70718
Global Hazards
- Key Terms
- Context Hazard - Widespread
threat due to environmental factors.
- Geophysical Hazard -
Hazard formed by tectonic/
geological processes
- Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Tsunamis
- Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Tsunamis
- Hydro-meteorological Hazard
- Hazard formed by
hydrological or atmospheric
processes
- Droughts, Floods
- Droughts, Floods
- Albedo - How much solar radiation
a surface reflects.
- Arctic Ice - Has a high albedo and as it melts more heat from
the sun is absorbed, which will raise the temperature further
and make the remaining ice melt quicker.
- Arctic Ice - Has a high albedo and as it melts more heat from
the sun is absorbed, which will raise the temperature further
and make the remaining ice melt quicker.
- Tipping Point - the point at which a
system switches from one state to
another.
- Feedback Mechanism - The output of a system
acts to amplify (positive) or reduce (negative)
further output.
- Positive feedback mechanism - Melting of Arctic
permafrost leads to the release of trapped methane
which leads to further global warming.
- Positive feedback mechanism - Melting of Arctic
permafrost leads to the release of trapped methane
which leads to further global warming.
- Context Hazard - Widespread
threat due to environmental factors.
- Risk (R) = Hazard (H) x Vulnerability (V) / Capacity to Cope (C)
- A hazard is a natural event which has
the potential to threaten or
damage people and property
- A hazard is a natural event which has
the potential to threaten or
damage people and property
- The Greenhouse Effect
- The process by which greenhouse gases - water
vapour, CO2, methane, CFCs, nitrous oxide and ozone -
absorb outgoing long wave radiation which is then sent
back to the Earth's surface, which is warmed.
- Enhanced Greenhouse Effect - Levels of
greenhouse gases increase due to human activity.
- Enhanced Greenhouse Effect - Levels of
greenhouse gases increase due to human activity.
- The process by which greenhouse gases - water
vapour, CO2, methane, CFCs, nitrous oxide and ozone -
absorb outgoing long wave radiation which is then sent
back to the Earth's surface, which is warmed.
- Global Hazard Trends
- Human factors in disasters
- Rapid population growth
- Pressure on land which leads people to
live in high risk areas e.g. flood prone
land in Bangladesh. Growing proportion
of elderly (Japan) and very young
(developing countries) who are
particularly vulnerable in the event of a
disaster.
- Pressure on land which leads people to
live in high risk areas e.g. flood prone
land in Bangladesh. Growing proportion
of elderly (Japan) and very young
(developing countries) who are
particularly vulnerable in the event of a
disaster.
- Deforestation and land degradation
- Deforestation and
destruction of mangroves
can lead to soil erosion,
coastal erosion, flooding and
desertification.
- Deforestation and
destruction of mangroves
can lead to soil erosion,
coastal erosion, flooding and
desertification.
- Urbanisation
- Development of squatter
settlements in areas at risk of
landslides or flooding. E.g.
Phillipines
- Development of squatter
settlements in areas at risk of
landslides or flooding. E.g.
Phillipines
- Poverty and Politics
- Disasters have a greater impact on poorer
countries who have higher population
densities and less resources to reduce the
impact on vulnerable people. Corrupt
governments can also lead to misuse of
available aid and resources.
- Disasters have a greater impact on poorer
countries who have higher population
densities and less resources to reduce the
impact on vulnerable people. Corrupt
governments can also lead to misuse of
available aid and resources.
- Rapid population growth
- Trends in human costs of disasters
- Number of people affected
- Reported deaths
- Economic losses
- Some losses due to poverty and the lack of
funding necessary for prevention of secondary
hazards, for example, Dominican Republic
(Hurricane Jeanne, 2004)
- Some losses due to poor infrastructure as a result
of political instability for example, Haiti (Hurricane
Jeanne, 2004)
- Minimal losses in countries who have invested in hazard
warning systems and related technologies to encourage
awareness and therefore minimise damage to property or
humans. For example, only 4 people died during Hurricane
Charley and Ivan in Cuba, 2004.
- Number of people affected
- Human factors in disasters
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