GEOS1050 Week 1 Hazards & Risk

What four characteristics does the UN (via UN SPIDER) say every hazard is characterised by?

Location, intensity/magnitude, frequency, and probability.

How does a disaster differ from a hazard?

A disaster happens when a hazard's impacts exceed a community's capacity to cope, causing significant damage, loss of life, and disruption.

Give an example of an anthropogenic (human-caused) hazard from the lecture.

Nuclear accidents/weapons and chemical pollution (e.g., DDT).

What are the three hazard-type modules covered in Week 1?

Geological & planetary hazards; Hydrological & climatic hazards; Environmental & human-driven hazards.

Define "vulnerability" in disaster risk terms.

The susceptibility/sensitivity of a system, population, or entity to harm from a hazard.

Define "exposure" in disaster risk terms.

The degree to which people, property, or the environment come into contact with a hazard.

In Risk = Hazard x Exposure x Vulnerability, which two factors can we realistically control to reduce risk from natural hazards?

Exposure and Vulnerability.

An event has a 1% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP). What's its Average Recurrence Interval (ARI)?

100 years.

What likelihood category corresponds to an AEP of 10% to

"Likely" (ARI of 1 to

Why should verbal probability phrases (e.g., "likely", "possible") be used cautiously in risk communication?

Their meaning is subjective and interpreted very differently by different people, creating a risk for miscommunication.

On the AIDR risk matrix, what risk level results from "Almost certain" likelihood + "Major" consequence?

Extreme.

What is the AIDR, and who are its key partners?

The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience — a national consortium supported by the Australian Government and the Australian Red Cross.

Which Hazard Consequence Category covers loss of species, landscapes, and environmental/utility value?

Environmental consequences.

What do "Public administration consequences" measure?

The impact of an emergency event on governing bodies' ability to deliver core functions to the community.

What is the correct order of the Disaster Risk Management Cycle?

Prevention & Mitigation -> Preparedness -> Disaster -> Response -> Rehabilitation & Recovery.

Should mitigation or adaptation always be preferred, per the lecture?

Mitigation (prevention) should always be preferred over adaptation.

Which natural hazard caused the most fatalities in Australia (1900-2015)?

Extreme heat (4,555 deaths).

What's the trend in global disaster events vs. deaths since 1900 (Our World in Data)?

Reported disaster events have risen sharply, but annual global deaths have declined substantially overall.

What secondary/cascading disaster did the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake and tsunami trigger?

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear meltdown.

Why was the 1859 Carrington Event significant?

It was a powerful solar storm that disrupted telegraph systems worldwide.

What has happened to global natural disaster damage costs since 1980?

They've risen substantially, to well over $150 billion in many recent years.

Besides cause (natural vs human-made), what other hazard classification schemes does Lectorial 2 list?

By nature, setting, potential impact, and time frame.

What are the four "Hazard Factors" listed in Lectorial 2?

Magnitude; Frequency and Occurrence; Geographical Location; and Temporal Patterns.

What's the difference between a primary and a secondary impact?

Primary = immediate direct consequence; Secondary = indirect consequence of the primary impact.

How does Lectorial 3 define "risk"?

The probability that a hazard event will occur, combined with its potential negative consequences.

How are "People consequences" calculated?

As a rate of deaths/injuries relative to the population of interest.

How are "Economic consequences" calculated?

As a percentage of a monetary reference value.

Give an example of a "Social setting consequence".

Loss of shops, schools, retail, and community events for a prolonged period.

In the AIDR's Confidence and Priority framework, what do priority levels 1 and 5 mean?

1 = highest priority requiring most attention; 5 = lowest priority requiring only monitoring/maintenance.

What's the timeframe difference between mitigation/prevention and adaptation/preparedness?

Mitigation is long-term and continuous; adaptation is short-to-medium term responding to immediate risks.

Which climate disaster type is projected to increase the most for someone born in 2020 vs 1960?

Heatwaves (~7.5x as many).

Which hazards are shown as ambiguous in the Tasmanian Natural Disaster Risk Assessment Venn diagram?

Pandemic and Biosecurity.

Why is the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius historically significant?

It buried Pompeii and Herculaneum in ash and pumice.

What was built in response to the 1900 Great Galveston Hurricane?

A seawall, with the city itself also raised roughly 15 feet.

What modern concern does the reading link to the 1930s Dust Bowl?

Prolonged drought, soil erosion, and unsustainable farming practices.

What did the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteorite event highlight the need for?

Advanced monitoring technologies to identify and track near-Earth objects.

What does the Week 1 reading say about DDT?

It was a widely used synthetic insecticide whose environmental and health harms sparked activism.

In the de Brito et al. (2017) Venn diagram, what sits at the overlap of Hazard, Vulnerability, and Exposure?

Risk.

Which pair of terms describes hazard classification "by cause"?

Natural hazards vs. Human-made hazards.

Which pair of terms describes hazard classification "by nature"?

Physical, Biological, or Chemical hazards.

Which pair of terms describes hazard classification "by setting"?

Environmental or Occupational hazards.

Which pair of terms describes hazard classification "by potential impact"?

Health hazards or Safety hazards.

Which pair of terms describes hazard classification "by time frame"?

Immediate hazards or Long-term hazards.

Give an example hazard under Module 1 (Geological and planetary).

Solar storms, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis.

Give an example hazard under Module 2 (Hydrological and climatic).

Droughts, cyclones, and fires.

Give an example hazard under Module 3 (Environmental and human-driven).

Biodiversity loss, pollution, and nuclear accidents.

Which single factor is said to give the GREATEST benefit when reduced?

Vulnerability.

Give the correct example of a LONG-TERM impact.

A volcanic eruption dimming the sun and causing loss of harvests.

What example illustrates "Mitigation or Prevention" in Lectorial 3?

The Narrabeen seawall.

What example illustrates "Adaptation or Preparedness" in Lectorial 3?

The DART II tsunami early warning buoy system.

What does Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) measure?

The likelihood or chance of a hazard event occurring in a given year, expressed as a percentage.

What are the five Hazard Consequence Categories?

People, Economic, Environmental, Public administration, Social setting.

How can human activity influence natural hazards?

Human activities like climate change and biodiversity decline can influence hazard frequency and magnitude.

What characterises a hazard as "natural" rather than anthropogenic?

It arises from natural processes without significant human influence and is typically beyond human control.

What's the overarching goal of studying natural hazards, per Lectorial 2?

To survive and thrive on a human-dominated planet.

What are the required steps of Disaster Risk Management and Preparedness?

Risk assessment; Hazard Mitigation; and Post-Disaster Recovery.

What does "climate change attribution" involve?

Assessing the extent to which human-induced climate change influences disaster frequency and intensity.

What two things characterise a hazard event once its type is identified?

Its magnitude and duration.