Engaging communities in managing multiple hazards: Reflections from small islands in North Sulawesi,Indonesia

Participatory methods are a common approach for giving voice to local communities in hazard and disaster research. Drawing on a study that trialled and modified a range of participatory methods in North Sulawesi, eastern Indonesia, this paper reflects on how such methods help document the capacities of small island communities. We assessed capacity from a sustainable livelihoods perspective, identifying the assets that enable villagers to cope with hazards. This overall approach promoted a discourse of strengths and resourcefulness, contrasting with vulnerability and needs‐assessment approaches common to government and non‐governmental organizations, which tend to focus on weaknesses and can sometimes fuel undeliverable expectations of funding. We provide a critical reflection on participatory methods and their significance for researchers, policy makers and funding agencies working with communities in hazard‐prone regions.     

Multicyclic sediment transfer along and across convergent plate boundaries (Barbados,Lesser Antilles)

The main source of siliciclastic sediment in the Barbados accretionary prism is off‐scraped quartzose to feldspatho‐litho‐quartzose metasedimentaclastic turbidites, ultimately supplied from South America chiefly via the Orinoco fluvio‐deltaic system. Modern sand on Barbados island is either quartzose with depleted heavy‐mineral suites recycled from Cenozoic turbidites and including epidote, zircon, tourmaline, andalusite, garnet, staurolite and chloritoid, or calcareous and derived from Pleistocene coral reefs. The ubiquitous occurrence of clinopyroxene and hypersthene, associated with green‐brown kaersutitic hornblende in the north or olivine in the south, points to reworking of ash‐fall tephra erupted from andesitic (St Lucia) and basaltic (St Vincent) volcanic centres in the Lesser Antilles arc. Modern sediments on Barbados island and those shed by larger accretionary prisms such as the Indo‐Burman Ranges and Andaman‐Nicobar Ridge define the distinctive mineralogical signature of Subduction Complex Provenance, which is invariably composite. Detritus recycled from accreted turbidites and oceanic mudrocks is mixed in various proportions with detritus from the adjacent volcanic arc or carbonate reefs widely developed at tropical latitudes. Ophiolitic detritus, locally prominent on the Andaman Islands, is absent on Barbados, where the prism formed above a westward subduction zone with a shallow décollement plane. The four‐dimensional complexities inherent with multicyclic sediment dispersal along and across convergent plate boundaries require quantitative provenance analysis as a basic tool in paleogeographic reconstructions. Such analysis provides the link between faraway factories of detritus and depositional sinks, as well as clues on subduction geometry and the nature of associated growing orogenic belts, and even information on climate, atmospheric circulation and weathering intensity in source regions.     

A Geography of Children's Vulnerability: Gender,Household Resources,and Water‐Related Disease Hazard in Northern Pakistan*

Water‐related diseases continue to pose major threats to children's survival and well‐being in many places in the developing world. This article develops a theoretical perspective on the ways in which children's vulnerability to water‐related disease hazard is produced within the everyday circumstances of livelihood and child care. Central to this analysis is the role that household resources play in mediating or shaping particular microenvironments of health risk. Further, the effects of local geographies of gender on how household resources are accessed and on how child care is structured are examined. Children's vulnerability is evaluated in a community in the District of Gilgit in northern Pakistan, a region presently undergoing tremendous social and economic transformation. The case study highlights household‐level response and adaptation to child health risks associated with diarrheal disease transmission and infection in this mountain environment. The case study draws from ethnographic fieldwork involving qualitative household microstudies and interviewing to elicit mothers' resource and risk‐response strategies in the context of changes in livelihood systems and household dynamics.     

Floodscapes? A Reading of Space‐Making and Place‐Making Processes in Regions Affected by Flood Hazard

The study of flood hazard has been a key theme within the spatial analysis of natural hazards. A number of authors have expanded on this tradition by adopting a society‐oriented approach to risk perception. Thus a new framework has become available for exploring social response to risk and describing the relationship between human communities and hazards in terms of contemporary interpretative categories such as social representation and “stigmatization,” the latter defined as the process by which media and social actors mark places affected by disastrous events as dangerous and unsafe sites. This literature has made a vital contribution to the geographical reading of flood hazard, showing how flood risk generates both space‐ and place‐making processes. In this paper I discuss the relationship between these two processes, suggesting that the political response to flood hazard may be viewed as a hetero‐directed strategy that influences place‐making at a local level. I illustrate this perspective using a field research conducted in 2006–2007 on the Po River Basin in Piemonte, an Italian region with high flood risk that has been affected by a series of events in recent decades.     

Environmental hazards and natural disasters

How can the apparently growing frequency and cost of environmental hazards be explained? Drawing on a range of examples, and especially the Canterbury earthquakes, it is argued that the creation of knowledge about these events depends on the interplay of lived and historical experience with scientific awareness. But often the vulnerability of places to particular events is obscured by popular use of the terms ‘natural hazard’ or ‘natural disaster’, as if human behaviour is absolved from any responsibility. It is shown how such thinking often increases the extent of the hazard, so that although we do not cause earthquakes, floods and bushfires, we are implicated and complicit in the outcomes.     

社会脆弱性概念、分析框架与评价方法

社会脆弱性作为脆弱性的维度之一,是脆弱性与可持续性科学研究领域的新兴热点问题.在分析对国内外社会脆弱性研究文献的基础上,从概念内涵、分析框架与评价方法3 方面对社会脆弱性研究进行了评述.目前学者们对社会脆弱性概念有不同的理解,尚未形成统一的概念体系与内涵特征;系统性的社会脆弱性分析框架尚未形成,现有成果多是在脆弱性框架基础上的延伸和拓展,主要从政治经济学视角、社会—生态视角和综合视角开展研究;多元化的评价方法在社会脆弱性的应用研究中仍较少见,已有研究的评价指标体系尚不完善.未来,应进一步拓展社会脆弱性研究内容,促进多学科交叉融合;逐步统一社会脆弱性概念和分析框架,深化社会脆弱性的理论研究;加强社会脆弱性评价方法与指标体系的完善,促进多元化评价方法的应用;加强社会脆弱性减缓与调控对策研究,整合社会脆弱性与适应性框架,为提高社会适应能力与可持续发展提供科学依据.     

Seismic and volcanic hazards in Peru: changing attitudes to disaster mitigation

Over the last 15 years there have been dramatic shifts in the consensus over how best to cope with natural hazards in economically developing regions such as South America. One very positive outcome of the United Nations sponsored International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR 1990–2000) has been that there is now greater interchange between the work of earth scientists examining the processes and mechanics of hazard occurrence and impact, and social scientists exploring the causes of human vulnerability to hazard – and thereby disaster. This paper traces the development of this new understanding with reference to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in Peru, one of the most hazardous countries in South America. Particular focus is placed on the excellent progress currently being made by scientists in better understanding the physical dimensions of natural hazard exposure, and the ground-breaking work by social scientists in promoting new approaches to understanding and mitigating human vulnerability to disaster. The paper concludes by emphasizing the need to build on this research to produce more inclusive, incultured and unified strategies of disaster mitigation at the local, national and international levels.     

全球环境变化下人-环境耦合系统的脆弱性研究综述

全球环境变化导致的冲击和压力已经成为社会与生态系统可持续发展的主要障碍,脆弱性分析作为可持续研究的主要分析工具之一引起了研究者的广泛关注。目前脆弱性研究还没有形成完善的理论体系、规范的评估程序和普遍适用的方法。本文在阅读了国内外脆弱性研究相关文献的基础上,从人-环境耦合系统的角度总结了脆弱性的概念框架,对不同研究背景下的脆弱性定义和三个组成要素进行了深入的分析,归纳了脆弱性研究的核心问题;梳理了脆弱性的起源、发展和现状,总结了人-环境耦合系统脆弱性研究中的热点问题和几个典型的脆弱性综合分析框架。由当前脆弱性的发展状况指出了未来脆弱性研究需要解决的问题:确定并有效表达系统脆弱性与多个压力间的因果关系、人-环境耦合系统的不确定性、脆弱性动力学机制问题和脆弱性与风险管理决策的信息互动关系。     

泥石流灾害风险评估理论与方法研究

近年来,频繁发生的泥石流灾害给中国部分地区造成了巨大的破坏。泥石流点多面广、成灾迅速,难以对其进行准确的监测预报,风险评估就显得尤为重要。本文从泥石流灾害风险的构成要素、危险性评估研究和承灾体脆弱程度评估研究等方面分析了泥石流灾害风险的研究现状。从当前的研究现状中可以发现：灾害风险公式得到广大学者普遍认同,泥石流危险性评估方法也相对比较成熟;但在泥石流灾害对承灾体的致损风险机理分析方面研究尚需深入,危险性评估中如何实现从点评价向面评价过渡还需进一步探讨,对承灾体脆弱性研究也需要引起重视。因此,在今后的评估研究中,需要加强这些方面的研究探索,进一步提高泥石流灾害风险评估结果的可信度,提高其实用性。     

城市减灾研究综述

加强防御、控制城市灾害,增强城市综合减灾抗灾能力是当今国内外减灾工作的重点中的重点。在分析国内外城市减灾研究的基础上,提出当前城市防灾减灾研究中应重视开展城市灾害形成机制与活动规律、减灾理论与方法和减灾管理与对策的研究,其中要特别加强城市数字减灾系统构建、城市空间信息基础设施建设、城市易损性、风险性评价和灾害损失评估系统的研究。     

NATURAL HAZARDS RISK IN THE KULLU DISTRICT,HIMACHAL PRADESH,INDIA*

ABSTRACT. Hazardous processes, including floods, landslides, soil erosion, and debris flows, are common in the Himalaya. Deforestation has been held responsible for increasing risk from such hazards in the Indian context for more than a century. The deforestation‐hazard linkage in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh is examined. Evidence suggests that the extent of forest cover has altered little over 150 years and that hazardous processes recur in much the same locations, with similar frequency and magnitude, except where road construction has increased slope instability. Nonetheless, population growth and economic development, especially since 1990, have increased vulnerability to hazards.     

城市脆弱性研究评述与展望

当前,脆弱性为可持续性科学研究的热点问题,城市脆弱性是努力实现城市可持续发展急需开展的重要研究内容.基于国内外城市脆弱性研究文献资料的回顾,梳理了城市脆弱性概念、研究分类、分析框架、动力机制和评价方法.目前对城市脆弱性尚未形成统一的概念框架,缺乏完善的评价指标体系,对动力机制与调控的研究不足,缺少对城市耦合系统脆弱性的研究.未来,应在现有城市脆弱性研究基础上,建立综合、可行的评价指标体系,构建综合评价模型,并注重典型区域的城市脆弱性评价,为城市可持续发展提供科学依据.     

A GIS-based approach to identify the spatial variability of social vulnerability to seismic hazard in Italy

This paper argues for a multidisciplinary framework to assess the relationship between environmental processes and social sciences that can be adapted to any geographic location. This includes both physical (earthquake hazard) and human (social vulnerability) dimensions in the context of disaster risk reduction. Disasters varies drastically depending on the local context. Indeed, the probability of a natural disaster having more devastating effects in one place than in another depends on the local vulnerability components of the affected society (cultural, social and economic). Therefore, there is an important correlation between the potential risk and the social resistance and resilience of a specific place, thus the disaster response varies according to the social fabric. In this context, the evaluation of social vulnerability is a crucial point in order to understand the ability of a society (studied at individual, household or community level) to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the impact of natural disaster events. Within this framework, the paper discusses how it is possible to integrate social vulnerability into the seismic risk analysis in Italy. Specifically, socioeconomic indicators were used to assess and mapping social vulnerability index. Afterwards, a Geographic Information System (GIS) approach was applied to identify the spatial variability of social vulnerability to seismic hazard. Through the use of a risk matrix, the classes of a social vulnerability index map were combined with those of a seismic hazard map proposed by INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology). Finally, a qualitative social vulnerability exposure map to an earthquake hazard was produced, highlighting areas with high seismic and social vulnerability levels. Results suggest the importance of the integration of social vulnerability studies into seismic risk mitigation policies, emergency management and territorial planning to reduce the impact of disasters.     

山洪泥石流风险评估与风险管理理论与方法

山洪泥石流是中国常见的自然灾害,充分认识其形成机制与潜在风险是防灾减灾的关键。本文阐述了山洪泥石流形成机理,以及风险分析与管理的方法和内容,系统认识了地表产流流量激增、土体破坏物质供给激增、沟道堵塞体级联溃决流量放大和动床侵蚀规模增大等4个山洪泥石流的形成过程,介绍了基于动力过程的山洪泥石流风险评估方法和承灾体易损性评估方法,构建了基于灾害动力过程的风险评估与风险制图方法。进而,基于风险评估结果,提出可用于具体灾害点减灾的风险管理内容和风险调控技术、灾害防治的工程与非工程措施与制技术方案。最后,重点讨论了包括灾害风险预测、临灾预案、灾害防治工程方案等内容的风险处置对策,并形成一套基于山洪泥石流动力过程的风险评估与风险管理理论与方法体系。     

Hispanic Immigrants' Vulnerabilities to Flood and Hurricane Hazards in Two United States Metropolitan Areas

Research reveals that disasters are disproportionately debilitating for marginalized social groups. Numerous studies have examined racial/ethnic dimensions of disaster vulnerability, but few have focused on Hispanic immigrants. More research on Hispanic immigrants is needed, since they constitute a major component of the Hispanic population—the largest and fastest‐growing minority group in the U.S.—and because they experience distinctive cultural and immigration status disadvantages. We examine the flood/hurricane vulnerabilities of Hispanic immigrants in comparison to U.S.–born Hispanics and non‐Hispanic whites. Using mixed methods to analyze data from 429 surveys and 31 interviews with residents living in flood zones, we examine differences in self‐protective action, risk perception, and hazard knowledge between the three groups in Houston and Miami. Hispanic immigrants exhibited lower levels of self‐protection and hazard knowledge, and higher perceptions of risk, which reflects their heightened vulnerability. Risk‐reduction programs should target the particular vulnerabilities of Hispanic immigrants, and future studies should examine their vulnerabilities in other contexts.     

‘Prosperity beyond belief’: The interaction between a potato crop boom,vulnerability and volcanic hazard in Central Java,Indonesia

This article examines the interaction between conditions of vulnerability and a potato crop boom in Central Java's highlands. While partaking in agricultural endeavours on volcanic slopes can bring substantial economic rewards, the local benefits associated with these livelihood activities are often overlooked by disaster scholarship. Drawing on a period of fieldwork conducted in the Dieng Plateau, a region characterized by a series of craters that periodically erupt mud and poisonous gas, this article demonstrates how a potato crop boom has evolved despite, and in part because of, the underlying volcanic hazard. By integrating the sustainable livelihood and agrarian change literatures, the article concludes that the potato boom has provided significant economic opportunity, and through this, a means to reduce vulnerability. Yet, despite these economic gains, the agrarian shift described herein has also introduced new vulnerabilities as farmers have become dependent on a resource intensive crop. These findings demonstrate how theories of agrarian transformation can complement livelihood perspectives in disaster research, and provide greater detail into the local and regional processes that encourage people to often-profitably farm hazardous land.     

Linguistics,geography, and the potential of Australian island toponymies

Australian placename studies have focused on documenting toponymic histories and issues of concern mainly for placename taxonomy and etymology. Language-external factors such as geographical and environmental conditions have not been of great interest to Australian toponymists. This article assesses the role of geographical and environmental constriction of island places on their toponymy. It considers whether or not island locations breed ‘insular toponymies’ or placename histories inaccessible and not readily accessible to outsider researchers. The case studies are Norfolk Island, South Pacific, and Dudley Peninsula, South Australia, two island environments within political Australia. The results demonstrate that the degree of insularity of the toponymies of the two island environments is driven more by geographical and social factors than linguistic elements. The results put forward several ways in which geographers, linguists, historians, toponymists, and Australian studies scholars could work together and collaborate to better understand Australian island places.     

Linking Access and Vulnerability: Perceptions of Irrigation and Flood Management in Pakistan

This article reports the results of a survey conducted in four villages in central Pakistan regarding people's perceptions about irrigation‐ and flood‐related issues. The article uses the perception studies methodology from the human ecology school to address the political ecology agenda in resource and hazards geography. The log‐linear analysis of the survey data shows that people are knowledgeable about social power differentials and interactions between various social factors in influencing their access to resources and vulnerability to floods. The article further demonstrates that water users and vulnerable populations are much more likely to suggest social explanations than naturalistic or fatalistic explanations for their differential access to irrigation water and vulnerability to flood hazard.     

Neighbourhoods and health: A review of the New Zealand literature

Over the past two decades, there has been a resurgence of interest into place‐based influences on health. Researchers have identified that various characteristics of neighbourhoods exert an influence on the health outcomes and behaviours of local residents. Understanding the processes linking places to health provides considerable potential for a range of policy interventions. We review the New Zealand‐based neighbourhoods and health research. Consideration is given to the types of neighbourhood characteristics, as well the range of health outcomes that have been studied. Finally, we suggest some priorities for further research into the mechanisms underpinning neighbourhood influences on health in New Zealand.     

A Geography of Children's Vulnerability: Gender,Household Resources,and Water-Related Disease Hazard in Northern Pakistan

Abstract

Water-related diseases continue to pose major threats to children's survival and well-being in many places in the developing world. This article develops a theoretical perspective on the ways in which children's vulnerability to water-related disease hazard is produced within the everyday circumstances of livelihood and child care. Central to this analysis is the role that household resources play in mediating or shaping particular microenvironments of health risk. Further, the effects of local geographies of gender on how household resources are accessed and on how child care is structured are examined. Children's vulnerability is evaluated in a community in the District of Gilgit in northern Pakistan, a region presently undergoing tremendous social and economic transformation. The case study highlights household-level response and adaptation to child health risks associated with diarrheal disease transmission and infection in this mountain environment. The case study draws from ethnographic fieldwork involving qualitative household microstudies and interviewing to elicit mothers' resource and risk-response strategies in the context of changes in livelihood systems and household dynamics.