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Within the past five years, the international community has recognized that it may be possible, through programs of systematic study, to devise means to reduce and mitigate the occurrence of a variety of devastating natural hazards. Among these disasters are earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, and landslides. The importance of these studies is underscored by the fact that within fifty years, more than a third of the world’s population will live in seismically and volcanically active zones. The International Council of Scientific Unions, together with UNESCO and the World Bank, have therefore endorsed the 1990s as the International Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR), and are planning a variety of programs to address problems related to the predictability and mitigation of these disasters, particularly in third-world countries. Parallel programs have begun in a number of U.S. agencies.
This volume investigates the scientific feasibility of predicting and mitigating natural disasters through systematic study and international cooperation. The authors, including prominent geophysicists and researchers associated with the Santa Fe Institute, synthesize data regarding seismic and volcanic activity to propose a framework for disaster reduction. By examining the intersection of geophysical modeling and public policy, the text argues that structured scientific intervention can significantly lower the human and economic impact of hazards such as earthquakes, floods, and landslides.
What You Will Find
Experts recognize this work as a foundational text that bridges the gap between theoretical geophysics and practical disaster management policy. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a technical resource for researchers and policymakers involved in global hazard mitigation programs.
Page Count:
320
Publication Date:
1996-01-01
Publisher:
Routledge
ISBN-10:
0201870495
ISBN-13:
9780201870497
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