Key Definitions and Concepts

Natural Hazard Management (A Level)

In this course, Professor Matthew Watson (University of Bristol) explores key aspects of natural hazard management. In the first lecture, we introduce some definitions and concepts, including the disaster risk equation, ways of describing and categorising hazards’ physical characteristics, and key terms related to social vulnerability. The second lecture then looks at two important models used to understand hazard management processes - the Park disaster response model, and the hazard management cycle. In the third module, we think in more detail about some of the challenges associated with the two longer-term components of the hazard management cycle - preparedness and mitigation. In the fourth and fifth lectures, we consider two case studies - the June 2018 eruption of Volcán de Fuego, and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 - to see how different types of hazard in very different societal contexts both produced significant disasters with large death tolls.

Key Definitions and Concepts

In this lecture, we think about some key definitions and concepts in natural hazard management. We focus on: (i) the disaster risk equation and the the three key concepts associated with it - risk, hazard, and vulnerability; (ii) the classification of hazards by their physical causes into two major types - geophysical and hydrometeorological; (iii) other important physical characteristics used to categorise hazards, including magnitude, frequency and distribution, and what these terms mean; (iv) key concepts related to the social aspects of disaster risk, such as exposure and hazard perception; (v) whether the term “natural disaster” is useful, and the relationship between physical and social factors during hazard events.