Unraveling Environmental Disasters PDF Download

Author: Daniel A. Vallero
Publisher: Newnes
ISBN: 0123970261
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 513

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Book Description
Unraveling Environmental Disasters covers the major environmental threats facing our world, focusing on rigorous scientific investigations to better understand why the disasters occurred. Two prominent scientists, physical chemist Trevor Letcher and environmental engineer Daniel Vallero, look at natural and human-induced disasters to analyze ways that they could have been prevented and offer predictions on possible future disasters based upon scientific evidence. This book: Considers the societal impact on environmental disasters Describes concisely why these disasters occurred, with understandable explanations of the underlying scientific principles Applies "failure analysis" to recent environmental catastrophes, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico Explains how to minimize the risk of potential disasters similar to those of the past

Author: Robert R. M. Verchick
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674047915
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 335

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Book Description
The author argues for a new perspective on disaster law that is based on the principles of environmental protection. His prescription boils down to three simple commands: Go green, be fair, and keep safe. He argues that government must assume a stronger regulatory role in managing natural infrastructure, distributional fairness, and public risk.--[book cover].

Author: Debarati Guha-Sapir
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199841934
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 341

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Book Description
This work combines research and empirical evidence on the economic costs of disasters with theoretical approaches. It provides new insights on how to assess and manage the costs and impacts of disaster prevention, mitigation, recovery and adaption, and much more.

Author: Bas van Bavel
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108752381
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 243

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Book Description
Disasters and History offers the first comprehensive historical overview of hazards and disasters. Drawing on a range of case studies, including the Black Death, the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 and the Fukushima disaster, the authors examine how societies dealt with shocks and hazards and their potentially disastrous outcomes. They reveal the ways in which the consequences and outcomes of these disasters varied widely not only between societies but also within the same societies according to social groups, ethnicity and gender. They also demonstrate how studying past disasters, including earthquakes, droughts, floods and epidemics, can provide a lens through which to understand the social, economic and political functioning of past societies and reveal features of a society which may otherwise remain hidden from view. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

Author: Daniel A. Vallero
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0443186529
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 722

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Book Description
Unraveling Environmental Disasters, Second Edition provides scientific explanations of the most threatening current and future environmental disasters, including an analysis of ways disasters could have been prevented and how to minimize risk of similar disasters in the future. In this new edition the authors provide foundational knowledge on why certain environmental disasters occur and ways of reducing the risk of recurrences. Anyone involved in teaching or working in the main sciences of physics, chemistry, and biology, or in the applied sciences, including engineering, design, planning, and homeland security, should read the book to become acquainted with these very important issues. - Evaluates natural hazards and disasters with an emphasis on lessons learned for better future forecasting - Considers the impact of human systems on environmental disasters, treating disasters as complex systems - Provides detailed predictions, based upon sound science, on why disasters occur - Includes fully updated chapters on food, health, and water - Focuses on both theoretical and practical aspects of each disaster - Includes disasters related to climate change and pollution

Author: Dennis Mileti
Publisher: Joseph Henry Press
ISBN: 0309261732
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 372

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Book Description
Disasters by Design provides an alternative and sustainable way to view, study, and manage hazards in the United States that would result in disaster-resilient communities, higher environmental quality, inter- and intragenerational equity, economic sustainability, and improved quality of life. This volume provides an overview of what is known about natural hazards, disasters, recovery, and mitigation, how research findings have been translated into policies and programs; and a sustainable hazard mitigation research agenda. Also provided is an examination of past disaster losses and hazards management over the past 20 years, including factorsâ€"demographic, climate, socialâ€"that influence loss. This volume summarizes and sets the stage for the more detailed books in the series.

Author: Vinod Thomas
Publisher: Transaction Publishers
ISBN: 1412864526
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 187

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Book Description
The start of the new millennium will be remembered for deadly climate-related disasters—the great floods in Thailand in 2011, Super Storm Sandy in the United States in 2012, and Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013, to name a few. In 2014, 17.5 million people were displaced by climate-related disasters, ten times more than the 1.7 million displaced by geophysical hazards. What is causing the increase in natural disasters and what effect does it have on the economy? Climate Change and Natural Disasters sends three messages: human-made factors exert a growing influence on climate-related disasters; because of the link to anthropogenic factors, there is a pressing need for climate mitigation; and prevention, including climate adaptation, ought not to be viewed as a cost to economic growth but as an investment. Ultimately, attention to climate-related disasters, arguably the most tangible manifestation of global warming, may help mobilize broader climate action. It can also be instrumental in transitioning to a path of low-carbon, green growth, improving disaster resilience, improving natural resource use, and caring for the urban environment. Vinod Thomas proposes that economic growth will become sustainable only if governments, political actors, and local communities combine natural disaster prevention and controlling climate change into national growth strategies. When considering all types of capital, particularly human capital, climate action can drive economic growth, rather than hinder it.

Author: Daniel A. Vallero
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0128219440
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 706

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Book Description
Environmental Systems Science: Theory and Practical Applications looks at pollution and environmental quality from a systems perspective. Credible human and ecological risk estimation and prediction methods are described, including life cycle assessment, feasibility studies, pollution control decision tools, and approaches to determine adverse outcome pathways, fate and transport, sampling and analysis, and cost-effectiveness. The book brings translational science to environmental quality, applying groundbreaking methodologies like informatics, data mining, and applications of secondary data systems. Multiple human and ecological variables are introduced and integrated to support calculations that aid environmental and public health decision making. The book bridges the perspectives of scientists, engineers, and other professionals working in numerous environmental and public health fields addressing problems like toxic substances, deforestation, climate change, and loss of biological diversity, recommending sustainable solutions to these and other seemingly intractable environmental problems. The causal agents discussed include physical, chemical, and biological agents, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), SARS-CoV-2 (the COVID-19 virus), and other emerging contaminants. - Provides an optimistic and interdisciplinary approach, underpinned by scientific first principles and theory to evaluate pollutant sources and sinks, applying biochemodynamic methods, measurements and models - Deconstructs prior initiatives in environmental assessment and management using an interdisciplinary approach to evaluate what has worked and why - Lays out a holistic understanding of the real impact of human activities on the current state of pollution, linking the physical sciences and engineering with socioeconomic, cultural perspectives, and environmental justice - Takes a life cycle view of human and ecological systems, from the molecular to the planetary scale, integrating theories and tools from various disciplines to assess the current and projected states of environmental quality - Explains the elements of risk, reliability and resilience of built and natural systems, including discussions of toxicology, sustainability, and human-pollutant interactions based on spatial, biological, and human activity information, i.e. the exposome

Author: Joanna Macy
Publisher: New World Library
ISBN: 1608687112
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 290

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Book Description
The challenges we face can be difficult even to think about. Climate change, war, political polarization, economic upheaval, and the dying back of nature together create a planetary emergency of overwhelming proportions. This revised, tenth anniversary edition of Active Hope shows us how to strengthen our capacity to face these crises so that we can respond with unexpected resilience and creative power. Drawing on decades of teaching an empowerment approach known as the Work That Reconnects, the authors guide us through a transformational process informed by mythic journeys, modern psychology, spirituality, and holistic science. This process equips us with tools to face the mess we’re in and play our role in the collective transition, or Great Turning, to a life-sustaining society.

Author: Daniel A. Vallero
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128124474
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 502

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Book Description
Translating Diverse Environmental Data into Reliable Information: How to Coordinate Evidence from Different Sources is a resource for building environmental knowledge, particularly in the era of Big Data. Environmental scientists, engineers, educators and students will find it essential to determine data needs, assess their quality, and efficiently manage their findings. Decision makers can explore new open access databases and tools, especially portals and dashboards. The book demonstrates how environmental knowledgebases are and can be built to meet the needs of modern students and professionals. Topics covered include concepts and principles that underpin air, water, and other public health and ecological topics. Integrated and systems perspectives are woven throughout, with clues on how to build and apply interdisciplinary data, which can increasingly be obtained from sources ranging from peer-reviewed research appearing in scientific journals to information gathered by citizen scientists. This opens the door to using vast amounts of open data and the necessary quality assurance and metadata considerations for their countless applications. - Provides tools to manage data of varying sizes and quality - Identifies both opportunities and cautions in using "other people's data - Updates physical, chemical and biological factors that must be considered in risk evaluations and life cycle assessments - Applies to data collected by academic, governmental, businesses, and citizen scientists across environmental systems - Improves readers' ability to organize and visualize their work in the age of Big Data