Natural Disasters and Risk Management in Canada: An Introduction

Chapters cover hazards of all scales, including natural and technological, with case studies and practical examples. The distinction between natural and technological hazards is blurred, and a new concept of NATECH hazards is emerging. Early warning systems are used for episodic hazards, but they are still in various stages of development. Risk evaluation and reduction initiatives are key to building resilient communities and cities. The book is useful for practitioners, research scholars, and graduate students.

Format: Hardback
Length: 366 pages
Publication date: 10 April 2018
Publisher: Springer

These chapters offer invaluable and comprehensive insights into a diverse range of hazards, encompassing both scientific and societal dimensions of disasters. The work introduces the concept of large, medium, and small-scale hazards, along with numerous practical case studies and working examples that reinforce theoretical concepts. As readers will recognize, the distinction between natural and technological hazards is gradually blurring, giving rise to a new concept known as NATECH hazards. For permanent hazards such as tides, wind waves, coastal erosion, and climate change, routine predictions are made, whereas for evanescent hazards such as droughts, sea level rise, and coastal subsidence, the monitoring of various parameters is the norm. However, for episodic hazards like hurricanes, winter storms, tsunamis, and river floods, early warning systems are employed, with varying degrees of success. The book delves into the development stages of early warning systems for certain episodic hazards, such as tornadoes, landslides, forest fires, snow avalanches, and volcanic eruptions. By exploring these systems, readers gain a deeper understanding of disaster dynamics and acquire practical skills in quantifying disaster risk and vulnerability. The author elucidates how risk reduction initiatives, incorporating stakeholder participation and perception, can serve as a roadmap for building resilient communities and cities. This book is of immense value to practitioners of disaster management, research scholars, and graduate students alike. Its highly readable style and broad appeal make it accessible to a wide audience interested in the latest thinking on hazards and disasters, providing expert analysis and insights.

Weight: 772g
Dimension: 162 x 243 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789402412819
Edition number: 1st ed. 2018