Distributional Impacts of Climate Change and Disasters: Concepts and Cases (New Horizons in Environmental Economics series) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1848440375 ISBN 13: 9781848440371

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2009

Synopsis

Climate change tends to increase the frequency and intensity of weather-related disasters, which puts many people at risk. Economic, social and environmental impacts further increase vulnerability to natural disasters and tend to set back development, destroy livelihoods and increase disparity nationally and worldwide. This book addresses the differential vulnerability of people and places, introducing concepts and methods for analysis and illustrating the impact on local, regional, national, and global scales.

The chapters in the first section set the stage by focusing on the relationship between climate change and disasters and by broadly exploring their economic and social aftermaths. Further chapters explore particular impacts of climate change, including the social, political and even military conflicts that may arise over scarce natural resources, as well as the effects on biodiversity and thus the natural environment. Chapters in the last section discuss responses to climate change in terms of information sharing and preparedness, adaptation and mitigation - particularly the relevance of improving the role of markets, through investment and insurance, to face these challenges.

Researchers and policymakers involved in the study of climate change and disaster prevention will find this comprehensive volume of great interest.

About this title

About the Author:

Edited by Matthias Ruth, Roy F. Weston Chair in Natural Economics, University of Maryland, US, Director, Center for Integrative Environmental Research, and Co-Director, Engineering and Public Policy Program. He is also Visiting Member of the Faculty, Center for Sustainability, Universität Bremen, Germany and María E. Ibarrarán, Professor of Economics, Department of Economics and Business, Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla, Mexico

Review:

`The papers produced in this book make a good start at examining this complex topic.' -- Natural Hazards Observer `Readers who want more than just the results will find themselves perusing the copious references lists for each section. The interdisciplinary nature of these essays makes this volume highly accessible and worthwhile for economics as well as environmental studies courses.' -- B.J. Peterson, Choice

About this edition

• Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1848440375
• ISBN 13: 9781848440371
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 232
• Editor: Ruth Matthias, Ibarrarán María E.