1990年以来中国海洋灾害系统风险特征分析及其综合风险管理

长期以来,海洋灾害一直是困扰着海域及海岸带社会经济发展的一大障碍.中国是深受海洋灾害影响的国家之一.为此,从灾害系统论的角度,分析了1990年以来中国海洋灾害系统的风险特征.研究表明,中国在过去的15年中,工程性防灾减灾措施已经使海洋灾害灾情得到了一定的控制,但由于中国海域海事活动不断增多、海岸带经济密度快速提高,大大增加了海域及海岸带承灾体对海洋灾害风险的暴露,又由于海岸带及近海海域污染加重,海洋生物灾害发生的可能性增大,使中国海域面临的灾害风险趋于上升.此外,还讨论了中国海洋灾害综合风险管理的体系,提出从海洋灾害系统角度,加强海洋灾害综合风险管理能力的建设,以促进海洋及海岸带地区由政府、企业、社区共同组成的综合减灾范式的建立.     

我国海岸带灾害成因分析及减灾对策

近年来海岸带灾害越来越成为制约海岸带－我国最重要的经济带社会、经济和环境可持续发展的重要因素。本文在全球变化和人类活动影响的背景下，分析探讨了我国海岸带灾害的基本成因，并提出了相应的概念性减灾对策框架，海岸带生态环境的脆弱性，全球变化（相对海平面变化、气候异常）和人类活动是导致我国海岸带灾害的3个主要方面。据此，认为减灾的关键在于合理规范人类行为，保护和改善本已十分脆弱的海岸带生态环境，使人与自然界和谐相处；对于全球变化诱发的灾害，则力求基于科学认识与预测，在海岸带开发中合理规划建设，做到未雨绸缪，实现海岸带社会经济可持续发展。     

我国海岸带灾害的加剧发展及其防御方略

中国大陆海岸带绵长1.8万公里,地跨12个省市,是我国人口密集、经济发展最快的地区。出现的严重灾害有台风、风暴潮、洪涝、地震海啸、海岸侵蚀、盐水入侵、海冰、地基下沉、污染、赤潮等十类,并互相叠加,形成年直接经济损失100亿元以上。全球海平面上升与人类活动加强,使海岸带灾害加剧发展,粗略估计到下世纪初中期,导致的损失可能达到1000亿元以上,是海岸带经济发展的重要制约因素。必须提高全民防灾意识,在调查研究基础上,拟订海岸带减灾规划;加强灾害的监测、预报和预警;加高加固防潮防洪大堤与护岸工程,疏浚内陆洼地和城市排洪河道,提高排水能力;保护地下水源,严格限制过量开采,以防止地面下沉和盐水入侵;合理开发海岸带资源,保护生态环境,严格限制超标排污;积极参加国际合作,逐步限制CO_2等温室气体的排放,和缓海平面上升趋势,争取大幅度减轻海岸带灾害。     

沿海防潮堤坝对风暴潮危害的减灾效益研究

风暴潮是海洋灾害中对人类造成损失最为严重的类型之一,海岸带地区防潮堤坝的修建对抵御风暴潮起到重要的作用。在综述国内外风暴潮研究的基础上,提出了沿海防潮堤坝对风暴潮的减灾效益的定量研究方法。以黄河三角洲9711号特大台风风暴潮为例,利用G IS技术模拟了无防潮堤坝情况下海岸带地区的受灾面积以及经济损失,并与实际灾害损失进行对比,得出防潮堤坝减少的风暴潮灾害经济损失为25.7亿元的结果,证实了兴建防潮工程的必要性。利用费用-效益法对防潮堤坝工程进行了成本与减灾效益评估,分析了防潮堤坝修建的经济合理性。     

论防震应急系统工程

为了减轻地震灾害给人类造成的损失,需要推行防震应急系统工程.这项系统工程应该包括:综合监测;综合预测;地震灾害综合评估、编制地震灾害系列区划图;圈定防震应急目标区、制定防震应急预案;推动防震应急社会响应联动系统工程;实施分阶段防震应急;建立递进式动态分级分阶段社会响应机制;开展综合减灾,减轻地震伴生灾害、次生灾害及防震应急措施不当造成的损失;研究地震灾害对社会发展的影响,根据区域地震灾害承载力,制定与减灾相结合的发展策略.     

防洪减灾观念的理论进展--灾害双重属性概念及其科学哲学基础

提出灾害的双重属性概念,是国际减灾十年活动中的重要理论进展之一,已被国家防洪减灾主管部门所采纳,被认为是防洪减灾方针转变的理论基础.作者总结了多年来的研究心得,论述了灾害双重属性概念的实质,以及它和工程与非工程相结合的减灾措施之异同.论述了这个科学概念系来源于我国传统治水理念和西方现代防洪减灾思想,并阐述了这一概念的科学和哲学基础.     

首都大学生的自然灾害认知调查与减灾教育建议

2006年国际减灾日的主题是"减灾始于学校",了解学生的灾害认知水平有助于减灾教育工作的有效开展。以北京5所高校的大学生为调查对象,通过问卷方式调查大学生对自然灾害的关注程度、防灾意识、灾害理论知识、应急行为知识以及对减灾教育的看法。问卷统计结果表明:大学生总体的灾害认知水平较低,现行减灾教育方式和内容与学生的期望有较大偏差。在此基础上,提出了减灾教育内容要将学生"该知道的"与"想知道的"相结合,通过演练演习等方式提高学生的防灾应急实际技能等减灾教育建议。     

城市自然灾害的社会因素及防治对策研究

以社会、经济意义作标准,抑减自然灾害的重点应在城市、因而研究城市自然灾害的社会因素是当务之急.本文列出并分析了十大社会因素,它们是:1)城市地生态;2)城市的灾害文化背景;3)政策导向的正负效应;4)城市规划与建设;5)城市公共设施状况;6)人口和财富的集中程度;7)城市资源的开发利用;8)科技对城市减灾的贡献率;9)防灾减灾的误区;10)灾害应急.本文还认为以上十大因素对城市自然灾害的作用至少包括五个方面,它们是:1)诱发作用;2)放大作用;3)连接灾害链;4)承受灾害;5)抑减灾害.在以上基础上,本文提出了充分利用城市社会因素抗灾减灾的八条对策,即1)建立统一管理城市自然灾害工作的综合性政府机构势在必行;2)强化防灾减灾的背景工作;3)防灾减灾工作的立法;4)认清和摆正发展与灾害的关系;5)尊重科学、尊重知识,建立一套灾害顾问系统;6)建立一支快速救灾的专业队伍;7)加强保险事业与灾害研究和抑减工作的联系;8)城市间的协凋必须要有全局对策.     

中国近40年自然灾害总况与减灾对策建议

中国是世界上自然灾害最严重的少数国家之一。大陆地震的频次和强度居世界之首,占全球地震能量的十分之一以上;台风登陆的频次每年达七次;旱、涝灾害,山地灾害,海岸带灾害连年不断;危及工农业生产和城市安全相当严重。本文介绍了中国近40年自然灾害总况,现有的受灾害威胁的状况和防御能力,最后提出了监测、预报、抗灾、防灾、救灾和援建为要点的减灾系统工程建议。     

创建中国的农业减灾科技体系

中国是世界上农业灾害严重和频繁的国家,中国社会经济发展、经济全球化和全球气候变暖给农业灾害的发生带来了许多新的特点,创建中国的农业减灾科技体系势在必行。分析了农业灾害与一般灾害的不同特点,提出农业减灾科技体系应由农业灾害学与农业减灾系统工程两大部分组成;分别论述了农业灾害学的理论与内容框架,和农业减灾系统工程的基本内涵。最后,对如何创建中国的农业减灾科技体系提出了若干建议。     

Cholera in Sudan: An account of an epidemic in a refugee camp in eastern Sudan, May-June 1985

In 1985 cholera has been a serious problem in the horn of Africa, particularly affecting the many famine victims and refugees in that region. In this paper the history of cholera in Africa is briefly summarized, as is the background to the current refugee situation in eastern Sudan. A cholera epidemic involving 1,175 cases in two adjacent refugee camps in eastern Sudan is described. In this epidemic there were thirteen inpatient deaths and thirty-eight known home deaths from cholera. The management of the epidemic is described in detail. Overall an average of 8 1. of intravenous fluid was used per case, a higher figure than was anticipated, probably because of the unexpected degree of vomiting and the shortage of trained nursing staff.
The relationship between cholera and malnutrition is explored and hypochlorhydria is suggested as the main reason for the increased susceptibility to cholera among malnourished populations. It was observed that severely malnourished adults and children appeared to nave less severe diarrhoea with their cholera, presumably because of reduced mucosal surface area and poor enterocyte function. Finally possible means of aborting cholera epidemics are discussed.     

A retrospective statistical review of deaths owing to migration through the southeasternmost land borders of the European Union,Greece 2000–14

The land borders of Evros, Greece, have been a common entry point for undocumented migrants on their way to Europe through Turkey. Adverse conditions, however, have resulted in many human casualties over the years. On the Greek side, 334 cadavers were retrieved between 2000 and 2014. This study provides a detailed forensic account of the humanitarian disaster in Evros to create an official scientific record of the situation. It showcases the gravity of the global issue of migration relating to health and mortality, and encourages communication and continual improvement of the approach and patterns of practices surrounding the subject. A retrospective statistical research review was conducted of border‐related fatalities between 2000 and 2014, assessing the age and gender of victims, the cause of death, the location of bodies, identification rates, and country of origin. Age ranged generally from 24 to 29 years, but infants and children were among the deceased.     

Complexity,continuity and change: livelihood resilience in the Darfur region of Sudan

Darfur farming and pastoralist livelihoods are both adaptations to the environmental variability that characterises the region. This article describes this adaptation and the longer‐term transformation of these specialised livelihoods from the perspective of local communities. Over several decades farmers and herders have experienced a continuous stream of climate, conflict and other shocks, which, combined with wider processes of change, have transformed livelihoods and undermined livelihood institutions. Their well‐rehearsed specialist strategies are now combined with new strategies to cope. These responses help people get by in the short term but risk antagonising not only their specialist strategies but also those of others. A combination of factors has undermined the former integration between farming and pastoralism and their livelihood institutions. Efforts to build resilience in similar contexts must take a long‐term view of livelihood adaptation as a specialisation, and consider the implications of new strategies for the continuity and integration of livelihood specialisations.     

The cultural politics of mining and natural disaster in Indonesia: by fire and sword

Natural disasters are inevitably the outcome of cultural agonisms. The cultural politics of natural disasters are shaped by competing claims and conceptions of ‘nature’. Recent disasters in Indonesia are directly linked to these contending conceptions and the ways in which different social groups imagine risk and reward. The Sidoarjo volcanic mudflow of 2006 represents a volatile and violent exemplar of contending cultural and economic claims. Like other disasters in Indonesia and elsewhere in the developing world, this ‘natural’ disaster is characterised by differing conceptions of ‘nature’ as cultural tradition, divine force, and natural resource. A new extractive project in East Java is exhibiting similar economic and cultural agonisms, particularly around the notion of development, environment, self‐determination, and tradition. This paper examines the ‘disputes over meaning’ associated with natural disasters in contemporary societies, and the ways in which they are related to human culture, social organisation, and hierarchical systems of violence.     

Fiji, land of tropical cyclones and hurricanes: A case study of agricultural rehabilitation

Tropical cyclones and hurricanes have a severe impact on the social and economic activities of affected communities. For small island nations in the Pacific region, the effects can be devastating because of their smallness. FQi and several other countries in the region are vulnerable to such disasters as they are situated in the zone where cyclones occur frequently.
During the last decade, the frequency of natural disasters and their adverse impact on die economic and social development of small nations like Fiji, has aroused awareness mat relief efforts must go beyond immediate "mopping up" operations to those which contribute to attaining longer term benefits through reconstruction and rehabilitation.
The paper outlines the 1985 agricultural rehabilitation program and discusses related issues and problems.     

Risk communication in emergency response to a simulated extreme flood

Risk communication in flood incident management can be improved through developing hydrometeorological and engineering models used as tools for communicating risk between scientists and emergency management professionals. A range of such models and tools was evaluated by participating flood emergency managers during a 4-day, real-time simulation of an extreme event in the Thamesmead area in the Thames estuary close to London, England. Emergency managers have different communication needs and value new tools differently, but the indications are that a range of new tools could be beneficial in flood incident management. Provided they are communicated large model uncertainties are not necessarily unwelcome among flood emergency managers. Even so they are cautious about sharing the ownership of weather and flood modelling uncertainties.     

The ethical contours of research in crisis settings: five practical considerations for academic institutional review boards and researchers

The number of research studies in the humanitarian field is rising. It is imperative, therefore, that institutional review boards (IRBs) consider carefully the additional risks present in crisis contexts to ensure that the highest ethical standards are upheld. Ethical guidelines should represent better the specific issues inherent to research among populations grappling with armed conflict, disasters triggered by natural hazards, or health‐related emergencies. This paper seeks to describe five issues particular to humanitarian settings that IRBs should deliberate and on which they should provide recommendations to overcome associated challenges: staged reviews of protocols in acute emergencies; flexible reviews of modification requests; addressing violence and the traumatic experiences of participants; difficulties in attaining meaningful informed consent among populations dependent on aid; and ensuring reviews are knowledgeable of populations' needs. Considering these matters when reviewing protocols will yield more ethically sound research in humanitarian settings and hold researchers accountable to appropriate ethical standards.     

The need to look beyond the production and provision of relief seed: experiences from southern Sudan

Free distribution of seeds in selected areas of southern Sudan has been widespread as a way of increasing food security. Field research in areas targeted for seed relief found that farmer seed systems continue to meet the crop and varietal needs of farmers even following the 1998 famine. Donor investments in seed multiplication of improved sorghum have not been sustained due to a lack of effective demand for the improved seed beyond that created by the relief agencies. The article argues that rather than imposing outside solutions, whether through seed provisioning or seed production enterprises, greater attention needs to be given to building on the strengths of existing farmer systems and designing interventions to alleviate the weaknesses. The case is made to support dynamically the process of farmer experimentation through the informed introduction of new crops and varieties that can potentially reinforce the strength and diversity of local cropping systems.     

Social capital and food security in post-conflict rural Lira District,northern Uganda

While a strong relationship has been established between social capital and food security in the research literature, it is uncertain whether this holds in post-conflict situations. This study examines associations between social capital and food security in post-conflict Lira District, northern Uganda. Since factors affecting food security are complex, we explored the roles of households' characteristics in food security outcomes. Data were collected from March to July 2011 through face-to-face interviews with 221 heads of household in rural Lira. Using multinomial logistic regression, a strong positive association was identified between social capital and household food security. The study also found significant associations of food security with sex, education of household head, amount of cultivated land, and farm and home possessions. The results of this analysis can aid the design of food security programmes that empower poor people while targeting the most vulnerable groups, thereby promoting sustainable development in post-conflict communities.