Invited perspectives: Challenges and step changes for natural hazards – perspectives from the German Committee for Disaster Reduction (DKKV)

A need exists to improve the effectiveness of the network of communities, organizations, and agencies that are concerned with reducing the negative impact of natural hazards in the USA. The issue is to find ways to integrate community need assessment, research and development, education and training, policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation to improve practices that reduce vulnerability at the community, regional, and national levels. To this end, we propose to create a disaster reduction network that supports a cycle of development and application activities relating to natural hazards mitigation standards, diffusion of loss reduction practice, and consensus building in communities and in technical and professional associations. The expected benefit is a more efficient use of resources and a sustained and effective national infrastructure.

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Authors, geographies and the content of papers published in Geoenvironmental Disasters (2014–2018)

Geoenvironmental Disasters ◽

10.1186/s40677-019-0136-6 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Adam Emmer ◽

Vít Vilímek ◽

Fawu Wang ◽

Zili Dai

Keyword(s):

Open Access ◽

Natural Disasters ◽

International Cooperation ◽

Natural Hazards ◽

Open Access Journal ◽

Future Perspectives ◽

Disaster Reduction ◽

Research Topics ◽

Cooperation Network ◽

The Impact

AbstractGeoenvironmental Disasters - an open access journal of the International Consortium on Geo-disaster Reduction (ICGdR) - is being published since 2014. This contribution aims at characterising 115 papers published in the first five volumes of the journal (2014–2018) and outlining some future perspectives. It is shown what research topics (types of natural hazards and disasters) are a subject of published papers, what methods are employed to investigate them and what is the geographical focus. Further, it is shown who publishes research results in Geoenvironmental Disasters, international cooperation network and the impact of published papers. Based on these findings, we conclude that Geoenvironmental Disasters became established journal for disseminating results of research on diverse typers of natural disasters in various geographical environments accross the globe, and we opine that further advancement of the journal might be achieved by onward indexing efforts.

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EXPLORING THE EFFECT OF NOS/NOT LEARNING AND DISPOSITIONS ON UNDERTAKING BEHAVIOURAL ACTIONS IN THE CASE OF NATURAL HAZARDS

Journal of Baltic Science Education ◽

10.33225/jbse/19.18.519 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 519-536

Author(s):

David A. Cerulli ◽

Jack B. Holbrook

Keyword(s):

Natural Disaster ◽

Natural Hazards ◽

Nature Of Science ◽

Natural Hazard ◽

Disaster Reduction ◽

Lightning Strikes ◽

Nature Of Technology ◽

Test Instrument ◽

Instrument Measuring ◽

Student Values

This research seeks to evaluate students’ intended behavioural actions in the event of a natural hazard, specifically hurricane, lightning, earthquake, or tsunami. A test instrument, measuring behavioural actions in the event of a natural hazard, and related NOS/NOT beliefs and dispositions, is utilized to collect data in Estonia, USA and Japan (N=2323). Results suggest that students responded adequately to tsunamis and lightning strikes, but to a lesser extent for hurricanes and earthquakes. Results also suggest a connection between dispositions and behavioural actions, but a lack of connection between generalised. NOS/NOT conceptualisations and behavioural actions. Results imply that students find it difficult to apply their learning to new situations requiring responsible behavioural actions. Implications indicate that NOS/NOT are not well understood, while responsible behavioural actions need to more heavily stressed in teaching about natural hazards involving the promotion of student values and attitudes with respect to Natural Disaster Reduction (NDR). Keywords: behavioural action, Natural Disaster Reduction (NDR), dispositions, Natural Hazards (NH), Nature of Science (NOS), Nature of Technology (NOT).

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Natural Hazards Governance in Cuba

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Natural Hazard Science ◽

10.1093/acrefore/9780199389407.013.238 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Enrique A. Castellanos Abella ◽

Benjamin Wisner

Keyword(s):

Risk Reduction ◽

Natural Hazards ◽

Disaster Risk Reduction ◽

Natural Hazard ◽

Early Warning Systems ◽

Disaster Risk ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Risk Governance ◽

Disaster Reduction ◽

Local Risk

Natural hazard governance in Cuba elicits widely differing commentaries. While some experts praise it as an extension of state commitment to social welfare, others debate the ethics, necessity, and utility of forced evacuation. However, many disaster experts are unaware of the long-term development of disaster reduction in the country—how Cuban risk governance has evolved in a unique geopolitical and social environment. Mass mobilization to prepare for military invasion and prior response to hurricane disaster provided the foundation for Cuba’s contemporary focus on disaster risk reduction. A pragmatic analysis of the development of natural hazard governance in Cuba and its components reveals key factors for its success in protecting lives. Deployment of local risk management centers, nationwide multi-hazard risk assessment, and early warning systems are recognized as important factors for the effectiveness of disaster reduction in the country. The number of scientific organizations collecting data and carrying out research is also a factor in the reduction of disaster impact and increases the level of resiliency. Over time, an increasing number of organizations and population groups have become involved in risk governance. Risk communication is used as a tool for keeping popular risk perception at an effective level, and for encouraging effective self-protection during hazard events. The continuous development and improvement of a multilateral framework for natural hazards governance is also among the important components of disaster risk reduction in Cuba. However, the economic crisis that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union and the long-lasting U.S. government blockade have been constraints on economic development and disaster risk reduction. These geopolitical and macroeconomic realities must be recognized as the main causes of the large economic losses and slow recovery after a natural hazard impact. Nevertheless, disaster recovery is carried out at the highest level of management with the goal of reducing vulnerability as much as possible to avoid future losses. Despite economic losses due to natural disasters, Cuban governance of natural hazards is evaluated as a success by most organizations and experts worldwide.

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