Synopses & Reviews
This important new book highlights and critically evaluates the accumulating evidence for an intimate link between natural hazards and environmental change. Surveying a unique collection of themes, this link is examined from two viewpoints: firstly, how environmental change can contribute to an increased level of hazardous natural phenomenon, and secondly how natural hazards may themselves lead to environmental change on a local, regional or even global scale. Through exploring the often complex and dynamic relationships between environmental change and the frequency and severity of hazards (such as floods, windstorms, landslides, asteroid and comet impacts and volcanic super-eruptions), the book also introduces the reader to some of the more speculative aspects of the relationship: how, for example, variations in sea level are linked to the level of volcanic activity and how a warmer, wetter climate might lead to landslides and tsunami formation at oceanic islands. With dramatically rising temperatures and sea levels now inevitable, as well as a growing global population that is becoming increasingly vulnerable to hazardous geophysical phenomena, the world of the 21st century is likely to be an increasingly dangerous one.
Review
"McGuire and colleagues (all, University College London) offer a fascinating look at how the earth has been affected in the past, and will likely be affected in the future, by large-scale, natural geophysical events....Interesting discussions of how natural events can themselves drive future changes in local and global climate. This book is well referenced and well organized, aptly suited to a wide range of researchers."--CHOICE
Synopsis
We are at a critical period in our planet's history: global warming is real and it is happening now. With a few exceptions most scientists now believe that the global warming of recent decades is a function of human activities and the rising level of greenhouse gases accumulating in the atmosphere as a result. But such dynamic periods of environmental change have a destabilising impact, encouraging the onslaught of hazardous phenomena.'Natural Hazards and Environmental Change' highlights and critically evaluates the accumulating evidence for an intimate link between natural hazards and environmental change. Surveying a unique collection of themes, this link is examined from two viewpoints: first, how environmental change can contribute to an increased level of hazardous natural phenomenon, and second how natural hazards may themselves lead to environmental change on a local, regional or even global scale. Through exploring the often complex and dynamic relationships between environmental change and the frequency and severity of hazards (such as floods, windstorms, landslides, asteroid and comet impacts and volcanic eruptions), the book also introduces the reader to some of the more speculative aspects of the relationship: how, for example, variations in sea level are linked to the level of volcanic activity and how a warmer, wetter climate might lead to landslides and tsunami formation at oceanic islands. With dramatically rising temperatures and sea levels now inevitable, as well as a growing global population that is becoming increasingly vulnerable to hazardous geophysical phenomena, the world of the 21st century is likely to be an increasingly dangerous one.Assessing past effects, evaluating recent trends and addressing extrapolations of current geophysical models, 'Natural Hazards and Environmental Change' incorporates cutting-edge research to provide an invaluable guide to the impact of natural hazards now, and in the future.
Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
List of Abbrevations
Chapter 1: Natural hazards: an introduction
1.0. Chapter summary
1.1. What are natural hazards?
1.2. Natural hazards and environmental change
1.3. Natural hazard impacts: a historical perspective
1.4. A natural hazards primer
1.5. Recent environmental change
Chapter 2: Windstorms in a warmer world
2.0. Chapter summary
2.1. Weather-related natural hazards and climate change
2.2. Observing and predicting trends in weather-related hazards
2.3. Mid-latitude storminess in a warmer world
2.4. Tropical cyclones, tornadoes, derechos and dust storms as the climate changes
Chapter 3: Floods and other weather-related hazards in a changing climate
3.0. Chapter summary
3.1. River flooding and environmental change
3.2. Trends in rainfall extremes that can cause river flooding
3.3. Coastal floods and climate change
3.4. Changes in other hydrological and temperature extremes
Chapter 4: Landslides and environmental change
4.0. Chapter summary
4.1. Impact of landslides
4.2. Types of landslide
4.3. Sluggish deformation
4.4. Catastrophic deformation
4,5. Intermediate deformation
4.6. Water and slope failure
4.7. Water and landslide run-out
4.8. Effect of environmental change on global rates of landsliding
4.9. The future
Chapter 5: Volcanoes and environmental change
5.0. Chapter summary
5.1. Volcanism and environmental change: a brief history of research
5.2. Eruption characteristics and environmental impact
5.3. Contribution of volcanic eruptions to the atmosphere
5.4. Physical and chemical effects of volcanogenic aerosols on the atmosphere
5.5. Volcanoes and climate
5.6. Volcanoes as initiators of past environmental change: notes of caution
5.7. Volcanic super-eruptions and environmental change
5.8. Volcanoes and Ice Age
5.9. Volcanoes and mass extinctions
Chapter 6: Sea-level change as a trigger of natural hazards
6.0. Chapter summary
6.1. Changing sea levels and natural hazards
6.2. Perspectives on future sea-level change
6.3. Sea-level change as an initiator of seismicity and volcanism
6.4. Changing sea levels, submarine landslides and collapsing ocean islands
Chapter 7: Asteroid and comet impacts as initiators of environmental change
7.0. Chapter summary
7.1. Setting the scene: the new catastrophism
7.2. Recognising the impact threat
7.3. Asteroids and comets
7.4. The impact record on Earth
7.5. Environmental effects of impact events
Chapter 8: Environmental change and natural hazards: prospects for the future
8.0. Chapter summary
8.1. Environmental change and natural hazards: the impact in the twenty-first century
8.2. Natural hazards: the human dimension
8.3. Forecast for the future
References
Index