American Hazardscapes


Book Description

Barrier islands. Flood plains. Earthquake faults. Sometimes the environment poses threats to our well being, yet many of us continue to choose to live in risky or dangerous places. And on top of the "knowns" are the other, more hidden hazards related to environmental contamination that pose equally serious threats to our health and well being. But where are these places and what types of hazards are found there? American Hazardscapes examines the risks associated with living and owning property in diverse regions across the United States, offering dual perspectives: that of the geographer and that of the social science hazards researcher. The book summarizes what we already know about regional patterns of hazard events and losses during the previous three decades and goes further to shed light on the nature of the events themselves and their impact on society. Written for the relocating citizen and the policy maker alike, American Hazardscapes presents a regional ecology of disaster-prone or disaster-resistant states. It also offers thoughts on what local, state, and federal managers need to do to meet the challenge of reducing hazard losses in the next century.




At Risk


Book Description

At Risk reasserts the significance of the human factor in disasters. Establishing that the social, political and economic environment is as much a cause of disasters as the natural environment, the book argues that disaster mitigation is rooted in the potential humans have to understand their vulnerability and to take common action. Famines and drought, biological hazards, floods, coastal storms, earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides: At Risk draws practical and policy conclusions with a view to disaster reduction and the promotion of a safer environment.




Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation


Book Description

Extreme weather and climate events, interacting with exposed and vulnerable human and natural systems, can lead to disasters. This Special Report explores the social as well as physical dimensions of weather- and climate-related disasters, considering opportunities for managing risks at local to international scales. SREX was approved and accepted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on 18 November 2011 in Kampala, Uganda.




A Directory of Impact Assessment Guidelines


Book Description




Design and Construction of Smart Cities


Book Description

This book focuses on how to maintain environmental sustainability as one of its main principles, and it addresses how smart cities serve to diminish wastes and maintain natural resources by having clean green energy that is operated by new smart technology designs. Living in a smart city is not something of the future anymore, it is here, and it is being implemented all over the world. A smart city uses different types of electronic Internet of things (IoT) sensors to collect data and then use these data to manage assets and resources efficiently. The smart city concept integrates information and communication technology (ICT), and various physical devices connected to the IoT network to optimize the efficiency of city operations and services and achieve sustainable solutions to allow us to grow with proper management of our resources. Smart sustainable structures and infrastructures face the need of urban areas due to the growth of populations while in the same time save our environment. To achieve this, we need to revisit the conventional methods in design and construction and the conventional materials which are used now to optimize the design and provide smart solutions. In the past few years, the consumption of resources has been massive, and the waste produced from that consumption has been inconceivable. This is causing environmental degradation, which produces many environmental challenges, such as global climate change, excessive fossil fuel dependency and the growing demand for energy. As well as, discussing the challenges facing the civil engineering design and construction of smart cities components and presenting concepts and insight from experts and researchers from different civil engineering disciplines., this book explains how to construct buildings and special structures and how to manage and monitor energy.




Policy Issues in Insurance Catastrophic Risks and Insurance


Book Description

These conference proceedings present academic analysis, country reports, and financial/insurance company assessments on how to handle losses caused by large-scale catastrophes including terrorism and atmospheric perils.




Hazards Vulnerability and Environmental Justice


Book Description

From Hurricane Katrina and the south Asian tsunami to human-induced atrocities, terrorist attacks and the looming effects of climate change, the world is assailed by both natural and unnatural hazards and disasters. These expose not only human vulnerability - particularly that of the poorest, who are least able to respond and adapt - but also the profound worldwide environmental injustices that result from the geographical distribution of risks, hazards and disasters. This collection of essays, from one of the most renowned and experienced experts, provides a timely assessment of these critical themes. Presenting the top selections from Susan L. Cutter's thirty years of scholarship on hazards, vulnerability and environmental justice, the volume tackles issues such as nuclear and toxic hazards, risk assessment, communication and planning, and societal responses. Cutter maps out the terrain and draws out the salient themes with a fresh, powerful introduction written in the wake of her work in the aftermath of Katrina. This essential collection is ideal for professionals, researchers, academics and students working on hazards, risk, disasters and environmental justice across a range of disciplines.