The vulnerability of small island States to sea level rise: the need for holistic strategies

There is uncertainty about climate change and its socioenvironmental implications, but the vulnerability of small island states to hazardous events is likely to become increasingly significant. It will not be a normally benign sea that rises but the incidence of storms and cyclones can be assumed to increase with tropical sea-surface temperatures. The proportional socioeconomic impact of tropical cyclone disasters makes these of crucial significance to small islands and small island states. Sea-defences are of little use (and may not be feasible at all) against the damage caused by tropical cyclones and some sea-surges. Social and economic adjustments are also required to parallel erosion control; and disaster preparedness "longstops" must be further developed as a matter of urgency. Apparently small measures must not be displaced by images of ultimate, massive catastrophe; adjustments may serve other functions in society as well. International and bilateral measures are required to take account of migration and"ecological refugees" and national administrations may require modification to take appropriate account of this most crucial of environmental phenomena.     

Where the exception confirms the rule: The cyclones of 1982-1983 in French Polynesia

The island groups of French Polynesia, which had not experienced any really devastating cyclones since the beginning of the century, were hard hit several times between December 1982 and April 1983. This paper reviews the cost of damage from these cyclones and shows how lowered public awareness of the hazard in a low-frequency area combined with the special economic conditions prevailing in the Territory to make the total cost much higher than it need have been. Ways and means of rehabilitation are analyzed. The development of the thermal imbalance in the Pacific, which appears to have triggered this series of natural disasters, only seemingly exceptional, is briefly discussed.     

登陆广东的热带气旋及其产生的灾害链

根据广东省1949～2000年52年的热带气旋统计资料和减灾防灾年鉴，对登陆广东的热带气旋灾害特征及其形成的灾害链进行了研究。结果表明，登陆广东热带气旋灾害发生频次高，强度大，范围广，突发性、并发性强；具有区域性，季节性，并有集中于某一地区某一时间的特征。由于热带气旋各致灾因子的连锁反应，次生灾害常形成多种灾害链。本文根据灾害链成因对其进行了分类分析。     

发展中国家灾害经济的特点、成因及对策

发展中国家人口众多，经济技术落后，酱稀缺，抗灾能力低，防灾意识不强，加多不合理经济活动对环境的过度干预以及发达国家转嫁环境灾害和社会危机，致使发展中国家产生灾害的潜在因素日益增加，灾害的成灾损失越来越严重，灾害对经济发展的影响与经济因素对灾害的影响都在日益加深，形成恶性循环。本文从经济学角度提出了防灾减灾就采取的主要对策。     

中国台风灾害及其影响的研究

中国是世界上受热带气旋影响最严重的国家之一。本文对影响和登陆中国的热带气旋活动的特征、台风灾害特点及其形成规律作了分析，并讨论了台风灾害对中国社会和经济发展的影响。分析结果指出，影响中国的台风灾害具有发生频率高、突发性强、群发性显著、影响范围广、成灾强度大等特点，这类灾害主要由台风带来的狂风、暴雨、风暴潮及其引发的灾害链所造成。台风灾害不仅造成大批人员伤亡，而且对中国各个经济部门都有严重影响，它所     

Sustainability: Key to West China Development

The initiative of" West China Development(WCD) " ,launched by the Central Government,is ofgreat importance:to realizing the enormous resource and market potentials of the region,topromoting balanced development of the national economy,to improving the living standards ofpeople in the western areas,to achieving the goal of" common richness" set up by former stateleader H.E.Mr.DENG Xiaoping,as well as to consolidating solidarity of the nation,socialsecurity and border safety in the west.It…     

Revealing the socioeconomic impact of small disasters in Colombia using the DesInventar database

Small disasters are usually the product of climate variability and climate change. Analysis of them illustrates that they increase difficulties for local development—frequently affecting the livelihoods of poor people and perpetuating their level of poverty and human insecurity—and entail challenges for a country's development. In contrast to extreme events, small disasters are often invisible at the national level and their effects are not considered as relevant from a macroeconomic standpoint. Nevertheless, their accumulated impact causes economic, environmental and social problems. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the DesInventar database, developed in 1994 by the Network for Social Studies in Disaster Prevention in Latin America. In addition, it proposes a new version of the Local Disaster Index developed in 2005 within the framework of the Disaster Risk and Management Indicators Program for the Americas, with the support of the Inter‐American Development Bank.     

1991年华南地区热带气旋灾害概况

本文介绍了1991年在我国登陆的6个热带气旋灾害的特点及其所造成的人员伤亡与经济损失。     

20世纪全球重大毒性灾害及其历史教训

本文回顾了20世纪世界41个国家发生的200起重大毒性灾害，分析研究了毒性灾害种类的历史演变、成因与特征，及其对人类社会和经济发展造成的重大影响和与经济损失。研究表明，随着科技发展与经济的全球化，21世纪将是毒性灾害频繁发生的时期，应从历史事件中汲取经验教训，采取果断有力措施，减少毒性灾害的发生，减轻毒性灾害造成的损失。     

热带气旋"碧利斯"与"派比安"灾害成因对比分析

2006年,对广西间接影响的第4号强热带风暴"碧利斯"和正面袭击的第6号台风"派比安",共造成直接经济损失42亿元,占广西全年所有气象灾害造成的直接经济损失的50%。对比分析"碧利斯"与"派比安"的灾害特点与成因,从而可引发对防御措施的思考。     

岷江上游泥石流灾害特征分析

岷江上游地区地质条件复杂,新构造运动强烈,地震活跃,地形起伏巨大,降水季节分配不均,对泥石流发育极为有利;而长期不合理的人类经济活动如过度采伐森林、毁林开荒、陡坡耕作、不合理弃渣等则对生态环境造成强烈破坏,加剧了泥石流灾害的发生,使岷江上游成为我国泥石流活动比较强烈及灾害比较严重的地区之一.研究该地区泥石流灾害,掌握其特征是防灾减灾所必需,对促进岷江上游地区社会经济发展和西部大开发具有重要意义.     

公共支出减损巨灾影响的理论与政策研究——兼谈促进巨灾保险事业发展的财政政策

近几十年来,随着经济的发展和人口的增加,全球自然灾害越来越频繁,也越来越严重,人为导致的突发事件造成的损害也越来越大。对此,从理论上探讨了巨灾出现的经济影响,并从实际出发分析了巨灾造成的社会损失。在此基础上,从公共财政的角度提出了减灾的财税政策,及促进巨灾保险事业发展的财税措施。     

洪灾对柳州可持续发展的影响及减灾对策

通过对柳州市洪灾特点的分析，探讨了洪灾对柳州市经济、社会可持续发展的制约作用，提出洪灾的治理必须走可发展的道路，采用工程措施和非工程措施相结合的对策。     

广东自然灾害成因及其对经济的影响

本文从地理位置、地形特征、地质构造、水文特征、天气气候特征、人类活动、经济结构与布局,以及社会环境等8个方面分析了广东自然灾害形成的环境条件及类型,并分析研究了成灾特点和对广东经济发展的影响。结果表明,广东自然灾害的形成及其成灾频度和强度,既决定于自然环境的变异,也受制于人类活动和社会经济环境,并具有区域性、周期性、群发性、连锁性、阶段性和社会性等特点,自然灾害对于广东经济发展的严重影响有日益加剧的趋势。     

Business closure and relocation: a comparative analysis of the Loma Prieta earthquake and Hurricane Andrew

The occurrence of a number of large‐scale disasters or catastrophes in recent years, including the Indian Ocean tsunami (2004), the Kashmir earthquake (2005), Hurricane Katrina (2005) and Hurricane Ike (2008), have raised our awareness regarding the devastating effects of disasters on human populations and the importance of developing mitigation and preparedness strategies to limit the consequences of such events. However, there is still a dearth of social science research focusing on the socio‐economic impact of disasters on businesses in the United States. This paper contributes to this research literature by focusing on the impact of disasters on business closure and relocation through the use of multivariate logistic regression models, specifically focusing on the Loma Prieta earthquake (1989) and Hurricane Andrew (1992). Using a multivariate model, we examine how physical damage to the infrastructure, lifeline disruption and business characteristics, among others, impact business closure and relocation following major disasters.     

西北地区生态环境恶化致灾与改良对策

西北地区是我国生态环境十分脆弱的地区。由于人们认识上的局限,社会生产活动中许多有害于环境的成份不断增大失控,导致生态环境日益恶化,促使自然灾害增多,以致在很大程度上制约国民经济的发展和群众生活水平的提高。作者紧密结合西北地区环境恶化的现状,如植被破坏,土地退化、水资源缺乏和环境污染,及其对区域经济发展带来的损失等问题,进行了全面系统的分析,在追寻生态环境恶化成因的基础上,提出了积极的改良对策。     

Identifying and mapping community vulnerability

Disaster vulnerability is socially constructed, i.e., it arises out of the social and economic circumstances of everyday living. Most often discussed from the perspective of developing nations, this article extends the argument using American demographic trends. Examples from recent disasters, Hurricane Andrew in particular, illustrate how certain categories of people, such as the poor, the elderly, women-headed households and recent residents, are at greater risk throughout the disaster response process. Knowledge of where these groups are concentrated within communities and the general nature of their circumstances is an important step towards effective emergency management. Emergency planners, policy-makers and responding organisations are encouraged to identify and locate high-risk sectors on Community Vulnerability Maps, integrating this information into GIS systems where feasible. Effective disaster management calls for aggressively involving these neighbourhoods and groups at all levels of planning and response, as well as mitigation efforts that address the root causes of vulnerability.     

川滇黔地区突发性自然灾害的系统分析

本文从灾害链的角度闸述了该区的灾害类型及活动模式。在系统分析灾害对社会经济的影响后,得出因灾造成的损失,其比重是很大的。本区灾害具有强度大、突发性强、分布广、区域性强,以及同步迭加交替出现和周期性特点。在此基础上对灾害发展趋势作了预测,提出了相应的防治对策。     

浅析灾害间接经济损失评估的重要性

灾害损失评估是灾害风险管理、科学防灾减灾规划的基础。除了直接经济损失外,间接经济损失是反映灾害影响强度及社会经济系统脆弱性的重要指标。经济越发达,经济系统关联程度越高,经济系统的脆弱性就越大,灾害间接经济影响也越大。已有研究表明,灾害间接经济损失往往与直接经济损失为同一量级,甚至是直接经济损失的数倍。间接经济损失评估是科学评价灾害影响不可或缺的组成部分,其中,产业部门间接经济损失和灾后恢复重建期的评估,可以为灾后恢复重建决策和防灾减灾规划提供有效的决策工具。政府决策者、学术界应重视灾害,特别是重大灾害(或巨灾)对地区经济长期可持续发展可能造成的影响,从而为减轻灾害的影响做好充分准备。     

80年代以来全球重大气象灾害评述

８０年代以来世界异常气候和气象灾害频繁发生，有些灾害甚至造成了极其严重的社会和经济后果．本文根据所收集到的观测资料，对８０年代以来全球的重大气象灾害及其影响进行了评述．