Event type:
Virtual event, Evening meeting, Regional Group
Organised by:
Geological Society Events, Western Regional Group
Event status:
EVENT CLOSED
Time and location
18.15hrs for an 18.30hrs start. Online via Zoom
Event details
Disasters disproportionately affect the poorest in society and threaten development gains through their impacts on lives and livelihoods. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction is a global plan to reduce disaster losses, and support pathways to sustainable development. It emphasises the need for 'multi-hazard approaches', defined by the UN as “the selection of multiple major hazards that the country faces, and the specific contexts where hazardous events may occur simultaneously, cascadingly, or cumulatively over time, and taking into account the potential interrelated effects”. While the last decade saw major scientific advances in understanding natural hazard risks, most research and policy still addresses risk from a 'single-hazard perspective' (i.e., treating hazards as occurring independently). This presents obstacles for addressing real-world challenges faced by risk managers and other decision-makers. A key, but complex, step in the characterisation of risk to inform decision making is therefore understanding the multi-hazard landscape of a region (i.e., the relevant single natural hazards and the processes by which they may interrelate to generate combinations or cascades of hazards). This talk will discuss the dynamic nature of risk through the lens of multi-hazard relationships and scenarios. Work will be presented from different contexts around the world that integrates diverse evidence types to illustrate the complexity of 'hazards' and the impacts of anthropogenic activities on multi-hazard relationships. Examples will be given of how understanding the multi-hazard landscape and potential multi-hazard scenarios can help to enrich understanding of dynamic risk, facilitate cross-organisational dialogue, and consider potential interventions to reduce disaster impacts.
Speaker
Dr Joel Gill - British Geological Survey
Dr Joel C. Gill is an interdisciplinary geoscientist, integrating natural and social science approaches to address issues relating to sustainable development and disaster risk reduction. He is Senior International Development Geoscientist at the British Geological Survey, and a member of The Geological Society Council, with the role of Secretary for Foreign and External Affairs.
Registration
Registration is free. Non-members are welcome. Register here