents: living with high-risk technologies Charles Perrow 2 Resenhas Princeton University Press, 1999 - 451 páginas Normal Accidents analyzes the social side of technological risk. Charles Perrow argues that the conventional engineering approach to ensuring safety--building in more warnings and safeguards--fails because systems complexity makes failures inevitable. He asserts that typical precautions, by adding to complexity, may help create new categories of accidents. (At Chernobyl, tests of a new safety system helped produce the meltdown and subsequent fire.) By recognizing two dimensions of risk--complex versus linear interactions, and tight versus loose coupling--this book provides a powerful framework for analyzing risks and the organizations that insist we run them.The first edition fulfilled one reviewer's prediction that it "may mark the beginning of accident research." In the new afterword to this edition Perrow reviews the extensive work on the major accidents of the last fifteen years, including Bhopal, Chernobyl, and the Challenger disaster. The new postscript probes what the author considers to be the "quintessential 'Normal Accident'" of our time: the Y2K computer problem.

New risks: issues and management Louis A. Cox, Paolo F. Ricci 0 Resenhas Springer, 1990

Readings in risk Theodore S. Glickman, Michael Gough 0 Resenhas Resources for the Future, 199

Principles of emergency planning and management David E. Alexander 0 Resenhas Oxford University Press US, 2002 - 340 páginas As interest in planning for emergencies and disasters burgeons, and educational and training programs proliferate, Principles of emergency planning and management is the first book to meet the need for a concise yet comprehensive and systematic primer on how to prepare for a disaster. Providing readers with a comprehensive, systematic, yet concise introduction to effective preparation for disasters, it provides a unified starting point encompassing the scattered and parochial literature in this nascent field of academic enquiry and practical endeavor. The book provides a general introduction to the methods, procedures, protocols and strategies of emergency planning, with emphasis on situations in industrialized countries and the local level of organization (i.e. cities, municipalities, metropolitan areas and small regions), though with ample reference to national and international levels. Rather than concentrating on the practices of any one country or state, the author focuses on general principles. Principles of emergency planning and management is designed to be a reference source and manual from which emergency managers can extract ideas, suggestions and pro-forma methodologies to help them design and implement emergency plans. A comprehensive all-hazards approach is adopted, with frequent reference to the most important individual hazards and the planning and management needs that they create. Twelve examples of actual emergency planning and management problems are analyzed in detail. Principles of emergency planning and management is written especially for the new generation of emergency planners and managers that is emerging as a result of intensified governmental interest in disaster preparedness. Many of them will occupy positions in government or other organizations that require emergency plans. The book will also be of value to

Disaster Management Handbook Jack Pinkowski 0 Resenhas CRC Press, 2008 - 595 páginas Record breaking hurricane seasons, tornados, tsunamis, earthquakes, and intentional acts of mass-casualty violence, give lie to the delusion that disasters are the anomaly and not the norm. Disaster management is rooted in the fundamental belief that we can protect ourselves. Even if we cannot control all the causes, we can prepare and respond. We can craft constructive, workable policy that will contribute to the prevention of enormous financial impact, destruction of the environment, and needless loss of life. Integrating scholarly articles from international experts and first hand accounts from the practitioner community, Disaster Management Handbookpresents an analytical critique of the interrelated, multidisciplinary issues of preparedness, response, and recovery in anticipating and rebuilding from disasters. Beginning with an introduction to the theoretical constructs and conceptual foundations of disaster management, the book reviews the relationship of modern development todisaster vulnerability, the politics of disaster management, leadership, and the role of agency coordination. The second and third sections examine case studies and lessons learned through natural disasters in North America and around the world. They compare and contrast the efficacy of different management strategies from national, provincial, and local governments, as well as non-governmental agencies. Taking a narrower scope, the fourth section focuses on emergency personnel and the methods and issues faced in on-the-scene response and preparation. It also considers the special needs of hospitals and the effective use of the media. Contributions in the final two sections present strategies for limiting and ameliorating the psychological impact of disaster on victims and personnel, and look forward to how we can be better prepared in the future and rebuild stronger, more resilient communities.

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

Asbestos and the Future of Mass Torts Michelle J. White Article Citation White, Michelle J. 2004. "Asbestos and the Future of Mass Torts." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 18(2): 183-204. DOI:10.1257/0895330041371187

global threats NEW! Investigating Food-Borne Illness an interview with Robert Tauxe Airborne Disease Control by Wladyslaw Jan Kowalski The Spread of Dengue Fever an interview with Duane J. Gubler The Evolution of Emerging Viruses an interview with Eddie Holmes Biomedical and Biodefense Uses for Ricin an interview with Ellen Vitetta Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases: A Global Problem an interview with Stephen S. Morse Plant Genebanks: Food Security by Geoffrey C. Hawtin and Jeremy Cherfas Agricultural Bioterrorism by Radford G. Davis Microbes: What They Do & How Antibiotics Change Them by Maura Meade-Callahan

Building Resilience on the Prairies Adaptation as Resilience Building What's New? Manitoba Agricultural Producer Primer This brochure provides a summary of how Manitoba producers have coped and adapted to past weather-related shocks and stresses. It is based on Masters degree research undertaken by Peter Myers at the Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba. In October 2004, IISD initiated a new project in partnership with the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (the rural extension service of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) and the University of Manitoba's Natural Resources Institute. This two-year project funded by Canada's Climate Change Action Fund will examine the resilience of prairie communities to past climate stresses as a means of strengthening adaptation to future climate change. The project is based on the premise that prairie agro-ecosystems, or the inter-relationship between social and ecological systems in the prairie region, have been continuously adapting (successfully and unsuccessfully) to historic climate variability. By examining successful examples of how agro-ecosystems have adapted to past climate stress, IISD and its partners believe that we learn how to promote adaptive capacity and build the resilience of prairie agro-ecosystems to present climate change. It is expected that the project's research findings will make an important contribution to the design of Canada's evolving Agricultural Policy Framework. Project Reports Farmer Responses to Weather Shocks and Stresses in Manitoba: A Resilience Approach (PDF - 644 kb) A Masters Thesis by Peter Myers describing how producers in Manitoba have dealt with past weather- related shocks and stresses as a view toward future coping and adaptation for climate change. Living with Climate Change: How Prairie Farmers Deal with Increasing Weather Variability (PDF - 2.4 mb) A technical report by Masters student Kent Pearce describing how producers in Saskatchewan

Update on the Consortium Disasters cause a wide variety of social, economic, and environmental impacts that can reverse hard fought development gains in vulnerable communities. ProVention was created in 2000 to provide a forum for dialogue and for catalysing new ideas and collaborative initiatives on disaster risk reduction. Originally hosted by the World Bank, it has been hosted since 2003 by the IFRC and has included a broad range of partners, from development to humanitarian organizations and from the public sector to the private sector. The Consortium has been widely recognised for its role in brokering links among diverse actors. Over the ten years between 2000 and 2010, many of ProVention's original goals to mainstream attention to disaster risk reduction have been successfully attained. With the increasing strength of many of its partners institutions on disaster risk reduction, the needs for a consortium like ProVention have changed and the decision has been made in 2010 to phase out ProVention's program activities. This website will continue to be maintained by the IFRC to ensure that the ProVention legacy continues and to highlight the resources that have been developed through ProVention projects and related partners initiatives. It is hoped that the resources on this site will continue to be useful in improving policy and practice and advancing the disaster risk reduction agenda. For a review of ProVention achievements over the last 10 years, a short analysis of key lessons and an overview of progress on ProVention work program activities in 2009, see the ProVention Update 2010 report.

The making of European private law: toward a ius commune europaeum as a mixed legal system J. M. Smits 0 Resenhas Intersentia nv, 2002 - 306 páginas The private law of the Member States of the European Union has become more and more 'European'. The fact that the European Union is making ever more use of directives as an instrument to achieve private law goals, is, in this context, not the most important development. Of much more substance is the fact that one increasingly realises that a uniform European private law has to be created, in one way or another, in the near future, if a truly common European market is to function at all. Over the last decade, Europe has witnessed the emergence of a vigorous debate about the need for and the feasibility of a future European ius commune in the field of private law. This book critically discusses this debate and provides a systematic overview of the various initiatives taken and describes the fragmentary European private law that already exists (by way of European directives, international conventions, etc.). In addition, the author aims at making a contribution to the debate by suggesting that the experience (good or bad) of the so-called 'mixed legal systems' is of great importance to the European private law venture and to the development of a uniform private law for Europe. This idea is supported by insights from Law & Economics and illustrated by South African law in particular. This idea of 'European private law as a mixed legal system' is then applied to the law of contracts, torts and property. This book takes up the challenge to give a critical examination on the various methods of creating this ius commune. A detailed table of contents, list of abbreviations, bibliography, table of cases and index complete the book and make it a valuable study for everyone interested in European private law.

At risk: natural hazards, people's vulnerability and disasters Benjamin Wisner 0 Resenhas Routledge, 2004 - 471 páginas The term "natural disaster" is often used to refer to natural events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, or floods. However, the phrase suggests an uncritical acceptance of a deeply engrained ideological and cultural myth.At Riskquestions this myth and argues that extreme natural events are not disasters until a vulnerable group of people is exposed. This new edition ofAt Riskconfronts a further ten years of ever more expensive and deadly disasters since it was first published, and discusses disaster not as an aberration, but as a signal failure of mainstream development. Two analytical models are provided as tools for understanding vulnerability. One links remote and distant root causes to unsafe conditions in a progression of vulnerability. The other uses the concepts of access and livelihood to understand why some households are more vulnerable than others. The book then concludes with strategies to create a safer world

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.

Hazards of nature, risks to development: an IEG evaluation of World Bank assistance for natural disasters World Bank. Independent Evaluation Group 0 Resenhas World Bank Publications, 2006 - 181 páginas The World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group examined the World Bank's experience in disaster prevention and response over the past 20 years and found that the scale of Bank operations has grown over the period. The report found that the Bank has demonstrated considerable flexibility in its approach, but actions have tended to be more reactive than proactive, with disaster response taking more of the focus that preventative measures. « Menos