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1. Know the difference between a natural hazard and a natural disaster.
natural hazard: unexpected or uncontrollable natural event of unusual magnitude that threatens the activities of people or people themselves
natural disaster: natural hazard that actually resulted in widespread destruction of property or caused injury and/or death
2. Understand the "disaster risk equation", especially the social causes of vulnerability, and the
social factors that affect the capacity to cope. Look back at the slides for Lecture 18 and know
what made people living in Bangladesh during Cyclone Sidr (2007) and people living in
Myanmar/Burma during Cyclone Nargis (2008). Know the readings about Vulnerability, and
what made Haiti so vulnerable.
(hazard x vulnerability) / capacity to cope
Social Causes of Vulnerability
Cyclone Sidr
- storm surge of up to 15-20 feet
- less than 10,000 people died
- 2 million people were evacuate from path of cyclone
- early warning systems were in place
- physical infrastructure: coastal embankments
- provision of shelters: in 2007, there were 1,500 each holding up to 5,000 people
Myanmar
- much poorer country than Bangladesh
- dictatorship not provided similar investment in disaster preparedness
- also not received nearly as much global assistance
- EWS not as strong, people much more vulnerable
- over 130,000 deaths
3. The earth processes that can cause a tsunami to develop. The average speed of a tsunami.
- sudden rise or fall of earth's crust under or near ocean
- displaces water column
- creates rise or fall in level of ocean above
- size and energy dissipates with time and distance from source
-volcanic activity, mudslides can also cause
Average speed 500mph
4. The three stages of the disaster management cycle, and the types of activities associated
with each of the three stages.
1. pre-disaster:
- risk assessment
- mitigation/prevention
- preparedness
2. disaster response:
- warning/evacuation
- saving people
- providing immediate assistance
- assessing damage
3. post-disaster:
- ongoing assistance
- restoration of infrastructural services
- reconstruction (resettlement/relocation)
- economic and social recovery
- ongoing development activities
- risk assessment mitigation/prevention
5. The factors that made Haiti vulnerable to the earthquake that struck in 2010, both before
and after the hazard occurred.
- exceedingly poor, suffering impacts from hurricanes
- lack of insurance - can't rebuild
- lack of power - no entitlement for government assistance
- lack of electricity and communication
- lack of clean water
- cost of recovery reduces ability to invest in risk reduction
6. The scale of global food waste. In terms of the dollar amount wasted by the average
American family, in terms of the amount of Hectares (and the country this is comparable too),
and in terms of a percentage of total crops grown for food that are never consumed by people.
$1,600 value of food thrown out by the average U.S. family per year (financial waste)
Hectares: 198m (Mexico)
24% never consumed
7. The amount of lost or wasted calories every day, per person, in North America and Oceania.
The percentage of this that is wasted by the consumer.
Amount of Calories: 1520
61% wasted by consumer
8. The type of food crop accounting for more than half the total global food waste (by Kcal)
cereals account for 53% of the total loss and waste by Kcal
9. The two types of biofuel introduced in class. The one that is most important in the United
States. The two countries that produce the most biofuel globally.
Ethanol (United States)
Biodiesel
Most biofuel
- United States
- Brazil
10. The amount of people receiving SNAP (foodstamp) benefits in the USA, and the annual
cost of this.
- 47 million people using SNAP
- cost = $78 billion per year
11. Know the environmental hazards the triggered the Irish potato famine, the North Korea
famine of the 1990s, and the 1943 Bengal Famine.
1845-1853 Irish Potato Famine
- stable crop failed due to blight (plant disease/infection)
- established 1.5 million killed, 2 million left
- 1994-1998 North Korea famine
- flooding wiped out agricultural regions
- established 2.5 million killed due to starvation
- 1943 Bengal Famine
- cyclone and 3 tsunamis sped out agricultural land
- established 7 million killed due to starvation
12. Know the socioeconomic conditions that made people vulnerable to famine during the Irish
potato famine, the North Korea famine of the 1990s, and the 1943 Bengal Famine.
- Ireland under British rule
- Ireland was still exporting wheat
- food imports banned
- blight destroyed potatoes all over Europe
- led to demands for "Home Rule"
- Kim Jung II had implemented a "military first" strategy
- unable to import food
- unwilling to engage with the world for assistance
- Bengal part of British India (the Raj), and the wider British empire
- Impact of Japanese colonialism in Burma
- Food production in region higher than in previous years
- British were exporting the food
13. The Indian economist who came up with the 'Entitlements' theory of famine. The type of
system in which he argues famine can't occur.
- Amartya Sen
- he looked at what other factors were ongoing during a drought or other natural hazard event and argued that they were the most important factors
System where famine can't occur: democracy
14. Famine as food availability decline, famine as food entitlement decline. The difference
between these ways of understanding the causes of famine.
- famine as a natural "check" on population growth
- a theory of famine that identifies the lack of entitlement to food as the ultimate cause of famine
- Sen's argument as to why famines occur in some places and not others was rooted in political and economic, not environmental relations
- it is not the lack of food that causes famine, it is the absence of entitlement and capacity to access food
- people do not starve when they are entitle to receive food, even if they can't grow enough for themselves
15. Global trends of urbanization. The two continents that had majority rural populations in the
year 2000. The continents predicted to have a majority rural population in 2030.
- in 1950, 29% lived in urban areas globally
- in 1975, 37% lived in urban areas globally
- in 2000, 47% lived in urban areas globally
Africa & Asia year 2000
North America & Latin America 2030
16. The approximate year in which the global urban population overtook the amount of people
living in rural areas.
2010
17. The approximate year in which the United States urban population overtook the amount of
people living in rural areas of the USA.
1920
18. Read the linked reading on Lecture 16 carefully. On the subject of "The great urbanization".
What are the possibilities for cities helping address environmental challenges, and what are
some new environmental challenges that the growth of these cities has created?
- limiting global warming, tackling air pollution and promoting innovative, resource-efficient growth
- investing in electric vehicles, building smart grids, constructing energy-efficient homes, planning limits on urban sprawl, investing in renewable power or providing integrated public transport
- challenges include urbanization creating its own problems, in the form of pollution, congestion, poor health, crime and waste
19. The case of Eko Atlantic in Lagos, Nigeria. How does it reduce urban risk from climate
change? Is this a win-win situation for everyone in Lagos?
- luxury housing for 250,000 people
- massive investment in sea defenses
- intention to make Lagos the "Hong Kong" of Africa
- land is privately owned and managed: no one except the owners have the right to be there
- building islands of privilege surrounded by growing vulnerability - 60% of Nigerians (almost 100 million people) live on less than a dollar per day
20. The general patterns of Carbon Emissions in wealthy cities of the world, compared to the
average carbon emissions per person in the same countries. Compare this with the average
emissions in Shanghai and Beijing, compared to the Chinese average.
- the more developed cities and countries emit more carbon emissions than the developing countries (Shanghai & Beijing = about 4%)
- the shape and layout of a city can affect how many carbon emissions are produced
21. Agriculture's share of greenhouse gas emissions, globally.
24%
22. Agriculture's share of earth's landmass, globally excluding Antarctica.
37%
23. Agriculture's share of water withdrawal, globally.
70%
24. The most lucrative food crop in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont.
mushrooms - $529 million (Penns)
blueberries - $81 million (New Jersey)
apples - $250 million (New York)
maple syrup - $35 million (Vermont)
25. The South American country accounting for 44% of all global asparagus exports. The country
that is the second largest exporter.
- Peru
- Mexico (second largest)
26. The two regions of the world which dominate consumption of organic food.
Europe and North America
27. The region of the world with the most land farmed using organic techniques.
Oceania
28. There will be several questions asked about the readings in the Unit 5 folder. Know the
different types of sustainability well. Know how they relate to debates surrounding sustainable
development. Look up the Sustainable Development Goals (linked to in Lecture ) and
understand how they relate to the three different ideas of sustainability (are they intended to
improve the sustainability of society, the economy or the environment)
Sustainability
- Ecological Sustainability:
- Sustainable Development
- Sustainable Growth
29. The authors of the books "Silent Spring" and "The Population Bomb"
Silent Spring (Rachel Carson)
Population Bomb (Paul R Elrich)
30. The timeline of Love Canal - you don't need to know the exact dates, but you should be
aware of the major events (using site as toxic dump, building school and houses, evacuating
people), and the order in which they happened. The short documentary linked to on the lecture
slides will help you understand.
- In the 1890s: attempt to build canal between Lake Ontario and Niagara River
- A settlement was built, then in the 1940s the area became used a waste dump
-Until 1953, 21,000 tons of chemical waste dumped here
-By 1980s, most of community had been evacuated:
31. The founder of the Sierra Club, and a major figurehead in the birth of the United States
National Park system.
John Muir
32. The amount of Americans that visited national parks in 2015, and the most popular national
park.
307 million visits in 2015
33. The broad areas of the world where climate change is expected to have negative impacts in
agricultural production
Africa, South America, South Asia, Australia
34. The broad areas of the world where climate change is expected to have positive impacts in
agricultural production
Europe, Russia, North America, Northern Asia (North United States to Canada)
35. The name of the failed settlement in the Amazon. The tropical rainforest product that this
settlement was based around producing. The reasons why it failed.
Fordlandia
Product: Rubber production
Synthetic Rubber was created in the United States
36. The approximate amount of the Amazon that has been cleared. The reductions of Brazilian
Amazonian deforestation that has occurred in Indigenous Reserves, Parks, "Sustainable Use"
and "Not protected" areas (see table on lecture slides). The reasons given by Brazil to justify
some economic development of the Amazon. The country who tried to get the world to fund
attempts to have it not drill for oil, and the consequences of this.
15% of the Amazon has been cleared
Indigenous: 31%
Park: 57%
Sustainable Use: 14%
Not Protected: 0%
Country: Ecuador
- Consequence: Minimal Money was Forthcoming
