The Atlas of Natural Disasters


Book Description

Shows how natural disasters occur and how they shape life on earth.




World Atlas of Natural Disaster Risk


Book Description

This is the first English-language atlas to systematically introduce the environment, hazard, vulnerability and risk mapping for 11 natural disasters, i.e. earthquake, volcano, landslide, flood, storm surge, sand-dust storm, tropical cyclone, heat wave, cold wave, drought and wildfire, and risk mapping for multi-hazard disaster in the world. The above 11 hazards are assessed and mapped at grid unit, comparable-geographic unit and national unit, and the multi-hazard is assessed and mapped at grid unit and national unit. The expected annual mortality and/or affected population risks and expected annual economic loss and/or affected property risk of 11 hazards and multi-hazard of the world at national level are unprecedentedly derived and ranked. The atlas can be a good reference for researchers and students in the field of natural disaster risk management and risk governance, and enterpriser and risk manager as well to understand the global natural disaster risk. Prof. Peijun Shi works at Beijing Normal University, China; Prof. Roger Kasperson works at Clark University, USA.




Natural Hazards Atlas of Jamaica


Book Description

The authors have creatively and persuasively designed an atlas of Jamaica focusing on the four principal natural hazards of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and landslides in order to increase government and public awareness of hazards in the context of the island?s developmental and environmental problems.The work is divided into three sections in which the authors consider the physical geography of Jamaica; detail the common hazards that commonly affect Jamaica, and provide maps of each Jamaican parish indicating models of each hazard at a local scale.?The atlas is accessible to decision makers in central and local government, students and teachers in both secondary and tertiary institutions, and local communities. The academic challenge of putting the atlas together has been executed with painstaking detail and with considerable technical expertise and flair. The authors are to be congratulated on successfully negotiating the huge task of compiling detailed geo-coded information on natural hazards from both historical and contemporary sources and spatially correlating this information with salient features of Jamaica?s human and physical geography and geology. The result is an engaging collection of maps which offer fascinating insights into the multiple hazards that impact Jamaica.??David Barker, Head, Department of Geography and Geology, University of the West Indies, Jamaica Co-published with the Mona Geoinformatics Institute, University of the West Indies, Jamaica.




Atlas of Natural Disasters in China


Book Description

Systematically expresses the temporal and spatial patterns of natural disasters, the hazard-formative environment, hazard-affected bodies and hazard-formative factors.




The Atlas of Climate Change


Book Description

This highly acclaimed atlas distills the vast science of climate change, providing a reliable and insightful guide to this rapidly growing field. Since the 2006 publication of the first edition, climate change has climbed even higher up the global agenda. This new edition reflects the latest developments in research and the impact of climate change, and in current efforts to mitigate and adapt to changes in the world’s weather. The atlas covers a wide range of topics, including warning signs, vulnerable populations, health impacts, renewable energy, emissions reduction, personal and public action. The third edition includes new or additional coverage of a number of topics, including agreements reached in Copenhagen and Cancun, ocean warming and increased acidity, the economic impact of climate change, and advantages gained by communities and business from adapting to climate change. The extensive maps and graphics have been updated with new data, making this edition once again an essential resource for everyone concerned with this pressing subject.




Natural Hazards


Book Description

Natural Hazards: Earth Processes as Hazards, Disasters and Catastrophes, Fourth Edition, is an introductory-level survey intended for university and college courses that are concerned with earth processes that have direct, and often sudden and violent, impacts on human society. The text integrates principles of geology, hydrology, meteorology, climatology, oceanography, soil science, ecology and solar system astronomy. The book is designed for a course in natural hazards for non-science majors, and a primary goal of the text is to assist instructors in guiding students who may have little background in science to understand physical earth processes as natural hazards and their consequences to society. Natural Hazards uses historical to recent examples of hazards and disasters to explore how and why they happen and what we can do to limit their effects. The text's up-to-date coverage of recent disasters brings a fresh perspective to the material. The Fourth Edition continues our new active learning approach that includes reinforcement of learning objective with a fully updated visual program and pedagogical tools that highlight fundamental concepts of the text. This program will provide an interactive and engaging learning experience for your students. Here's how: Provide a balanced approach to the study of natural hazards: Focus on the basic earth science of hazards as well as roles of human processes and effects on our planet in a broader, more balanced approach to the study of natural hazards. Enhance understanding and comprehension of natural hazards: Newly revised stories and case studies give students a behind the scenes glimpse into how hazards are evaluated from a scientific and human perspective; the stories of real people who survive natural hazards, and the lives and research of professionals who have contributed significantly to the research of hazardous events. Strong pedagogical tools reinforce the text's core features: Chapter structure and design organizes the material into three major sections to help students learn, digest, and review learning objectives.




The Atlas of World Hunger


Book Description

Earlier this year, President Obama declared one of his top priorities to be “making sure that people are able to get enough to eat.” The United States spends about five billion dollars on food aid and related programs each year, but still, both domestically and internationally, millions of people are hungry. In 2006, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations counted 850 million hungry people worldwide, but as food prices soared, an additional 100 million or more who were vulnerable succumbed to food insecurity. If hunger were simply a matter of food production, no one would go without. There is more than enough food produced annually to provide every living person with a healthy diet, yet so many suffer from food shortages, unsafe water, and malnutrition every year. That’s because hunger is a complex political, economic, and ecological phenomenon. The interplay of these forces produces a geography of hunger that Thomas J. Bassett and Alex Winter-Nelson illuminate in this empowering book. The Atlas of World Hunger uses a conceptual framework informed by geography and agricultural economics to present a hunger index that combines food availability, household access, and nutritional outcomes into a single tool—one that delivers a fuller understanding of the scope of global hunger, its underlying mechanisms, and the ways in which the goals for ending hunger can be achieved. The first depiction of the geography of hunger worldwide, the Atlas will be an important resource for teachers, students, and anyone else interested in understanding the geography and causes of hunger. This knowledge, the authors argue, is a critical first step toward eliminating unnecessary suffering in a world of plenty.




Natural Disasters and Sustainable Development


Book Description

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 several 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, 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.




Around the World


Book Description

Looking through an atlas has always been a fascinating way to explore the world. Around the World is a contemporary evolution of an atlas tailored to our information age. With eye-catching graphics, current topics, and clear texts, the book is for anyone who is curious about the state of our planet and how we live today. Alongside classic facts about nature, history, population, culture, and politics, Around the World's compelling information graphics thoroughly explain complex processes that impact our lives such as global trade and changing demographics. The book gives added insight into our modern world through its visual exploration of subjects such as eating habits, overfishing, and internet providers, as well as events that have left indelible marks on our collective conscience including September 11, the Olympic Games, Japan's Fukushima disaster, and the sinking of the Titanic. Enthralling, attractive, and revealing, Around the World is a rich cornucopia of information about local peculiarities of global relevance that bring home the little differences--as well as the astoundingly large similarities--among the citizens of our world.




Natural Disasters


Book Description

When natural disasters happen they grab headlines around the world. People, creatures, and the environment are all impacted when nature gets out of control. Natural disasters can be upsetting to live through, but scientists today better understand their causes and how we can protect ourselves and others. Natural Disasters: Investigate Earth’s Most Destructive Forces with 25 Projects teaches readers about some of the natural disasters throughout history, what caused them, their impact on civilizations, and how people today cope with natural disasters. Readers of this book will make their own shake tables, create a cake batter lava flow, invent a wind tunnel, and experiment with avalanches. These hands-on activities engage readers and add depth to the text while ensuring that the learning is made lasting and fun.