CCST9304

Living in a Hazardous
World
Lecture 2 - Dangerous Space/Planet
Contact details for Dr Peart:
Room C1033, Jockey Club Tower,
Centennial Campus, HKU

CCST9034 1 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Learning Outcomes / Introduction
• Describe and explain the origins, occurrence
and characteristics of various hazards
• Compare and contrast the impacts on society of
various hazards for different regions of the world
• Describe and evaluate the various measures
that can be used to reduce the impact of
environmental hazards, including the role of
science and technology
• Demonstrate an awareness of information
sources regarding hazards
• Demonstrate critical understanding of the
contrasting vulnerability of different societies to
specific hazards
CCST9034 2 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 The Importance of disaster
management
• Disaster
management is
considered as
high or highest
priority for a
majority of
countries.
• All HDI groups
consider it has
increased in
significance. UNEP, 2012
CCST9034 3 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Traditional viewpoint: we
are at the mercy of nature

versus

Alexander, 2000
CCST9034 4 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Hazard, disaster, catastrophy?
• Hazardous (event); localised in impact and
small impact on people, property &
environment
• The term disaster is used when significant
property damage, injury, loss of life occurs
requiring a large expenditure of money and a
long time for recovery. Catastrophy is another
term used.
• For disaster/catastrophy “life is not normal”

CCST9034 5 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability

People
Property
Environment

CCST9034 6 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 NATURAL SYSTEM HUMAN SYSTEM

Atmosphere Social

Biosphere Economical Political

Lithosphere Cultural

NATURAL HAZARDS SOCIETIES

NATURAL VULNERABILITY HUMAN VULNERABILITY

RISK

CCST9034 7 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Vulnerability
• Vulnerability: can be defined as the
conditions determined by physical, social,
economic, and environmental factors or
processes, which increase the susceptibility
of a community to the impact of a hazard.

Human Vulnerability: a
number of factors influence

including location

CCST9034 8 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Risk
• The coping capacity of society influences the
extent and severity of damages received.

Temporary flood barriers, Bewdley, UK

(Hazard) X (Vulnerability)
Risk =
(Coping Capacity)
CCST9034 9 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Some Definitions
• Coping capacity is the manner in which
people and organisations use available
resources and abilities, to limit losses during
a disaster event.

CCST9034 10 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Global distribution: location & exposure
to hazard

CCST9034 11 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Global Distribution – Drought Risk,
location

Source: World Bank (2005): Natural Disaster Hotspots: A Global Risk Analysis

CCST9034 12 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Location: individual event
• 2004 - Hurricane Katrina.

CCST9034 13 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Geography of Hazards: summary
• This report confirms that poorer countries
have disproportionately higher mortality and
economic loss risks, given similar levels of
hazard exposure

CCST9034 14 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Fatalities

UN, 2005

CCST9034 15 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Economic risk / impact

CRED, 2015

CCST9034 16 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Classification of hazards
TRADITIONAL
• Hydrometeorologic
• Geologic
• Biologic
NEW
• Technologic

• Natural vs manmade

CCST9034 17 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Smith & Petley, 2009

CCST9034 18 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Voluntary vs. involuntary risk
Voluntary risk is associated with
activities/actions in which individuals participate
by choice, where they use their own value
system and experience to determine if the risk of
a voluntary activity/action is acceptable to them
(e.g. driving a car; smoking, alcohol)

Involuntary risks are associated with activities,

conditions or events to which individuals might be
exposed without their consent. e.g. natural
hazards and some tech. hazards.
CCST9034 19 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Living with Hazards
• Communities have 3 basic strategies:
A. Control/modify the event (protect / prevent)
# Engineering based; large or small scale

B. Adapt or adjust the hazard

# Social sciences and focused on
vulnerability, human behaviour

C. Help to recover from the hazard (mitigation)

e.g. Insurance and aid

CCST9034 20 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Course lecture schedule

CCST9034 21 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Assessment:
Hazards diary: some notes
• Use only the South China Morning Post (SCMP)
• No need to include clippings: in your 1 page summary give
date and page number in SCMP
• Summary 1 page maximum!!!!! Will often be much less.
• Intensity/ Magnitude…..tropical cyclone, earthquake,
flood……BUT may not be reported for most events
• Spatial aspect: Local vs. Regional vs. National OR local
vs. dispersed / diffuse
• Damage: you will only get a lot of information for disaster.
People, property, services, environment affected.
• Use the classification of hazards proposed in lecture.
Exclude terrorism, riots, protests etc.
• Map: hand drawn OK and either A4 or A3 BUT
aesthetically pleasing!!
• Read grade descriptor
• See my examples of summary on Moodle
CCST9034 22 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Hazards diary

(2013)

CCST9034 23 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Tutorials
• See moodle for instructions on how to sign
up / select your tutorial group choices
• Signing up begins at Thursday morning
(00.01 hours)
• We ask you to make 4 prioritised choices
• Signing up closes on Wednesday 21st
Sept. at 1700 hours.
• We will post the tutorial groups on moodle.
• First tutorials begin in the week beginning
Monday September 26th.
CCST9034 24 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
To continue our
introduction.

• Forms of damage:
– loss of life, injury and impairment of persons;
– destruction of property, goods, resources and
heritage;
– disruption of activities, and denial of supplies
and services;
– environmental damage….fauna, flora, pollution,
contamination etc.
CCST9034 25 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Winter storm
E. coast USA, Jan. 2016 Services

CCST9034 26 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Environment damage

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill,

Gulf of Mexico in 2010. NRDC, 2015

CCST9034 27 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Hazards to
human life
are rated more
highly
(important)
than damage
to goods
or
environment!!!!!
Smith & Petley, 2009

CCST9034 28 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Hazards: Primary and Secondary
• Not all losses come from the immediate impact of a given danger (Primary
hazard)
• Damage may be started by, say, an earthquake but other damages can
follow on in secondary processes/hazards.
• Both primary & secondary hazards impact people, property & environment.

CCST9034 29 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Secondary hazards
from earthquakes

Fire, Kobe, 1995

Sichuan, 2008, landslide
dammed lake

Tsunami, Japan, 2011

CCST9034 30 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Hazard impact
• Direct vs. secondary or indirect
• direct = consequent upon physical exposure to
hazard itself

direct

• indirect are consequent upon disruption of

economic/social activities, or, on-set of ill health
among disaster victims

Smith,1992 & Alexander 2000

CCST9034 31 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Indirect impact: loss of income
Sichuan, 2008 earthquake

CCST9034 Dalen et al., 2012 32 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Hazard Impact ctd.: contrast
• Slow impact vs. sudden impact
e.g. earthquake vs. drought Alexander,
1992, 2000
• Long duration vs. short duration
(time)
• Spatially extensive vs. localized
(space)

• High consequences vs. low

consequences
• High probability vs. low
probability
Related to magnitude frequency
CCST9034 33 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Is the World Becoming a More
Dangerous Place?

Keller & DeVecchio, 2012

CCST9034 34 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Source: Thirty years of natural disasters 1974-2003: the numbers.
http://www.em-dat.net/documents/Publication/publication_2004_emdat.pdf
CCST9034 35 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Long term trends; 1900-2011

CCST9034 36 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Source: Thirty years of natural disasters 1974-2003: the numbers.
http://www.em-dat.net/documents/Publication/publication_2004_emdat.pdf

CCST9034 37 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Number of disasters substantially
higher at the end of the period
than at the start.
Increase due to more climate
related disasters , figure 3.

Number of people affected declined

but deaths increased

3 megadisasters

Trends in the last

20 years.
CCST9034 38 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Long–term trend: deaths

Source: Max Roser (2016) Natural Catastrophes

CCST9034 39 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Chernobyl

CCST9034 40 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Is the world becoming a more
hazardous place?

CCST9034 41 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 BIOLOGIC

CCST9034 42 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Biological hazards
Chitwan National Park

CCST9034 43 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

CCST9034 44 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 WHO,
WHO:World
WorldMalaria
MalariaReport,
Report,2011
2011

CCST9034 45 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Wang et al 2008

Infectious diseases: China

CCST9034 46 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Control of Infectious Diseases: China
• Improvement of water supply & sanitation
• Improvement of safety of blood collection
• Control of population of mice, flies, mosquitoes, insects &
other vectors
• Change in Legal Code for Infectious diseases
• Increased funding to control infectious disease
• Adoption of innovative technologies e.g. internet for reporting
outbreaks
• Use of pilot or demonstration projects to develop national
disease control policies
• International collaboration
• Local governments responsible for meeting disease control
targets Wang et al (2008)
CCST9034 47 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 New Problems/hazards

CCST9034 48 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 1890
Influenza Pandemics
Antigenic shift

CCST9034 49 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Influenza Pandemics
influenza A viruses: antigenic shift

CCST9034 50 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Has the type of risk changed over time?

CCST9034 WHO, 2009 51 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Is the World Becoming a More
Dangerous Place?
• Why is the number of
disasters and their impact
growing?
– Population growth?
– Land pressure?
– Environmental
degradation ?
– Urbanisation?
– Inequality?
– Economic growth?
– Technology?
– Climate change?
Environmental
degradation

Landslide because of
deforestation in Thailand.

CCST9034 53 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Population
growth
Increased
exposure to
hazards:
With hazard held
constant
Tropical
Cyclones

Peduzzi et al. (2012)

CCST9034 54 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Principal Dimensions of Hazards
and Disaster
Seven dimensions of hazardous events
• Magnitude
• Frequency
• Duration
• Speed of onset
• Temporal spacing
• Areal extent
• Spatial dispersion
Condense to 3 major dimensions?
1) Magnitude; 2) Time; 3) Space
CCST9034 55 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Magnitude & Intensity
• Magnitude - the power or energy of a
physical event. For almost all natural
events some measurement of magnitude
exists

• Intensity - the strength of its

consequences (impact/damage) for
people and the environment.

CCST9034 56 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Measures of Magnitude

The magnitude of extreme events can be

viewed in terms:
1. the concentration of energy in
geophysical phenomena; and
2. the seriousness of their impact
(intensity) on human lives and also on the
built or natural environment.
For almost all natural events some
measurement of magnitude and / or intensity
exists
CCST9034 57 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Earthquakes
Earthquakes: Magnitude

CCST9034 58 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Bilham.www

CCST9034 59 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Tornadoes: classified by intensity

Fujita Intensity Scale.

Based on damage caused
CCST9034 60 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Magnitude - Frequency Principle

• There is generally an inverse relationship

between the magnitude of an event and its
frequency.
• i.e., the larger the event, the less frequent
such an event occurs.

• Tutorial 2

CCST9034 61 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Time
Principal aspects of time are:
• Frequency: how often an event of given
magnitude occurs. Link to magnitude

• Duration: length of time over which an event

persists.

• Speed of onset: length of time between first

appearance and the peak.

• Temporal spacing: pattern of distribution over

time……also seasonality

CCST9034 62 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Time: temporal spacing, seasonality

CCST9034 63 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Temporal spacing/interval between events

FLOODS
 Floods: Magnitude / Frequency

Frequent:
Low Rare:
magnitude High magnitude
 Time: duration
• Duration: the length of time a hazard occurs
• Short duration vs. long duration
• e.g. earthquakes (seconds/minutes) & flash
floods (hours) are short duration
• Tropical cyclones & floods; hours to days
• Droughts can be long duration e.g. years

• Contrast duration of causal event to that of it’s

impact
CCST9034 66 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 The Principal Dimensions
of Hazard and Disaster: Time, speed
of onset
• The significance of the speed of onset
dimension is chiefly in terms of emergency
preparations and of the physical capacity to
operate a warning system.
• Where a hazard event strikes rapidly (rapid onset),
usually little can be done……….flash flooding

• Where a longer time period elapses between onset

(slow onset) and peak, the range of possible responses
is correspondingly greater, including evacuation

CCST9034 67 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Flash Flooding

Speed of onset (hours)

 Speed of onset: drought

Because of slow onset a greater range of responses are possible?

CCST9034 69 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Principal Space
spatial aspects
are:
1. Areal extent:
the space covered
by the effects of an
event

Sichuan, 2008
earthquake
CCST9034 70 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Spatial Variation of
Impact/effects
Damage

Fatalities

Sichuan, 2008 earthquake

Source, USGS
CCST9034 71 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Area affected may be related to the
magnitude of the event

1:20

1:100

CCST9034 72 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Principal spatial aspects are:.
2) Spatial dispersion: pattern of distribution
over the space (where in the world?).
Why is this important?
 The Hazardousness of
Geographical Locations
• Geographical
inertia and the
economic
advantages of
specific locations
have led to a
continued
inhabitance of
past and potential
disaster zones. Fertile volcanic soil

CCST9034 74 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Inertia

CCST9034 75 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Economic Advantages of
Iceland Hazard Zones

Geothermal power

Iceland

CCST9034 76 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

The Hazardousness of
Geographical Locations

• The impact of hazards

has become more varied
as the complexity of
society has increased.
•
• To live in areas of the
world known to be
susceptible to disaster is
a luxury for the rich and
a constraint or
necessity for the poor.

CCST9034 77 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Hazardousness of location: a
luxury for the rich
Sydney, Australia: storm surge, June 2016

CCST9034 78 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 The Hazardousness of
Geographical Locations
• For many groups ( the
poor and disadvantaged)
there is a lack of
resources to allow them
to adjust to the hazard
or migrate to safer
areas.

• People may have

become very resilient,
being able to bear
losses (recover from) or
adapt to risk in
whatever manner is
necessary.
CCST9034 79 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Adapting: people adapt to hazards.
e.g., farmers in N.E. Thailand

Prapertchob et al 2007
CCST9034 80 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Adapting to drought
Coping with drought: NE Thailand
N.E. Thailand

CCST9034 81 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Prapertchob et al 2007
Adaptations:
behavioural adaptations to climate
change/ hydromet. hazards

NIGER
. store:
Millet

STORAGE
ETHIOPIA: goats

CCST9034 82 Lal Lecture

et al.2-(2014)
Dangerous space/planet
Migration

Illegal migrants , Tripoli

CCST9034 83 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Migration: an adaptation………but can you?

CCST9034 84 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Adaptations to urban flooding in African
cities.

Douglas et al (2008)
CCST9034 85 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Adaptations to flood

Bangladesh:
adaptations

CCST9034 86 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Why do people live in hazardous locations ?
• Lack of alternatives due to social, political, economic &
cultural factors
• Changing levels of risk: places once safe become
hazardous
Mt. Sinabung
• Cost / benefit trade-off

Farming near volcano, Indonesia

• Perception: many people believe hazards are natural

events that are part of process of liveing. “God’s will”
• Lack of information/knowledge
• Desire to take risks.
CCST9034 87 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Poor: often have to live in hazardous
locations

German Advisory
Council on
Climate Change,
2005.

CCST9034 88 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

The
Dangerous
Planet

CCST9034 89 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 The Dangerous Planet
Why is the planet we live on such a
dangerous place to live?

• To try to answer this question we have to

consider the nature of the planet itself and
the processes which operate on it, within it
and in the atmosphere.
• Important processes include those
governing movement of the earths crust,
the hydrologic cycle, climate and plant
growth
CCST9034 90 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 The Structure of the Earth
• Compared with some other planets within
our solar system the Earth is not particularly
large.

•
• Less than one third of the surface (29 %) is
occupied by land, the majority (71 %) is
covered with water. (The blue planet)
• This distribution is not constant through
time but varies in the long-term as a result
of tectonic activity and climate changes.
CCST9034 91 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
The Blue Planet
71% water covered
Earth’s Internal
Structure
• Inner core is extremely hot
and solid.

• Asthenosphere (upper mantle)

is composed of semi-solid, hot
magma with some flow.

• Lithosphere is a thin and

brittle crust.

• The crust is in motion: it moves!

Figure 1.7b
CCST9034 93 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 The Dynamic Planet
• At present, land and water are not distributed evenly
over the surface of the Earth - there is much more
land in the Northern Hemisphere while the Southern
Hemisphere is largely ocean.
• The location of the continents has changed over
geologic time; this gives a clue to important processes
shaping the earth.

CCST9034 94 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 The Dynamic Planet
• The crust (lithosphere) of the Earth is constantly
moving.

• We have no direct experience of this motion

because it is too slow for us to detect with our
natural senses.

• It is only when we are confronted with a sudden

or violent movement, as happens in an
earthquake or volcanic eruption, that our
attention is directed to the dynamic nature of the
earth.

CCST9034 95 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

The Dynamic Planet

About 200 million years ago

the continents formed one
land mass, Pangaea surrounded
by an ocean, Panthalassa.

The continents then split

into two land masses,
Gondwanaland and Laurasia,
separated by the Tethys Sea.

Current configuration of
the continents.

CCST9034 96 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 The Dynamic Planet
• From geological evidence we know that the
continents have moved over the surface of the
Earth through time. Keller & DeVecchio, 2012

CCST9034 97 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

The Dynamic Planet

• From geological evidence we know that the

continents have moved over the surface of the
Earth through time.

• In the early part of last century the pattern of

continents was explained by the term
continental drift.

• The final piece of the puzzle arrived with the

formulation of plate tectonic theory in the late
1960s which explains the dynamic processes of
the earth’s surface.
CCST9034 98 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Plate Tectonics

Hyndmann & Hyndmann

CCST9034 99 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Hyndmann & Hyndmann
 Plate Tectonics

• Large sections of crust, called plates, are

curved to fit the spherical shape of the
Earth.

• At least seven major plates are

recognized - North American, South
American, African, Eurasian, Indo-
Australian, Pacific and Antarctic plates.

• The plates move relative to one another.

CCST9034 101 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Figure 1.8 Keller & DeVecchio

CCST9034 102 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Plate Boundaries
• Dynamic events on the earth’s surface occur when
plates move. They can:
– Diverge, converge, or slide past each other

• Two types of lithosphere

– Oceanic crust - dark, dense
– Continental crust - light, buoyant

• Plates are not defined by oceans or continents, but

by where the breaks occur (their boundaries).

CCST9034 103 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Divergent Plate Boundaries
• Where plates move away from each other

• New lithosphere (crust) is created here

• Divergence between two ocean plates: Iceland

– Causes mid-ocean ridges
– Seafloor spreading
– E.g: Mid-Atlantic Ridge
– Volcanoes eg Iceland
– Earthquakes

CCST9034 104 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Mid Atlantic Ridge

Divergent boundary: earthquakes &

volcanic activity

CCST9034 105 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Convergent plate boundaries
Continent to continent boundary

OCEAN to OCEAN BOUNDARY

CCST9034 106 ocean to continent

Lecture boundary
2- Dangerous space/planet
 Convergent Plate Boundaries
• Convergent boundaries are where plates collide.
• Collisions with oceanic lithosphere results in
Subduction Zones:
– 2 types subduction zone: ocean to ocean & ocean to
continent.
– More dense ocean plate sinks and melts.
– Melted magma rises to form volcanoes.
– Ocean to ocean: Island arcs plus volcanoes e.g. Japan
– Ocean to Continent: mountains plus offshore trench e.g.
Andes Mtns of South America

• Collisions between two continental plates results in:

Continental Collision Boundary
– Neither plate subducts, instead the plates crunch together.
– Form large mountains such as Himalayas.
– No volcanoes
CCST9034 107 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Transform Boundary
• Plates slide past one
another: earthquakes
but no volcanoes
• Mostly occur in the
ocean

• Exception: San
Andreas Fault
– Separates the
Pacific from the
North American
plate
CCST9034 108 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Types of Plate Boundary

Shallow earthquakes
along ridge

CCST9034 109 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Why do Plates Move?
Keller &
DeVecchio,2012

CCST9034 110 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Geological Hazards
• The dangers associated with seismic and
volcanic activity are greatest at the plate
boundaries.

Asian
Tsunami
2004

CCST9034 111 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Spatial Distribution of Earthquakes

CCST9034 112 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

CCST9034 113 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Earthquakes and volcano spatial distribution show a strong association
with plate boundaries.

Keller & DeVecchio

Figure 1.8

CCST9034 114 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Plate tectonics and mountains
• Convergent plate boundaries where plates collide
are associated with mountains.
• At the global scale the landslide hazard is
associated with mountains.

CCST9034 115 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 The Atmosphere

• A thin layer of air which surrounds the Earth,

• An envelope of gases which enables conditions to

exist which support life as we know it. Life is
dependent upon the availability of energy and
nutrients.

• All life on Earth is ultimately dependent on energy

from the Sun and solar energy is the basic power
supply for all the planet's environmental systems
as it flows through them.
CCST9034 116 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
Sun provides energy
 The Atmosphere
• The amount of energy received from the Sun at different
locations on Earth is controlled by:
– day length,
– the angle of incidence of the solar beam and,
– the conditions within the atmosphere.

• Hence, energy receipt is not even

across the face of the planet - there
are well-defined spatial patterns.

• The surface is warmed by the

absorption of solar energy which is
greater at lower latitudes (equator)
than at higher latitudes (the poles).

CCST9034 118 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 The Atmosphere

Latitude as a control upon energy receipt

CCST9034 119 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Atmospheric Circulation System

Climate &
Weather

Driven by uneven
latitudinal energy receipt
CCST9034 120 AND
Lecturea rotatingspace/planet
2- Dangerous earth
 The Oceans
“Capacity to store heat moderates climate of the Earth System” NASA

Oceans are important to the

hydrologic cycle.

CCST9034 121 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

Atmospheric / Meteorologic
Hazards
• Result from the operation of the Earth’s climate
system.

• They include:
– tropical cyclones (hurricanes, typhoons),
– thunderstorms,
– tornadoes,
– hail,
– snowstorms and cold spells,
– heatwaves,
– fog

CCST9034 122 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

CCST9034 123 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 IPCC projection

Ocean currents

CCST9034 124 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Predicting climate change
BGS

CCST9034 125 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Climate change
rising

falling
CCST9034 126 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 El Nino

Teleconnections
and climate
variability
CCST9034 127 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
CCST9034 128 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Hydrologic, or water, Cycle
• Solar energy drives movement of water between
atmosphere and oceans and continents.

Please note
that much of the
precipitation on
land comes from
water derived
from evaporation
over the oceans

CCST9034 129 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 Water vapour in the atmosphere
The evaporation of water
from the oceans and land
and its condensation in
the atmosphere is
important in heat transfer
and the earths’ climate. It
is part of the hydrologic
cycle.

This atmospheric moisture

forms precipitation.

Global humidity, April 27, 1995.

CCST9034 130 Indiana.edu Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet
 Hydrological Hazards
• Hydrological- floods, drought.
• Human impact upon hydrologic hazards
• May also reflect climate/weather

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 Hydrologic Cycle: Human Impact

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Environment Canada
 The Biosphere
That part of the earth where life is possible.
Supports life: people, food etc.
ultimately all life on earth depends on
green plants.

Important for oxygen: plants use

CO2 to grow and give off oxygen
(photosynthesis).

Sunlight + water +CO2 drives photosynthesis,

which gives glucose, water and oxygen.
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 Change in Biosphere

Brazil:
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 Environmental
Degradation &
People

Can impact
upon hazards!!

UN,2004
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 Interactions on planet earth
• The Earth's surface is also the major interface
between the lithosphere (crust) and the three
other major components of the environment, the
atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.

• The energy flows and processes which form the

components of these interconnected spheres give
rise to hydrological, atmospheric and biological
hazards.

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 The Dangerous Planet

CCST9034 140 Lecture 2- Dangerous space/planet

 People

Miller & Spoolman, 2012

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 People

Miller & Spoolman (2012), Living in the environment

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 Population
Growth
Increased exposure
to hazards

Tropical Cyclones

Peduzzi et al. (2012)

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 Fatalities & Population
Large earthquakes!!!

P P

P P

Bilham,2009

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 Urban areas: Asia

ESCAP,
2012

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 Urbanisation & Risk

• The relationship between urbanisation

and disaster risk are extremely complex
and context specific
• Urbanisation does not necessarily have
to lead to increasing disaster risk and can
if managed properly contribute to reducing
it.

UNDP 2004 Reducing Disaster Risk

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 Why Urbanisation Increases Risk ?
• Historically developed in hazardous
locations…political & economic reasons
• Leads to a concentration of population….if
site/location is hazardous!!!!
• Leads to a concentration of population….if basic
infrastructure e.g. water supply/sewage cannot keep
pace!!!
Haiti:
70% urban
Vesuvius
population
no access to
improved
sanitation

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 Why Cities Grow in areas
Exposed to Major Hazards

• Economic or political reasons outweigh

risk
• City has outgrown original site
• Once a city develops, it rarely disappears
• The wealthier groups and most formal
enterprises do not face serious risk
United Nations, 2009

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 Trends in Population

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The move
to the coast

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 Coastal Cities: Asia

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Population of Port Cities
 Coastal Hazards

Peduzzi et al. 2012

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 Coastal hazards
Walker & McGraw, 2010

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 Population
Growth
Increased exposure
to hazards

Tropical Cyclones

Peduzzi et al. (2012)

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 Percentage of Population Living
on Less than 2US$ / day

POVERTY
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Multidimensional Poverty Index

Excludes very high

HDI countries

Source: UNDP (2011) Human Development Report

Global
scale

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 Disaster and Poverty
at Local Level

• Disaster impacts have both long and short

term poverty outcomes, including reduction
in income and consumption, increases in
poverty and inequality and decrease in
human development and welfare.
• Inadequately targeted and untimely relief and
assistance, and a lack of access to insurance
and social protection are all underlying
drivers of the translation of disaster impacts
into poverty outcomes
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 Hazards and Poverty: Global
• This report confirms that poorer countries
have disproportionately higher mortality and
economic loss risks, given similar levels of
hazard exposure

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 Next Week

• Geologic
hazards

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