Evaluating betterment projects

In the past decade Australia has experienced a series of large‐scale, severe natural disasters including catastrophic bushfires, widespread and repeated flooding, and intense storms and cyclones. There appears to be a prima facie case for rebuilding damaged infrastructure to a more disaster resilient (that is, to ‘betterment’) standard. The purpose of this paper is to develop and illustrate a consistent and readily applied method for advancing proposals for the betterment of essential public assets, which can be used by governments at all levels to determine the net benefits of such proposals. Case study results demonstrate that betterment investments have the potential to deliver a positive economic return across a range of asset types and regions. Results, however, are highly sensitive to underlying assumptions; in particular the probability of the natural disaster affecting the infrastructure in the absence of betterment.     

Prioritisation of citizen‐centric information for disaster response

In the aftermath of a disaster event, and in the absence of trained professionals, many responsibilities are assumed by uninjured citizens who are willing and able to help, such as care of the injured or search and rescue. These citizens are constrained by communications and logistics problems but are less equipped to deal with them as most often they are cut off from any coordinated assistance. The method proposed in this study would increase the survivability of those injured or trapped by a disaster event by providing a facility to allow citizens to coordinate and share information among themselves. This is facilitated by the proposed deployment and the autonomous management of an ad hoc infrastructure that liaises directly with survivors without central control. Furthermore, as energy concerns present critical constraints to these networks, this research proposes a system of categorising information elements within the network to ensure efficient information exchange.     

Integrated disaster relief logistics: a stepping stone towards viable civil–military networks?

The twenty‐first century has seen a significant rise in all forms of disasters and this has resulted in military and humanitarian organisations becoming more frequently engaged in the provision of support to those affected. Achieving an efficient and effective logistic preparation and response is one of the key elements in mitigating the impact of such events, but the establishment of mechanisms to deliver an appropriately integrated civil–military approach remains elusive. Not least because of the high percentage of assistance budgets spent on logistics, this area is considered to represent fertile ground for developing improved processes and understanding. In practice, the demands placed on civilian and military logisticians are broadly similar, as is the solution space. Speaking a common language and using common concepts, it is argued, therefore, that the logistic profession should be in the vanguard of the development of an improved civil–military interface.     

环境因素数据质量审核方法研究

目的 解决大气环境试验站的气象数据报表存在数据缺失、数据超过边界、数据内部不一致、数据时间不一致等问题,采用数据质量审核技术找出缺失、可疑或错误的数据,对科研人员进行警示,使其能够追根溯源,分析存在问题的原因。方法 参照相关规程和标准,建立环境因素数据质量审核算法和审核流程,并使用计算机语言编程固化流程和算法,利用多线程算法对数据进行扫描,实现大批量气象数据的并行审核。结果 利用Python语言设计了环境因素质量控制软件,通过该软件的应用证明了该方法合理、有效,能够快速、准确地标注气象数据报表中存在质量问题的数据。利用软件统计了存在问题数据的数量和正确率。结论 通过加载数据测试,证明了环境因素数据质量审核方法和审核流程合理有效,利用设计的审核软件实现了气象数据报表快速审核,提高了审核效率,减少了科研人员的劳动强度,为进一步填补、修正和利用数据奠定了基础。     

川藏铁路四川段沿线诱发地质灾害降水阈值研究

利用2009—2019年川藏铁路沿线四川段地质灾害数据、国家气象中心逐小时降水量资料,统计了地质灾害与降水的关系,发现研究区89%的滑坡灾害和96.6%的泥石流均发生在汛期,且地质灾害高发路段位于青衣江暴雨区,与四川地区降水时空分布特征相吻合。分析雨型、降雨强度、前期降雨等因子对地质灾害的影响,发现快速激发,中速激发和慢速激发的地质灾害分别约占33.3%、25.9%、40.8%,表明降雨历时并不是影响地质灾害发生的最直接因子,前期降雨的作用不可忽视;结合环境因子对地质灾害进行了分区,基于降雨历时-雨强(I-D)预报模型建立了川藏铁路沿线四川段引发地质灾害的降水阈值分布。利用该降水阈值的分布特征,检验了2019年引发地质灾害的降水量,发现阈值雨量的判别方法较为科学,具有较强的参考价值。     

The effectiveness of forecast-based humanitarian assistance in anticipation of extreme winters: a case study of vulnerable herders in Mongolia

This paper presents evidence relating to a forecast-based cash and non-food item distribution among vulnerable herder households during the 2017–18 dzud (extreme winter) season in Mongolia, and analyses the results of a quasi-experimental study evaluating its impacts. An innovative approach in disaster risk reduction, forecast-based financing (FbF) can have short- and long-term benefits to vulnerable households but remains understudied. The paper contributes information on a multimodal FbF programme offering one-off cash grants and in-kind veterinary kits. The data found significant effects of reduced mortality and increased offspring survival in some types of livestock, and that the timing of FbF assistance is crucial, as reported early assistance correlated to positive outcomes in terms of reduced animal mortality. These findings can be used to design more effective FbF interventions, to understand better the appropriateness of FbF designs, and to use early warnings and early actions to help people prepare and withstand disasters such as dzuds.     

Environmental disasters,migration and displacement. Insights and developments from L’Aquila's case

This paper analyses the environmentally-induced migration and displacement resulting from L’Aquila's earthquake of 2009. After a general critical overview of the social science literature on this topic, the main changes in the migration system are analysed looking at the roots and trajectories of the forced human displacement that followed the earthquake, and reflecting on the challenges related to post-earthquake demographic movements and post-disaster resettlement. Through the analysis of the pre disaster (2002–2008) and recovery period (2009–2013) data, this paper offers a general model of how environmental disaster might affect migration and displacement and suggests the main challenges related to the post-disaster governance. Relying on ISTAT data on internal migration in Italy this paper argues that the post-seismic recovery period is characterized by a strong increase of out-flows from L’Aquila to other provinces, within the Abruzzo region and outside it, in particular toward the closest regions (Latium, Campania).     

关于建立自然灾害评估系统的总体构思

本文对建立自然灾害评估系统的总体构思进行了初步的探讨,其中包括自然灾害评估指标系统;灾害评估的分类和程序;自然灾害评估的基础工作;自然灾害评估的主要手段;自然灾害评估系统的模式和灾害数据库的建立。     

陕西省1990年自然灾害和救灾工作回顾：兼谈1991年减灾对策

本文在回顾1990年陕西省灾情及救灾工作基础上,提出了强化政府在减灾中的职能,搞好灾情预测预报、及早制定防灾预案及灾前准备工作的减灾对策。     

减灾的经济和社会效益初探

本文概述了目前减灾的经济和社会效益研究概况,指出现阶段灾害社会和经济学研究方面的四大问题;探讨了减灾与经济、减灾与政治、减灾与社会发展等的关系。