Natural hazards - Geological hazards

Title

The L'Aquila Earthquake of 6 April 2009 and Italian Government Policy on Disaster Response

Reference

Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research
Volume 2, Issue 4, 2010, EU FUNDED

Author(s)

David E. Alexander

Study type

Peer Review Journal 

Abstract

This paper describes the impact of the earthquake that struck the central Italian city of L'Aquila on 6 April 2009, killing 308 people and leaving 67 500 homeless. The pre-impact, emergency, and early recovery phases are discussed in terms of the nature and effectiveness of government policy. Disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Italy is evaluated in relation to the structure of civil protection and changes wrought by both the L'Aquila disaster and public scandals connected with the misappropriation of funds. Six of the most important lessons are derived from this analysis and related to DRR needs both in Italy and elsewhere in the world.

Policy theme(s)

Natural hazards >> Geological hazards

Keywords

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

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http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19390459.2010.511450
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d.alexander@alice.it

Title

Comparing the role of absolute sea-level rise and vertical tectonic motions in coastal flooding, Torres Islands (Vanuatu)

Reference

PNAS August 9, 2011 vol. 108 no. 32 13019-13022

Author(s)

Valérie Ballu , Marie-Noëlle Bouin, Patricia Siméoni, Wayne C. Crawford , Stephane Calmant, Jean-Michel Boré, Tony Kanas, and Bernard Pelletier

Study type

Peer Review Journal  

Abstract

Since the late 1990s, rising sea levels around the Torres Islands (north Vanuatu, southwest Pacific) have caused strong local and international concern. In 2002-2004, a village was displaced due to increasing sea incursions, and in 2005 a United Nations Environment Programme press release referred to the displaced village as perhaps the world’s first climate change “refugees.” We show here that vertical motions of the Torres Islands themselves dominate the apparent sea-level rise observed on the islands. From 1997 to 2009, the absolute sea level rose by 150 + /-20 mm. But GPS data reveal that the islands subsided by 117 + /-30 mm over the same time period, almost doubling the apparent gradual sea-level rise. Moreover, large earthquakes that occurred just before and after this period caused several hundreds of mm of sudden vertical motion, generating larger apparent sea-level changes than those observed during the entire intervening period. Our results show that vertical ground motions must be accounted for when evaluating sea-level change hazards in active tectonic regions. These data are needed to help communities and governments understand environmental changes and make the best decisions for their future.

Policy theme(s)

Climate change and energy >> Climate change adaptation >> Flooding and water management
Natural hazards >> Geological hazards

Keywords

Geodesy, seismic cycle, island arcs,vertical motion

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

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http://www.pnas.org/content/108/32/13019.abstract
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ballu@ipgp.fr

Title

Network for Observation of Volcanic and Atmospheric Change (NOVAC)-A global network for volcanic gas monitoring: Network layout and instrument description

Reference

J. Geophys. Res., 115, D05304, doi:10.1029/2009JD011823. 2010

Author(s)

Galle, B., M. Johansson, C. Rivera, Y. Zhang, M. Kihlman, C. Kern, T. Lehmann, U. Platt, S. Arellano, and S. Hidalgo

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

This paper presents the global project Network for Observation of Volcanic and Atmospheric Change (NOVAC), the aim of which is automatic gas emission monitoring at active volcanoes worldwide. Data from the network will be used primarily for volcanic risk assessment but also for geophysical research, studies of atmospheric change, and ground validation of satellite instruments. A novel type of instrument, the scanning miniaturized differential optical absorption spectroscopy (Mini-DOAS) instrument, is applied in the network to measure volcanic gas emissions by UV absorption spectroscopy. The instrument is set up 5-10 km downwind of the volcano under study, and typically two to four instruments are deployed at each volcano in order to cover different wind directions and to facilitate measurements of plume height and plume direction. Two different versions of the instrument have been developed. Version I was designed to be a robust and simple instrument for measurement of volcanic SO₂ emissions at high time resolution with minimal power consumption. Version II was designed to allow the best possible spectroscopy and enhanced flexibility in regard to measurement geometry at the cost of larger complexity, power consumption, and price. In this paper the project is described, as well as the developed software, the hardware of the two instrument versions, measurement strategies, data communication, and archiving routines. As of April 2009 a total of 46 instruments have been installed at 18 volcanoes worldwide. As a typical example, the installation at Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador is described, together with some results from the first 21 months of operation at this volcano.

Policy theme(s)

Air pollution >> Source of emissions >> Terrestrial emissions
Natural hazards >> Geological hazards

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2010/2009JD011823.shtml
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bo.galle@rss.chalmers.se

Title

The Economics of Natural Disasters: Concepts and Methods

Reference

Hallegatte S., Przyluski, V. (2010b)
Policy Research Working Paper 5507
The World Bank, Washington D.C

Author(s)

Stephanie Hallegatte, Valentin Przyluski

Study type

Report

Abstract

Large-scale disasters regularly affect societies over the globe, causing large destruction and damage. After each of these events, media, insurance companies, and international institutions publish numerous assessments of the "cost of the disaster." However these assessments are based on different methodologies and approaches, and they often reach different results. Besides methodological differences, these discrepancies are due to the multi-dimensionality in disaster impacts and their large redistributive effects, which make it unclear what is included in the estimates. But most importantly, the purpose of these assessments is rarely specified, although different purposes correspond to different perimeters of analysis and different definitions of what a cost is. To clarify this situation, this paper proposes a definition of the cost of a disaster, and emphasizes the most important mechanisms that explain and determine this cost. It does so by first explaining why the direct economic cost, that is, the value of what has been damaged or destroyed by the disaster, is not a sufficient indicator of disaster seriousness and why estimating indirect losses is crucial to assess the consequences on welfare. The paper describes the main indirect consequences of a disaster and the following reconstruction phase, and discusses the economic mechanisms at play. It proposes a review of available methodologies to assess indirect economic consequences, illustrated with examples from the literature. Finally, it highlights the need for a better understanding of the economics of natural disasters and suggests a few promising areas for research on this topic.

Policy theme(s)

Environmental economics >> Economic impacts of environmental change
Natural hazards >> Climatic hazards
Natural hazards >> Geological hazards

Keywords:

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://econ.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64165259&piPK=64165421&theSitePK=469372&menuPK=64166093
&entityID=000158349_20101221155640

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Contact the study author at:

hallegatte@centre-cired.fr.

Title

Role of volcanic forcing on future global carbon cycle

Reference

Earth Syst. Dynam., 2, 53-67, 2011

Author(s)

J. F. Tjiputra and O. H. Ottera

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Using a fully coupled global climate-carbon cycle model, we assess the potential role of volcanic eruptions on future projection of climate change and its associated carbon cycle feedback. The volcanic-like forcings are applied together with a business-as-usual IPCC-A2 carbon emissions scenario. We show that very large volcanic eruptions similar to Tambora lead to short-term substantial global cooling. However, over a long period, smaller eruptions similar to Pinatubo in amplitude, but set to occur frequently, would have a stronger impact on future climate change. In a scenario where the volcanic external forcings are prescribed with a five-year frequency, the induced cooling immediately lower the global temperature by more than one degree before it returns to the warming trend. Therefore, the climate change is approximately delayed by several decades, and by the end of the 21st century, the warming is still below two degrees when compared to the present day period. Our climate-carbon feedback analysis shows that future volcanic eruptions induce positive feedbacks (i.e., more carbon sink) on both the terrestrial and oceanic carbon cycle. The feedback signal on the ocean is consistently smaller than the terrestrial counterpart and the feedback strength is proportionally related to the frequency of the volcanic eruption events. The cooler climate reduces the terrestrial heterotrophic respiration in the northern high latitude and increases net primary production in the tropics, which contributes to more than 45 % increase in accumulated carbon uptake over land. The increased solubility of CO2 gas in seawater associated with cooler SST is offset by a reduced CO2 partial pressure gradient between the ocean and the atmosphere, which results in small changes in net ocean carbon uptake. Similarly, there is nearly no change in the seawater buffer capacity simulated between the different volcanic scenarios. Our study shows that even in the relatively extreme scenario where large volcanic eruptions occur every five-years period, the induced cooling leads to a reduction of 46 ppmv atmospheric CO2 concentration as compared to the reference projection of 878 ppmv, at the end of the 21st century.

Policy theme(s)

Climate change and energy >> Greenhouse gas emissions >> Terrestrial emissions
Natural hazards >> Geological hazards

Keywords

Volcanoes; carbon cycle

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

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http://www.earth-syst-dynam.net/2/53/2011/esd-2-53-2011.html
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Jtj061@uib.no

Title

Mapping the impacts of natural hazards and technological accidents in Europe

Reference

EEA Technical report No 13/2010

Author(s)

EEA

Study type

Report

Abstract

The report assesses the occurrence and impacts of disasters and the underlying hazards such as storms, extreme temperature events, forest fires, water scarcity and droughts, floods, snow avalanches, landslides, earthquakes, volcanoes and technological accidents in Europe for the period 1998-2009.

Policy theme(s)

Natural hazards >> Climatic hazards
Natural hazards >> Flooding
Natural hazards >> Geological hazards
Natural hazards >> Wildfires

Keywords

Natural hazards, Disasters

Entry Source:

N/A

Referred to in EC doc:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

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http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/mapping-the-impacts-of-natural/at_download/file
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N/A