BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article: Famine and Food Security in Africa and Asia: Indigenous Response and External Intervention to Avoid Hunger, edited by Hans G. Bohle, Terry Cannon, Graeme Hugo and Fouad N. Ibrahim. When the Grass is Gone: Development Interventions in African Arid Lands, edited by P.T.W. Baxter. Survival Strategies and External Interventions in a Semi-arid Region at the Kenya/Uganda Border: Western Pokot, 1900–86, by Ton Dietz. Global Warming: Who is Taking the Heat?, by G. Foley     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed: John Twigg and Mihir R. Bhatt, eds, Understanding Vulnerability Joachim von Braun, Tesfaye Teklu and Patrick Webb, Famine in Africa: Causes, Responses, and Prevention C. Emdad Haque, Hazrads in a Fickle Environment: Bangladesh Walter Gillis Peacock, Betty Hearn Morrow and Hugh Gladwin, eds, Population and Food: Global Trends and Future Prospects Roy Gutman and David Rieff, eds, Crimes of War: What the Public Should Know     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
Waiting for Disaster: Earthquake Watch in California, by Ralph H. Turner, Joanne M. Nigg and Denise Heller Paz.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article: Hunger and Public Action, by Jean Drèze and Amartya Sen Global Warming: Are We Entering the Greenhouse Century?, by Stephen H. Schneider Climate Change and World Agriculture, by Martin Parry The Poor Die Young: Housing and Health in Third World Cities, edited by Jorge E. Hardoy     

Continue to blame it on the rain? Conceptualization of drought and failure of food systems in the Greater Horn of Africa

Food insecurity continues to be prevalent in parts of Africa. In December 2015, there were approximately 21.6 million food insecure people in the Horn and East Africa. Climate change is likely to exacerbate current volatility of agricultural production and lead to further food insecurity. Whilst the academic literature has acknowledged the complexity of food insecurity and systems, it is not clear to what extent this has been translated into practice. We argue that there is a tendency to explain complex failures of food systems as ‘droughts’, with insufficient attention paid to other drivers. We analyse humanitarian documents and climate outlook statements in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia and assess how these are reflected in the humanitarian responses to food insecurity in the region by analysing the financing of humanitarian operations. Our findings indicate that the continued evolution in understanding the complex causes of food insecurity and attempts to move away from emergency relief to a more sophisticated approach has not translated into an observable change in humanitarian responses. The reasons behind this persistence of short-term relief, which is being justified with reference to climatic factors, mainly drought, would warrant further research into the decision-making process that triggers humanitarian responses.

List of abbreviations: ACF: Action Contre le Faim; DCM: Drought Cycle Management; DEC: Disaster Emergency Committee; ECHO: European Commission Humanitarian Office; EU: European Union; EWS: Early Warning System; FAO: Food and Agricultural Organization; FEWSNET: Famine Early Warning System Network; FSNAU: Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit; FTS: Financial Tracking Service; GHACOF: Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum; GIEWS: Global Information and Early Warning System; IASC: Inter Agency Standing Committee; ICPAC: IGAD Climate Application and Prediction Centre; IFRC: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; IGAD: Inter-Governmental Authority on Development; IPCC: International Panel for Climate Change; LEWS: Livestock Early Warning System; ODI: Overseas Development Initiative; PASDEP: Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to Eradicate Poverty; PSNP: Productive Safety Net Programme; UNDRO: United Nations Disaster Relief Office; UNISDR: United Nations International; UN OCHA: United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; USAID: United States Agency for International Development; WFP: World Food Programme     

Reviews

Alex de Waal Famine Crimes: Politics and the Disaster Relief Industry in Africa Keith Smith Environmental Hazards: Assessing Risk and Reducing Disaster Kenneth Hewitt Regions of Risk: A Geographical Introduction to Disasters John Seaman The Public Health Consequences of Disasters John Prendergast Frontline Diplomacy. Humanitarian Aid and Conflict in Africa John Prendergast Crisis Response. Humanitarian Band-Aids in Sudan and Somalia Christopher Hood and David K.C. Jones Accident and Design: Contemporary Debates on Risk Management D. Hulme and M. Edwards NGOs, States and Donors. Too Close for Comfort? James C. Hathaway Reconceiving International Refugee Law Rhona Flin Sitting in the Hot Seat Donald Meichenbaum On Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Handbook and Practice Manual for Therapy R. Scarpa and R.I. Tilling Monitoring and Mitigation of Volcano Hazards Hanna Schmuck-Widmann Living with Floods: Survival Strategies of Char-dwellers in Bangladesh     

Book Reviews

von Kotze, Astrid; Holloway, Alisa Reducing Risk: Participatory Learning Activities for Disaster Mitigation in Southern Africa Welford, Richard Environmental Strategy and Sustainable Development — The Corporate Challenge for the 21st Century Richards, Paul Fighting for the Rain Forest: War, Youth and Resources in Sierra Leone Blaikie, Piers; Cannon, Terry; Davis, Ian; Wisner, Ben At Risk: Natural Hazards, People's Vulnerability and Disasters Buchanan-Smith, M.; Davies, S. Famine Early Warning and Response — The Missing Link     

Mapping the public first‐aid training landscape: uptake,knowledge, confidence and willingness to deliver first aid in disasters/emergencies—a scoping review

The above article from Disasters, published online on 24 June 2019 in Wiley Online Library ( http://wileyonlinelibrary.com ) has been withdrawn by agreement among the authors, the Journal editors and John Wiley & Sons Inc. on behalf of ODI. The withdrawal has been agreed because this is a duplicate of an article that has been published in Disasters Volume 44 Issue 1.     

海域地震动强度包络模型研究∗

人工模拟地震动是目前开展海洋工程结构抗震分析的主要地震输入分析。强度包络函数是人工模拟地震动的重要参数,决定了地震动的强度非平稳性特性,并对地震动持时起控制作用。目前的地震动强度包络模型均是基于陆域地震动记录统计分析得出,无法准确反应海域地震动的强度特性。因此,基于日本 K?Net 强震动观测台网的实测地震数据库,分析海域地震动在时域中强度分布特性;提出适用于海域地震动的三段式强度包络模型,回归得到震级 M、震中距 R 及关键参数上升段 t₁、强震平稳段 t_s、下降段衰减率 c（无量纲）的计算表达式;研究震级、震中距对海域地震动强度包络模型的影响规律,并探讨海域地震动与陆域地震动强度包络模型的异同。研究结果表明：海域地震动强度包络模型中关键参数上升段 t₁、强震平稳段 t_s、下降段衰减率 c 的取值范围分别为[13~52 s], [12~79 s],[0.037~0.173];震级对关键参数（t₁、t_s、c）的影响要大于震中距;与陆域地震动相比,海域地震动的强度包络模型的下降段衰减率 c 相差显著,且各关键参数的分布范围更大。     

The impact of heat waves on daily mortality in Belgrade (Serbia) during summer

In this paper, we are dealing with two extreme events in temperature and population – heat wave and mortality. Our aim is to assess the relation between high temperatures and daily mortality counts during the summer months in the period 2000–2010 in Belgrade (Serbia). In order to establish this connection, we used Poisson regression and two different measures of heat wave: Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) and apparent temperature (T _app). As mean daily temperature increases over 90th, 95th and 99th percentiles, average number of deaths increases for 15.3% (p?<?.01), 22.4% (p?<?.05) and 32.0% (insignificant for p?<?.1). We tested three different thresholds (90th, 95th, 99th) for WSDI and T _app in order to separate the hottest heat-wave episodes. On average, mortality is higher than expected for 13.4%, 16.7% and 28.3% (90th, 95th and 99th percentiles for WSDI) and 16.1%, 17.3% and 32.5% (90th, 95th and 99th percentiles for T _app). Estimated mortality excess with heat-wave indices is in accordance with regression output, meaning that WSDI and T _app are good tools for heat-wave identification. During the most severe episode in July 2007, absolute temperature maximum (43.6°C) and daily maximum mortality counts (94 dead) were recorded in the same day (24 July 2007).     

The unthinkable: who survives when disaster strikes – and why

Book reviewed in this issue. The unthinkable: who survives when disaster strikes – and why Amanda Ripley     

Understanding recovery of small enterprises from natural disaster

This study, carried out among 251 small-scale firm owners by means of a cross-sectional survey, attempted to identify the factors affecting business recovery from disaster in a flood-prone area of Bangladesh. We selected the participants by using a convenience sampling technique, taking into consideration the characteristics of the firms, and the various enabling- and disaster-impact factors needed to identify those factors significant to business recovery from natural disaster. Results demonstrated that more than three-quarters (87.3%) of owners recovered their firms after disaster. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that a total of six variables had a significant impact on business recovery: two variables pertaining to the firms’ characteristics, namely, retail firms (OR?=?0.147, P?<?0.05) and the number of employees >4 (OR?=?0.094, P?<?0.01); two variables pertaining to enabling factors, namely, receiving loans (OR?=?0.232, P?<?0.01) and the perception of recovery (OR?=?16.178, P?<?0.01); and two variables pertaining to disaster-impact factors, namely, an income loss amounting to >BDT 2000 (OR?=?7.395, P?<?0.05) and permanent or temporary relocation of the market (OR?=?9.252, P?<?0.001). Results further demonstrated that almost equally half of the owners recovered their firms immediately or within 7 days after disaster (50.9%); the remaining 49.1% took longer. Multivariate analyses, on the other hand, significantly identified three characteristics, namely, 6–10 years of business operation (OR?=?0.267, P?<?0.01), 2–4 employees (OR?=?0.1.822, P?<?0.01), and a monthly income of BDT 5001–7500 (OR?=?4.167, P?<?0.01); two enabling factors, namely, institutional education (OR?=?0.400, P?<?0.05) and awareness of disaster assistance (OR?=?0.607, P?<?0.05); and two disaster-impact factors, namely, loss of human resources (OR?=?6.293, P?<?0.05) and interrupted supply of raw materials (OR?=?4.741, P?<?0.05). We concluded the study with discussions of a few policy implications.     

基于Ap/Vp的双薄壁高墩刚构桥抗震性能研究

为了研究地震频谱特性对柔性桥梁抗震性能的影响,以正弦波为例推导了地震动能量与A_p/V_p的关系,基于能力需求比提出了桥梁抗震性能评估方法及计算公式。以某典型高墩连续刚构桥为工程背景,采用地震动参数A_p=0.4g的22条正弦波和7条实际地震记录,对比研究了桥梁纵、横向抗震性能随A_p/V_p的变化规律。结果表明:在地震动参数A_p相同的情况下,桥梁关键截面抗震能力需求比在纵、横桥向均随A_p/V_p的增大而呈现增长的规律,最大增幅超过12.92倍(正弦波)和2.31倍(实际波);按正弦波得到能力需求比普遍大于实际波,且随A_p/V_p增大而增大的规律更明显。研究发现将地震动参数A_p作为单一的抗震设计指标会导致桥梁抗震性能离散性很大,A_p/V_p可作为柔性桥梁抗震设计的补充指标。     

局部冲刷下砂土中桩‑盘复合基础H‑T联合承载特性∗

海上风机基础工作时既承受复杂组合荷载作用,也受波流冲刷影响。单桩?摩擦盘复合基础同时结合了单桩与重力式基础的特点,摩擦盘还可起防冲板作用。为探讨砂土地基中 H?T 联合作用时局部冲刷对这种复合基础承载特性的影响,首先基于室内水槽试验装置,完成了一系列模型载荷试验;获得了冲刷前后桩?盘复合基础的荷载位移曲线,经无量纲化处理与曲线拟合,获得 H?T 联合受荷桩?盘复合基础的承载包络线及其简化计算公式。然后,采用有限元细化分析了主要冲刷参数（冲刷深度、冲刷宽度、冲刷角度）及加载点高度对复合基础承载特性的影响,结果表明：冲刷坑的存在使复合基础的横向及扭转抗力明显降低,削弱程度分别可达 25% 及 45%;进一步分析表明,桩身弯矩值随加载点高度的增加而显著增大,随预加扭矩的增加呈下降趋势;局部冲刷会明显削弱复合基础的承载力,同时 H?T 联合作用时相应的承载力包络线向内发生不同程度的收缩;其中,冲刷深度的影响最大,对横向抗力与扭转抗力的削弱程度分别可达约 35% 及 60%,冲刷角度次之,冲刷宽度的影响最小;此外,不同加载路径下桩?盘复合基础承载力包络线呈现一定程度的差异。     

近场地震下评估单层网壳响应的地震动强度参数分析

为了选取近场地震动作用下适于评估单层网壳结构响应的地震动强度参数,以3个矢跨比不同的单层球面网壳和5个矢跨比、长宽比不同的单层柱面网壳为模型,从相关性、有效性及充分性3个方面对多个地震动强度参数进行分析评价。结果表明,对于单层球面网壳结构,水平向的相关系数大于竖向的相关系数.加速度反应谱值S_a(T_1)和S_a(T_2)为近场地震动作用下适于评估单层球面网壳结构响应的地震动强度参数;对于单层柱面网壳结构,跨度方向的相关系数大于长度方向和竖向的相关系数,近场地震动作用下适于评估单层柱面网壳结构响应的地震动强度参数为S_a(T)、速度反应谱值S_v(T)和位移反应谱值S_d(T),当单层柱面网壳的长宽比和矢跨比较大时,T应取第一阶振型的自振周期T_1,当单层柱面网壳的长宽比和矢跨比较小时,T应取第二、三阶振型的自振周期T_2和T_3。     

Environmental equity in a sunbelt city: the spatial distribution of toxic hazards in Phoenix,Arizona

Abstract

This paper examines the spatial distributions of industrial facilities emitting toxic substances in the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan region. The analysis relies on geographic information system mapping of hazardous facilities listed in the Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) to assess the spatial distribution of polluting industries in relation to the demographic composition of host neighborhoods. The research addresses four questions: (1) Are there differences between the socioeconomic characteristics of neighborhoods with and without polluting industrial facilities? (2) Is there a relationship between the volume of toxic chemicals released from industrial facilities and the socioeconomic characteristics of host neighborhoods? (3) Is there a relationship between the toxicity of the chemicals released from industrial facilities and the socioeconomic characteristics of those living in proximity? (4) Do alternative methods for determining the distribution of potentially affected populations produce different observed patterns of environmental inequities? The study concludes that there is a clear pattern of environmental inequity in Phoenix based on the location and volume of emissions of TRI facilities. Analysis of the toxicity of emissions found a more equal distribution of risk, reflecting the suburbanization of high-technology industries into predominantly white middle-class communities.     

Impact of climatic shocks on child human capital: evidence from young lives data

This study attempts to assess the impact of two different climatic shocks, drought and excessive rainfall/flood, as perceived by households on child human capital across four countries: Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam – countries with diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Human capital, in this context, subsumes both child learning and health outcomes. The data source is the Young Lives Study and cross-sectional household data on the older cohort of children (between 14 and 16 years of age) are utilized, for the year 2009. The enrolment rate, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Cloze test and Math test scores are used as proxies for child learning outcomes. The health outcome variables being studied are the WHO-defined Body Mass Index z-scores and Height for Age z-scores. The overall objective is to study heterogeneity in responses to shock in terms of the development of human capital across the set of countries considered. Additionally, the study elaborates on the role of institutional help, during crisis, and the role of household characteristics in buffering these climatic shocks.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
The Political Economy of Hunger. Volume I: Entitlement and Wellbeing. Volume 11: Famine Prevention. Volume III: Endemic Hunger, edited by Jean Drèze and Amartya Sen
Surviving Drought and Development: Ariaal Pastoralists of Northern Kenya, by Elliot Fratkin
Hazard Management and Emergency Planning: Perspectives on Britain, edited by Dennis J. Parker and John W. Handmer, James and James Science Publishers Ltd
Resettlement and Famine in Ethiopia: The Villagers' Experience by Alula Pankhurst.
Restoring the Land: Environment and Change in Post-Apartheid South Africa , edited by Mamphela Ramphele with Chris McDowell     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
Doing Development: Governments, NGOs and the Rural Poor in Asia , edited by Richard Holloway
Local Warfare in Africa , edited by Susan Drucker-Brown     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
Preventing Famine: Policies and Prospects for Africa, edited by Donald Curtis, Michael Hubbard and Andrew Shepherd.