The Nature of Extreme Events
Purchasing Options
Features
- Discusses the key ideas involved in understanding "real-world" phenomena of increasing importance—extreme events
- Takes a holistic approach to how humans, society, natural ecosystems, "man-made" ecosystems, and climate change respond in the face of catastrophes through extreme events
- Presents in-depth coverage of the impacts extreme events have on food, water, and physical infrastructure security
- Provides a road map for the development of mitigation strategies that take into account climate change
Summary
Natural hazards—floods, droughts, earthquakes, tsunamis or cyclones, hurricanes and tornadoes—have extraordinary impacts on the physical environment, plant and animal life, and on human communities. This book examines the nature of extreme events, what they are, the effects they have on natural and man-made systems, the implications for the future, and how extreme events—in the face of direct and indirect impacts of climate change—interact with the natural world and with people.
Table of Contents
Extreme Events
What are extreme events?
Scientific nature of extreme events
Historical perspective
What can we learn from past extreme events, are there any patterns?
Climate change as an extreme event
What extreme events will be affected by climate change?
Predictions and projections
Frequency
Impacts and case studies of extreme storms, floods, droughts and heatwaves
Impacts on nature (terrestrial, freshwater and marine)
Importance of "healthy" ecosystems in regulating life: provision of ecosystem services
Ecosystem resistance and resilience
Extreme disturbance in ecosystems
Extreme events and ecosystem conservation and management
Extreme events, climate change and ecosystems
Impacts on man
Food security: agricultural production, location and distribution - feeding the growing global population
Water security: access and provision of fresh water, water reserves
Physical infrastructure security: urban centres, power provision, transport and communications
Society and it's response: sustainability
The future
Can we cope?
How do we cope?
What next?
Author Bio(s)
Dr. Greg Master is a director of the consultancy firm Ecological Conscience and acts as a climate change specialist with Dent Associates (U.K.), providing services to business and government in international trade and development, with a particular emphasis on science, innovation and technology transfer and climate change adaptation. Work has included climate change and business development (with Dent Associates), biofuels (India), sustainable development (India) and ecological assessment/ restoration (Argoncroft Ltd).
