A Hazardous EnvironmentAn environment is hazardous when a physical event overlaps with human populations creating the hazard or

disaster

Climatic (Atmospheric) Hazards

The Answers1. Tornado, Oklahoma2. Hurricane, Florida3. Cyclone Sidr, south western Bangladesh (this

week)4. Drought, Darfur region, Sudan (ongoing)5. Baobab tree, Savannah6. Larsen B ice-shelf, Antarctica7. El Nino Southern Oscillation8. Acid rain, Jizera Mountains, Czech Republic9. Ozone depletion which can lead to skin cancer;

apparently Nicole Kidman had some on her leg.10. Photochemical smog, Los Angeles

Climatic Hazards Summary• Tropical cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons• Tornadoes• Drought• El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and La Nina• The enhanced greenhouse effect (climate

change)• Acid deposition• Ozone depletion• Modification of urban micro-climates• Modification of rural micro-climates

Climatic Hazards Event Key Questions

• What are the headline facts and figures?• When? Where?• Why? What are the causes?• To what extent are human interactions with

physical processes responsible for the hazard?

• How does the hazard affect people and the environment?

• What has been the human response?

Factors influencing the impact of climatic

hazards

How do humans respond to

climatic hazards?

Forecast vs. Prediction

• Forecast “is a relatively imprecise statement of time, place and nature of the expected event” (Bishop)

• Prediction “is a relatively precise statement of the time, place and ideally the nature and size of the event, i.e. a precise forecast” (Bishop)

Risk vs. Vulnerability

• Risk is the level of exposure of a population to a particular hazard.

• Vulnerability is the “ability of a person or group to anticipate, cope with and recover from the impact of a natural hazard” (Blaikie et al 1994)