A Hazardous Environment An environment is hazardous when a physical event overlaps with human populations creating the hazard or disaster

Climatic (Atmospheric) Hazards

The Answers 1.Tornado, Oklahoma 2.Hurricane, Florida 3.Cyclone Sidr, south western Bangladesh (this week) 4.Drought, Darfur region, Sudan (ongoing) 5.Baobab tree, Savannah 6.Larsen B ice-shelf, Antarctica 7.El Nino Southern Oscillation 8.Acid rain, Jizera Mountains, Czech Republic 9.Ozone depletion which can lead to skin cancer; apparently Nicole Kidman had some on her leg. 10.Photochemical smog, Los Angeles

Climatic Hazards Summary Tropical cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons Tornadoes Drought El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and La Nina The enhanced greenhouse effect (climate change) Acid deposition Ozone depletion Modification of urban micro-climates Modification of rural micro-climates

Climatic Hazards Event Key Questions What are the headline facts and figures? When? Where? Why? What are the causes? To what extent are human interactions with physical processes responsible for the hazard? How does the hazard affect people and the environment? What has been the human response?

Factors influencing the impact of climatic hazards

How do humans respond to climatic hazards?

Forecast vs. Prediction Forecast “is a relatively imprecise statement of time, place and nature of the expected event” (Bishop) Prediction “is a relatively precise statement of the time, place and ideally the nature and size of the event, i.e. a precise forecast” (Bishop)

Risk vs. Vulnerability Risk is the level of exposure of a population to a particular hazard. Vulnerability is the “ability of a person or group to anticipate, cope with and recover from the impact of a natural hazard” (Blaikie et al 1994)