Measuring Vulnerability to Natural Hazards: Towards Disaster Resilient Societies

Jorn Birkmann

ISBN 10: 9280811355 / ISBN 13: 9789280811353

Published by United Nations University Press, 2006

About this Item

Type: Book 1st printing. Prior owner name to flyleaf. Shows very slight use. Internally as new. Seller Inventory # 032512

Bibliographic Details

Title: Measuring Vulnerability to Natural Hazards: ...

Publisher: United Nations University Press

Publication Date: 2006

Binding: Soft cover

Condition: Fine

Dust Jacket Condition: No Dust Jacket

Edition: 1st Edition.

About this title

Synopsis:

A seemingly nonstop series of disasters has shown that societies worldwide seem unprepared for the threats posed by natural hazards. They include Hurricane Katrina, drought in Africa, flooding in China and Germany, earthquakes in Pakistan and India, a tsunami in Southeast Asia, and forest fires in Portugal, Australia, and North America. The tragic impacts of these events drew short-term attention from policymakers, the media, and the general public, but their response was too late to prevent serious harm. Societies need to measure their vulnerabilities in advance, and make adequate provisions. To do so, they have to understand the complex relationships between natural hazards and the related social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities. Recognizing and measuring vulnerabilities is the first and perhaps most important step towards disaster-resilient societies. Measuring Vulnerability to Natural Hazards presents a broad range of current approaches to measuring vulnerability and contains concrete experiences and examples from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe to illustrate the theoretical analyses. This is a unique compilation of state-of-the-art vulnerability assessment. It is a critical review that provides important conclusions for future research towards more disaster resilient communities.

About the Author:

Jörn Birkmann is an academic officer at the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security and chair of the International Expert Working Group on Measuring Vulnerability.