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This book provides an interdisciplinary volume of advances in disaster science that further understanding global progress to reduce disaster risk. As we pass the halfway point on implementing the Sendai Framework for Risk Reduction, the question stands what progress has been made on reducing disaster risk at the global and local scales? The book is thematically grouped around the Sendai Framework's four priorities, spanning efforts to assess hazards and risk, disaster governance, mechanisms to build resilience, and recovery in the aftermath of crises. This book offers scholars and practitioners a glimpse into the opportunities and challenges at the forefront of disaster risk reduction efforts.

In recent decades, natural hazards have increasingly threatened lives, livelihoods, and economies, with annual losses totalling billions of dollars globally. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III) and the Zebra, USA, natural disaster losses reached $74.4 billion in 2020, and an average of 6,800 natural disasters occur each year, claiming around 1.35 million lives. Hydrological and geological hazards, in particular, have significant societal and environmental impacts, making them critical areas of research. Understanding and mitigating these hazards is vital for developing legal mechanisms related to environmental restoration, societal improvements, and sustainable development. Modern technologies and earth observation data play a crucial role in disaster monitoring, prediction, modelling, and management. Recent advancements in geoinformation science have introduced multi-source data for natural hazards research. In addition, cutting-edge methods such as machine learning, deep learning, and big data science offer powerful tools for in-depth studies of natural hazards through remote sensing and geoinformatics. This book, Advanced GIScience in Hydro-Geological Hazards, presents up-to-date contributions on applying advanced GIScience to research various hydro-geological hazards, including floods, landslides, tropical cyclones, soil erosion, coastal erosion, riverbank erosion, coastal area vulnerability, drought, wetlands shrinking etc. It also explores multi-hazard studies using SAR, GNSS, and other innovative methods. The chapters focus on integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning techniques, and remote sensing to enhance preparedness, response, and resilience against these hazards. Targeting a broad audience of academics, scientists, students, environmentalists, government agencies, disaster planners, and GIS experts, this book aims to showcase the latest advancements in GIScience for assessing and managing hydro-geological hazards. It offers strategies for disaster risk reduction and capacity building, providing readers with the knowledge needed to address pressing environmental challenges.

The book provides information on the observational aspects of the severe storms through satellite, radar, aircraft, and ground based network of stations and these issues are discussed in the first part of the book consisting of 8 chapters. The numerical modelling and data assimilation techniques are discussed in the second part of the book aimed at development of Early Warning Systems (12 chapters) and finally the outlook of the severe storms in a changing climate scenario, their socio-economic impacts and policies for disaster mitigation are discussed in the third part of the book consisting of 6 chapters. This book is of great interest to atmospheric scientists and other researchers, practitioners, policy and decision makers, international institutions, governmental and non-governmental organizations, educators, as well as students.

This book concentrates on summarizing previous seismic scientific investigations in order to form standard procedures, approaches, and data sharing for the investigation of future large earthquake. Scientific investigation of large earthquake plays a crucial role in acquiring various records related to earthquake cycle processes and improving the knowledge of earthquake physics and earthquake forecasting. The book aims to provide a guide for the readers seeking earthquake knowledge by probing into the multi-disciplinary investigation of large earthquakes. The book is motivated by recent advances of seismic investigation, including novel geophysical technologies. It is an essential reference to scientifically and systematically investigate future large earthquakes. Chapters are carefully developed to cover seismogenic structure, seismogenic mechanism, earthquake evolution process, influence of the occurred earthquake on regional earthquake hazard, and earthquake disaster mechanism. The book is written for researchers of seismotectonics, earthquake physics, engineering geology, earthquake engineering, natural hazard prevention, and policy-makers engaged in post-hazard restoration.

This book covers the broad aspects of disaster legislation, governance, and their implementation. The book also includes in-depth reviews and new data, based on case studies across the globe, involving multidisciplinary research. In addition, the book suggests specific policies and action measures to enhance the implementation of disaster legislation for the resilience of people and local governments. Disaster law is the core to disaster risk management. The legal framework not only provides the government an instrument to take actions before, during, and after a disaster, but it also helps in recovery process. The legislative measures provide certain levels of guidance to different stakeholders such as national governments, local governments, civil societies, and more importantly citizens. The legal provision gives people and communities certain obligations as well as responsibilities to act during or before disasters. Over the last several years, there has been new disaster laws formulated in many countries, and revisions have been made to adjust the existing disaster laws to be more effective. Although it is important to have governance provision of disaster law, its implementation is essential.

This book provides a new data augmentation method based on the local stochastic distribution patterns in natural time series data of global and regional seismicity rates and their correlated seismicity rates. The augmentation procedure is called the diffusion – denoising augmentation method from the local Gaussian distribution of segmented data of long time series. This method makes it possible to apply the deep machine learning necessary to neural network prediction of rare large earthquakes in the global and regional earth system.The book presents the physical background of the processes showing the development of characteristic features in the global and regional correlated seismicity dynamics, which are manifested by the successive time series of 1990–2023. Physical processes of the correlated global seismicity change and the earth's rotation, fluctuation of plate motion, and the earth's ellipsoid ratio (C20 of satellite gravity change) are proposed in this book. The equivalency between Gaussian seismicity network dynamics and the minimal nonlinear dynamics model of correlated seismicity rates is also provided. In addition, the book contains simulated models of the shear crack jog wave, precipitation of minerals in the jog, and jog accumulation inducing shear crack propagation which leads to earthquakes in the plate boundary rocks under permeable fluid flow.

Sustainable mining is need of hour to fulfil the increasing energy demand of the country and at the same time reduction in rate of carbon emission at utmost priority. Any mining project has significant health, safety, and environmental issues and thus sustainable solutions for all these issues need to be addressed. Currently, the mining practitioners, and industry bodies facing multiple challenges before to maintain the requirement of energy demand of the country and address of the environmental issues through sustainable and innovative mining practices. This book covers the latest advancement in the process, technology, equipment, etc for adopting sustainable mining practices. It will offer an adequate resource to all the mining and associated academicians and industry professionals to gain the knowledge of latest tools and solutions for sustainable mining. The proposed book will be chaptered based on the themes like Environmental Monitoring & Management., Safety & health, operations & planning, automation & digitalization, waste management, and new tools and technologies for sustainable mining. Many case studies of different types of mines will be demonstrated to know the actual practice of the mine and their typical solutions.

This book explores a platform for insightful discussions and scientific discourse on various aspects of landslides and their risk management, with insights focused on the Himalayan states at a sub-regional level. A fundamental reference is thus provided for further research not only in landslides but also in associated natural hazards. The book is divided into four major parts, starting from conceptual models in approaching landslide risk, followed by evaluation of risk, management of landslide risk, end-to-end solutions for landslide risk assessment, and a synopsis. Included are topics such as the nature of landslide hazard impact, scale dependency in landslide hazard and risk analysis, and systematic procedures of landslide hazard mapping for risk assessment using spatial prediction models. The book also covers such important aspects as the response of the insurance industry to landslide risk and the role of administrative bodies in landslide risk assessment and sustainable management. Readers gain ample knowledge through case studies regarding the types of landslides in the Himalayan region, which will help them in their future research hypotheses.

This book collects the selected papers of the XIV Congress of the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment held in Chengdu, Sichuan, China from September 21st - 27th, 2023, with the theme of Engineering Geology for a Habitable Earth. The meeting proceedings analyses the dynamic role of engineering geology in our changing world. The congress is expected to enhance the inter-disciplinary research development of international engineering geology and the environment, and contribute to the advancement of major projects, ecological progress, and habitable earth with in-depth discussion in the area of engineering geology and global climate change, geological hazard assessment and prevention, geotechnical properties of rock and soil mass, engineering geology and the environmental issues concerning marine, transportation, urban and ecological environment protection, engineering geology and resilience engineering construction, intelligent engineering geology, and new theories, methods, and techniques in engineering geology.

'Nature's Fury: Navigating Natural Hazards in Mountainous Topographies'shall be a comprehensive guide to the unique challenges and hazards associated with mountainous regions, and the efforts being made to mitigate their impact. The book shall provide a detailed overview of natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, and flash floods, and explores their impacts on communities and the environment. It would delve into the science of risk assessment and vulnerability analysis, and shall offer practical insights into mitigation strategies such as early warning systems, evacuation plans, and disaster response efforts. The book will also explore the role of technology and predictive modeling in mountain hazards management, and the relationship between mountain hazards and climate change. With realworld examples and case studies from the Himalayas, the Andes, and the Rockies, the book shall provide a comprehensive examination of the field of mountain hazards management. It will cover community-based disaster management and preparedness, environmental conservation and sustainable development, and the balancing of tourism and conservation in mountainous regions. The book will also include lessons learned from major mountain disasters, and the importance of international cooperation in mountain hazards management. It would cater wide audience including professionals in the field of disaster management, an environmental scientist, or even an enthusiast of mountain landscapes. We propose to have an engaging writing style and practical insights in this book, that will provide a valuable resource for anyone interested in navigating the unique challenges and hazards of mountainous topographies.

This book explores the use of advanced geospatial techniques in geomorphic hazards modelling and risk reduction. It also compares the accuracy of traditional statistical methods and advanced machine learning methods and addresses the different ways to reduce the impact of geomorphic hazards.In recent years with the development of human infrastructures, geomorphic hazards are gradually increasing, which include landslides, flood and soil erosion, among others. They cause huge loss of human property and lives. Especially in mountainous, coastal, arid and semi-arid regions, these natural hazards are the main barriers for economic development. Furthermore, human pressure and specific human actions such as deforestation, inappropriate land use and farming have increased the danger of natural disasters and degraded the natural environment, making it more difficult for environmental planners and policymakers to develop appropriate long-term sustainability plans. The most challenging task is to develop a sophisticated approach for continuous inspection and resolution of environmental problems for researchers and scientists. However, in the past several decades, geospatial technology has undergone dramatic advances, opening up new opportunities for handling environmental challenges in a more comprehensive manner.With the help of geographic information system (GIS) tools, high and moderate resolution remote sensing information, such as visible imaging, synthetic aperture radar, global navigation satellite systems, light detection and ranging, Quickbird, Worldview 3, LiDAR, SPOT 5, Google Earth Engine and others deliver state-of-the-art investigations in the identification of multiple natural hazards. For a thorough examination, advanced computer approaches focusing on cutting-edge data processing, machine learning and deep learning may be employed. To detect and manage various geomorphic hazards and their impact, several models with a specific emphasis on natural resources and the environment may be created.

This book provides a summary of the state of the art of all facets of debris-flow science and practice and is designed to be a comprehensive technical reference for practitioners and a state-of-the-art research overview for scientists. It is richly illustrated with equations, graphs, photos, and tables. The book allows students, practitioners, and regulators to get a sense of the current state of the art in this science. Currently, there are 2 to 3 papers published every week on some aspects of debris-flow science. This creates a bewildering amount of literature that cannot be captured by a single individual. This book provides a comprehensive overview of all facets to date, including initial hazard assessments, detailed quantitative risk assessments, debris-flow warning systems, debris-flow mitigation structure designs, and failures of mitigation works, as well as new topics such as climate change effects on debris flows.

This book provides a detailed description of fluvial processes and their influence on urban sites. During the urban expansion of modern cities throughout the twentieth century, rivers have become a source of problems during high flood events. However, due to growing social pressure, especially in dense cities, rivers are viewed as new leisure areas given that they also provide highly valuable ecosystem services. People seek open and environmentally friendly spaces amidst the dense street networks of cities. Yet, we should not forget that rivers are not merely domesticated elements of nature for leisure purposes only. Flooding risks and damages are possible within urban environments. How should we address the social and ecological interactions? How should we plan for these complexities to meet the growing social requirements and needs while respecting river dynamics? Hydrologists, geomorphologists, engineers, geographers and urban planners could leverage the knowledge and examples provided to enhance the interaction between nature and society in the growing cities of the twenty-first century.

This book collects the selected papers of the XIV Congress of the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment held in Chengdu, Sichuan, China from September 21st - 27th, 2023, with the theme of Engineering Geology for a Habitable Earth. The meeting proceedings analyses the dynamic role of engineering geology in our changing world. The congress is expected to enhance the inter-disciplinary research development of international engineering geology and the environment, and contribute to the advancement of major projects, ecological progress, and habitable earth with in-depth discussion in the area of engineering geology and global climate change, geological hazard assessment and prevention, geotechnical properties of rock and soil mass, engineering geology and the environmental issues concerning marine, transportation, urban and ecological environment protection, engineering geology and resilience engineering construction, intelligent engineering geology, and new theories, methods, and techniques in engineering geology.

This book provides a critical analysis of the interactions of humans and wildlife in Zimbabwe. It does not only document conflicts, but it also considers opportunities for co-existence that can result in the successful conservation practices within protected areas. The book offers empirically rich case studies from across different areas of Zimbabwe both urban and rural where people interact with animals both negatively and positively. Chapters in the book discuss these interactions through the different lens including the contemporary politico-economic crises prevalent in Zimbabwe, the failures and successes of the CAMPFIRE programme, and gender dynamics of conflicts. The book provides an update into the human–wildlife interactions situation in Zimbabwe. Data presented has policy implications within Zimbabwe and beyond. It contributes to different categories policy and mitigation measures including HWC mitigation strategies as well as conservation policy. Beaven Utete and Joshua Matanzima have brought together a fascinating collection of papers on human-wildlife conflict and coexistence in Zimbabwe. The authors highlight the views, values and needs of people living with wildlife. Voices that are still too often ignored in conservation practice, policy and science. This is essential reading for anyone interested in decolonizing conservation and the future of wildlife in Africa. Professor Jan van der Ploeg, Professor Inclusive Conservation, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands This is a valuable collection from a country we should hear much more from in the field of human-wildlife interactions studies. In addition to providing interesting case studies and data from Zimbabwe to inform and inspire international conservation efforts, I hope it will galvanize national and local efforts to tackle the complex challenges ahead for biodiversity conservation in Zimbabwe. Professor Simon Pooley, IUCN SSC Specialist Group on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence

This book gathers the proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Civil Engineering and Buildings Services (CIBv), held in Brașov, Romania on November 2-3, 2023. It covers highly diverse topics such as structural analysis and optimization, concrete, steel and timber structures, computer aided design of structures, railways, roads and bridges, geotechnics and foundations, experimental methods in the investigation of structures, new and improved building materials, risk assessment of natural hazards, advanced energy design for HVAC installations, energy performance of buildings, and efficient buildings. Written by leading researchers and engineers, and selected by means of a rigorous international peer-review process, the contributions highlight numerous exciting ideas that will spur novel research directions and foster multidisciplinary collaborations.

This book provides a snapshot of the manifestations of the climate emergency in the Philippines from a wide array of disciplines including physical sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, management, and law. Researchers and faculties at the University of the Philippines contributed to this compilation, where each chapter provides policymakers and the public a clear picture of why climate change must be confronted with a sense of urgency and near-desperation.Divided into three main parts, the first one zeroes in on climate-vulnerable sectors such as water, food and agriculture, health, and coastal communities in the Philippines to introduce readers to the current pressing impacts of the climate emergency. The second part presents case studies of local experiences from the country's three island regions, namely, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, and it situates the readers in different environments and contexts. The third part features transdisciplinary responses to the climate emergency, including salient challenges in relation to planning, financing, communication, and education. The concluding chapter highlights eight areas for action to tackle the climate emergency. Each chapter comes with an overview and a Summary for Policymakers, which provides clear guidance for action to be taken by both local and national policymakers.

This book describes recent studies of soil behaviour in strong ground motion – one of the most important and problematic issues in engineering seismology. Destructive earthquakes worldwide show us the damage of structures located on soil foundations; therefore, reliable and adequate estimations of in situ soil behaviour during strong motion are needed. The effects of soil response proved to be more complicated and diverse than we thought previously. Additionally to well-known amplification of seismic waves in near-surface softer layers, resonant phenomena and nonlinearity of soil response, during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, we observed soil hardening and generation of abnormally high accelerations. The author suggests a method for studying these effects in situ, to forecast soil behaviour in future earthquakes. The method is based on processing records of seismic vertical arrays, which are widely developed in the world and should help us in understanding soil response during earthquakes.The book is addressed to a wide range of seismologists, geotechnical earthquake engineers and physicists.

This book presents case studies of risk management of various hazards and risk management systems at regional, national, and local levels. It also proposes a comprehensive approach to reduce future risks by collaborating with various stakeholders and preparing for the most effective responses toward complicated hazards, minimizing social damage.The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the concern as well as interest in the diversification of future risks and the complexity of the damage and impact that multiple risks may cause. These hazard risks include not only natural hazards, but also biological, industrial, and nuclear hazards along with other risks such as cyber-attacks, climate change, food security, conflict, and multiple hazards occurring simultaneously.The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, adopted in 2015 at the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, accounts for the risks caused by natural or manmade hazards as well as related environmental, technological, and biological hazards and risks. The framework guides the multi-hazard management of disaster risk in development at all levels and sectors. However, in the current disaster management system in most countries, different offices are responsible for each different hazard, making it extremely difficult to manage those hazard risks comprehensively.Having experienced the COVID-19 pandemic, it is now time to review the current risk management strategy and system, and thereafter discuss how to strengthen and transform our risk perception and manner of risk assessment and identification to tackle future multiple hazards. Simultaneously, further collaboration among experts from different backgrounds and fields will become indispensable. While the discussion of the need for an “all-hazards approach” has taken place for many years, there now needs to be discussion of a risk-focused framework.

This book showcases the cross-disciplinary and “systemic” relationships among climate change, resilience, and cultural heritage. It critically reviews the contemporary international documents and scholarly debates of the climate science, disaster risk management, and heritage fields and reveals that, within the comprehensive point of view, the potential and advances in one field could be instrumentalized in other fields. Moreover, it provides tailor-made considerations and practical recommendatory encounters toward resilient cultural heritage in facing climate change as a “disaster risk driver”. Lastly, the book highlights the significance of the cultural dimension of climate change as well as the global landscape of systemic risk while redefining a new comprehensive and holistic definition of resilience for the heritage field.

This book comprises works presented in the 1st International Conference of Geoscience, Remote Sensing, and Technology, which was held in Padang, Indonesia, in October 2023. It was hosted by the Center of Disaster Monitoring and Earth Observation, State University of Padang, Indonesia. Included are works related but not limited to geoscience, remote sensing, radar SAR, optic satellites, LiDAR, earthquakes, drones, geophysics, computer science, computer engineering, information technology, and mapping.

This book collects the selected papers of the XIV Congress of the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment held in Chengdu, Sichuan, China from September 21st - 27th, 2023, with the theme of Engineering Geology for a Habitable Earth. The meeting proceedings analyses the dynamic role of engineering geology in our changing world. The congress is expected to enhance the inter-disciplinary research development of international engineering geology and the environment, and contribute to the advancement of major projects, ecological progress, and habitable earth with in-depth discussion in the area of engineering geology and global climate change, geological hazard assessment and prevention, geotechnical properties of rock and soil mass, engineering geology and the environmental issues concerning marine, transportation, urban and ecological environment protection, engineering geology and resilience engineering construction, intelligent engineering geology, and new theories, methods, and techniques in engineering geology.

This book captures the essence of one of the most remarkable journeys of a professional who prevailed over numerous challenges and adverse situations that appeared before him from nowhere and how he emerged victorious to be hailed at a global forum of the American Geophysical Union in 2008. The author reflects upon the circumstances and times in post-independent India that threw him out of the comforts of a well-to-do family into the real world. He traces back his entry into the field of earthquake science and dwells at length upon the scope and freedom it offered for innovative thinking in the field with limitless opportunities. Mishaps and accidents paved the way to remarkable discoveries and achievements including the creation of the world record for establishing and populating India's first permanent base station in Antarctica in a record time of one Antarctic summer despite having a near-fatal helicopter crash on 4th day after reaching Antarctica. Stressing the need to live safely with earthquakes as their short-term prediction is not a possibility yet, the author advocates a two-prong strategy of directly looking into the earthquake source region deep inside the earth and developing an earthquake-resilient society, simultaneously. He cites the success story of the Indian Tsunami Early Warning System that is operational in the Indian Ocean, today. The book inspires young professionals with a flair for challenges and a burning desire to achieve results at any cost. This book provides important information in a nutshell about artificial water reservoir triggered earthquakes, India's building of the Dakshin Gangotri all-weather station in Antarctica, Indian Ocean Tsunami warning set-up, Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination, etc. The main objective of the book is to inspire a generation of young minds through a narration of scientific achievements that did not come easily to him. The aim is to tell them the difference between a reaction and a response to a given situation, the former being impulsive and irrational and the latter responsible and rational.

This book focuses on landslide hazard mapping, identification of site-specific drivers of landslide occurrence, and assessment of landslide susceptibility, vulnerability, risk and mitigation using advanced techniques and approaches. The book encompasses the use of geospatial technologies, artificial intelligence, machine learning algorithms, and advanced statistical models to explore multi-dimensionality of landslide hazard. The book is a synthesis of research papers presented at the National Conference on Landslide Risk Assessment and Mitigation in India, organized by the Department of Geography, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India, 01–02 November 2022. The book is organized into four parts made up of 21 chapters. Part I deals with landslide hazard mapping. Part II covers landslide susceptibility mapping and assessment. Part III evaluates landslide risk. Finally, Part IV presents multi-disciplinary approach and holistic mechanism to devise landslide mitigation strategies. The chapters help better understand the intertwined physical processes, causes of landslides, potential risk factors, movement characteristics, and role of engineering and technology to minimize upcoming human, physical and economic losses. The book is a valuable resource for researchers, academicians, stakeholders, and policy makers.

This book presents selected papers from the International Geographical Union (IGU) Thematic Conference 2022, which was held at the Central University of Haryana, Mahendragarh, India, November 24–25, 2022. The theme of the conference was Sustainability, Future Earth, and Humanities: Opportunities and Challenges. Within the context of the physical environment, the book explores advanced research and innovative methodologies that illuminate significant discoveries pertaining to comprehensive perspectives on sustainability. Environmental sustainability is a critical global concern that revolves around the responsible use and preservation of natural resources to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It encompasses various dimensions that impact the health and resilience of our planet. Geographical factors play a crucial role in determining the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainability, offering valuable insights into the interconnectedness between nature and society. These insights are fundamental to understand environmental sustainability including ecosystem diversity, climate and weather patterns, land use and urbanization, water resources, natural hazards and vulnerability, resource distribution, transportation and connectivity, coastal and marine environments, political and social boundaries, and environmental justice. Understanding and integrating these geographical dimensions into environmental sustainability initiatives can lead to more effective and context-specific strategies to safeguard our planet's health and promote a harmonious coexistence between nature and human society. It requires interdisciplinary collaboration, international cooperation, and a shared commitment to protect and nurture the Earth for current and future generations. This book covers a broad range of issues, with an emphasis on how to create a physically and socially sustainable environment. In addition, this book provides comprehensive investigations of a range of subjects, including climate change, environmental risk assessment, climatic hazards, resource exploration, water resource management, seismic analysis, green synthesis, ground thermal regime, and glacial dynamics, among others.

This book includes the insights of a seminar that was held at IUAV University of Venice, on May 29th and 30th featuring 10 speakers. 8 speakers, 2 moderators, and 1 organizer from the seminar, plus 10 other authors contributed to this book. The writers'expertise spans from local climate adaptation planning, public policy analysis, climate and environmental finance, and climate adaptation advocacy to multi-risk analysis, GIS, disaster risk management, ecosystem services assessment, urban geography, art, and civic engagement. The book contents address adaptation and flood risk mitigation along the Science-Policy-Action path - both theoretical and operative perspectives are discussed. EU climate adaptation policy and finance, climate adaptation implementation, flood risk analysis, nature-based solutions, blue ecosystem services, regional adaptation planning, and critical infrastructure adaptation are the topics investigated in depth by the writers.

The book offers a wide range of research topics that are addressed with the aim of contributing to the knowledge of geomorphological hazards in the Himalaya. It is emphasized the integration of climate-driven morphogenetic and tectonic processes in the Nepal Himalaya as a substantial phenomenon of active collisional orogeny. The extreme dynamics of landform evolution in the Himalayan terranes triggers severe natural hazards and risks. Interdisciplinary research of geomorphological processes and events related to natural hazards in the Nepal Himalaya follows general efforts to reduce geoenvironmental disasters. Visual documentation is of particular importance in the conception of the book, which is intended for specialized researchers as well as students.

This book begins by describing the Tuned Mass Dampers (TMD) systems to familiarize readers with the basic concepts, followed by a brief review of the state-of-the-art research findings culled from recent studies in the archival literature. In the third chapter, the applicable structural theories are discussed. Next, the authors examine some advanced and applicable optimization techniques, such as the Genetic Algorithm, and related computer algorithms and modeling techniques to help engineers and researchers in performing computer simulations. Examples from the field appear in the last chapter to reinforce the concepts presented. Instilling practical insight into the TMDs, their applications, basic theories, and modeling techniques, the book is ideal for practical engineers, researchers and students of structural engineering.

This open access book addresses the following topics for the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve (BR) in the Colombian Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina, in the southwest Caribbean Sea, which is the world's largest BR and contains representative ecosystems of tropical island regions. ● Future regional climate behavior and forms of balanced relationships between humans and nature to promote climate change (CC) adaptation and mitigation strategies for tropical islands. ● The relevance of BRs as ideal locations to study and replicate interdisciplinary adaptation strategies. BRs are “living, dynamic laboratories” where local communities demonstrate safe and sustainable development possibilities. Island and coastal tropical BRs disproportionately face adverse effects of CC, making them a research priority with unprecedented intellectual challenges for their unique characteristics. This collaborative effort ● Stimulates critical and interdisciplinary thinking around tropical island regions ● Presents new and different angles to understand local socioenvironmental impacts of CC ● Demonstrates the linkage between ecosystem services, human well-being, and CC adaptation ● Connects local experiences to global dynamics and processes, and vice versa ● Places the struggles and knowledge of the indigenous Raizal people at the forefront of CC and BR studies ● Examines relevant socioenvironmental pathways toward collective action for adaptive capacity, resilience, and ultimately contributes to sustainable development processes in BRs worldwide. This book was financed by the Corporation Center of Excellence in Marine Sciences (CEMarin).

This book addresses the geohazard of ground subsidence by giving an overview of subsidence processes and their harmful consequences. It discusses newly developed methods of subsidence prediction, and describing techniques to monitor the subsidence and engineering measures in order to control and reduce subsidence impacts. Case studies from China are presented to explain the application of various methods and techniques to investigate, monitor, and mitigate this geohazard under different conditions. The book is intended to promote the concept of environmentally responsible mining with an objective to protect directly affected people and the environment. The target audience of book is students, researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers who are concerned about the environmental effects of underground mining.

Even though frequent disaster losses occur in rural and agricultural areas, a substantial number of the prevailing disaster research has focused on urban areas, often failing to notice rural populations, communities, and rural development as a whole. It is critical to assess how the needs and vulnerabilities in rural communities impact the creation of resilience, especially in countries with a large area under rural regions. For disaster managers, rural areas present different opportunities and challenges from their urban counterparts. Rural communities'position after a disaster is different from that of urban communities. Efficient DRR (disaster risk reduction) is the key to sustainable rural development. Disasters can cause human and animal life loss, field crops, stored seeds, agricultural equipment/materials, supply systems (e.g., infrastructure), livelihood, and associated indigenous knowledge. Such impacts have its short-term repercussions and affect the long-term sustainability of the rural sector. Rural regions of the developing world can be remote, with high concentrations of mass poverty, food insecurity, and illiteracy; hence access to food, shelter, and communication related to relief and recovery is a challenge after a disaster. In rural areas, farmers strongly rely on natural resources and have no alternative source of income or employment, making them more vulnerable to a crisis. Role of women in rural development and agricultural activities is of paramount importance. Yet they are the most affected ones during any disaster. Vulnerabilities of children and especially abled people in the rural sector are untouched areas that require more attention in days to come. This book deliberates on the aspects as mentioned above related to disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and management. Apart from the introduction, the book has four parts: (1) Food and Agriculture, (2) Water andSanitation, (3) Gender and Social Issues, and (4) Technology. Overall, this book is a valuable resource material for students, researchers, academia, policymakers, and development practitioners.

This book provides holistic case studies of technology development, examples of its complexities and an in-depth analysis from the perspective of information infrastructure. Natural disasters such as cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanoes have disrupted the lives of people all over the world, particularly in Asia. In order to manage disasters and mitigate the damage, many technologies—surveillance systems, for instance—have been developed. An example of natural disaster is the ongoing devastation caused by COVID-19, which highlights the multi-disciplinary nature of disaster management, including agriculture, healthcare, economics, environment, engineering and technology. The pandemic has also led to the development and uptake of technologies such as vaccine development, new biotechnological innovations, telemedicine, the Internet of things (IoT) and mobile health (mHealth) all over the world. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) programme suggests an integrated approach to their development. For example, healthcare needs to be addressed in holistic perspectives including education, environment, economy and regulations, among others. These goals create challenges in the development, validation and deployment of new technology, with this book presenting a discussion of innovations in sustainable development of healthcare in the multi-disciplinary context of SDGs.

This book provides a comprehensive exploration of the intricate processes involved in managing crises stemming from natural disasters, pandemics, and other humanitarian emergencies. Drawing on a wealth of research, case studies, and expert insights, this book delves into the multifaceted challenges faced by communities and governments when confronted with disaster situations. From the initial response efforts aimed at saving lives and minimizing damage to the long-term recovery phase focused on rebuilding and resilience, every aspect of disaster management is meticulously examined. Key topics covered include the psychological impact of disasters on individuals and communities, the role of technology in enhancing emergency response capabilities, the importance of effective communication and coordination among stakeholders, and the ethical considerations inherent in decision-making during crises. Furthermore, this book emphasizes the significance of community involvement and grassroots initiatives in fostering resilience and facilitating recovery. By highlighting both successful strategies and areas for improvement, it offers valuable insights for policy-makers, emergency responders, and humanitarian organizations striving to enhance their preparedness and response efforts. Accessible yet insightful, this book is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of disaster management and contribute to the creation of more resilient societies in an increasingly uncertain world.

This book analyzes the experiences of energy, sustainability and resilience issues from different Asian countries and puts forward a futuristic vision of an energy sector for sustained development. Energy is at the core of development, but in energy generation, there are severe environmental implications in many cases. This clearly affects development and causes significant challenges to sustainability. Climate change and disasters have an effect on energy infrastructures and also make significant impacts on humans in terms of both shocks and stresses. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand the linkage of energy, sustainability and resilience. Asia is a hotspot of climate change and disasters, suffering from severe damages to the energy infrastructure of the countries there. At the same time, being a core of world development trajectories, Asia produces and consumes more energy in different sectors than any other part of the world. Also, however, Asia serves as a core region of innovative ideas in energy and related sectors.

The book elaborates on microplastics as a global concern, prompting the need for comprehensive understanding and effective management. It thoroughly explores the various aspects of microplastics, addressing their detection, separation, and contamination in diverse ecosystems. The introductory chapter highlights the global risks associated with microplastics while presenting the challenges and opportunities in tackling this issue. It focuses on the detection techniques employed to identify microplastics, providing insights into the analytical methods and technologies utilized in their characterization. It delves into the separation techniques used to extract microplastics from complex environmental matrices, aiding in their accurate quantification and analysis. The subsequent chapters examine the presence and impact of microplastics in specific ecosystems, including aquatic and terrestrial. It investigates the prevalence of microplastics in water bodies and their detrimental effects on aquatic organisms and elucidates their distribution, transport, and ecological implications on land-dwelling organisms. The book further explores microplastics'occurrence in foods, cosmetics, and air pollution and associated health hazards. It delves into the lesser-known aspects of microplastics influence on nitrogen cycling and nitrous oxide emissions, offering valuable insights into their impact on biogeochemical processes. It discusses microplastics environmental risks and hazards, covering the ecological, biodiversity, and ecosystem-level impacts caused by these persistent pollutants. The concluding chapters focus on sustainable management strategies for mitigating and controlling microplastics proliferation and associated risks. This book provides a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach for understanding and addressing the challenges posed by microplastics. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, environmentalists, and anyone concerned about the impact of microplastics on planet. This book aims to foster sustainable management practices and contribute to a cleaner and healthier environment by unraveling microplastics complexities.

This book explores spatiotemporal analysis and impact assessment of agricultural drought in China and investigates the correlation coefficient between meteorological drought and agricultural drought. It then conducts multivariate frequency analysis of drought events using drought indices and copula functions. It aims to reveal spatiotemporal characteristics and impacts of agricultural drought in China both on vegetation phenology and productivity. The book assesses the performances of drought indices for better predicting multi-year droughts and return periods and drought risk assessment.

This book delves into the complexities of urban crises, focusing on the efforts of researchers and practitioners who confront precarious housing and forced displacement. Originating from the 8th International Conference on Building Resilience (convened in November 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal), this book examines challenges across diverse contexts and geographies, including Chile, India, Kenya, Mexico, Portugal, and Syria. Structured in three parts, the book's 12 chapters address disaster prevention and recovery, humanitarian architecture, and issues related to housing, migration, and urban forced displacement. The narratives emphasize vulnerabilities, community-driven design, and cross-cultural perspectives, comprehensively reviewing global urban planning, slum upgrading, and incremental housing strategies. The contributions engage readers with practical insights for mitigating urban vulnerability and intellectual analyses that consider the complexities of life amid systemic injustices. Ultimately, the authors suggest integrating architectural practice with social work within communities to address intricate urban housing challenges.

This book discusses the issue of riverbank erosion and its associated causes, risks and social challenges in the Bengal Delta. The book covers the physical processes and indicators of riverbank erosion such as sediment flux and channel morphology, the anthropogenic and natural causes of erosion, the social consequences that afflict vulnerable communities who depend on the delta for their livelihoods, and potential solutions to harmful erosion processes such as bioengineering methods and increased community governance through a socio-hydrological approach. Though the Bengal Delta is one of the most populated regions in the world, few publications exist that discuss riverbank erosion as a major threat to environmental and livelihood sustainability in a comprehensive manner. The book will fill this gap in research for students and researchers in geography and environmental sciences, and will engage regional planners, decision makers and policy makers to further their understanding of the complex social and environmental aspects of the Bengal Delta associated with persistent and worsening riverbank erosion.

This book discusses the environmental hazards in the Gulf countries (GCC). The publication of this book is of great importance to all those interested and knowledgeable in the field. Climate change leads to the occurrence of major environmental hazards that must be reduced by estimating the extent of climate change and developing appropriate solutions to mitigate those effects. Climate changes are produced indirectly as a result of human activities with uncalculated consequences. The process of climate change is always accompanied by catastrophic environmental problems such as global warming, high temperatures, storms, hurricanes, floods, desertification processes, air pollution, and the extinction of many types and forms of animals and plants. The Gulf countries are located in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula where the crude oil is extracted in several fields. The states suffer from many environmental problems as a result of its geographical location, global climate change, and also from oil extraction operations. The problems include high temperatures, induced earthquakes, and pollution in the soil and marine coast, as well as desertification processes, sand dunes movement, and other environmental problems. Earthquakes are also recorded from and near the oil fields, indicating the link between the oil extraction process and the occurrence of earthquakes. Indeed, the environmental studies published in the Gulf state are very few and do not meet the need of the scientific community in region which need more important environmental publications that help in the great and rapid urban developments in the area.

Ein Erdbeben erschüttert Haiti und ein Hurrikan wütet in Texas. Wir hören, dass die Natur wütet und versucht, uns durch diese'Naturkatastrophen'zu zerstören. Die Wissenschaft erzählt eine andere Geschichte: die unbequeme Wahrheit, dass Katastrophen nicht die Folge von natürlichen Ursachen sind, sondern die meisten'Naturkatastrophen'durch menschliche Entscheidungen verursacht werden.​In diesem Buch erfahren Sie, wie Katastrophen vermieden werden können und sollten. Menschen mit politischer Macht, Geld und Möglichkeiten, allen zu helfen, vermeiden aktiv, Katastrophen zu verhindern, wenn die Natur ihre Kräfte und Energien entfesselt. Sie werden von Beispielen für schreckliche Katastrophen wie Erdbeben und Hurrikane in Haiti lesen, neben inspirierenden Erfolgen im Umgang mit Waldbränden in Colorado und Überschwemmungen in Toronto und Bangladesch. Die Geschichten nehmen Sie mit auf eine Reise um die Welt und in die Vergangenheit, um die komplexen Faktoren zu erkunden, die Katastrophen verursachen. Die Politik diktiert, wo und was wir bauen, während sie Armut, Marginalisierung und Diskriminierung schafft und aufrechterhält. Wir sollten die Menschen, die diese Entscheidungen treffen, für Katastrophen verantwortlich machen. Doch stattdessen konzentrieren wir uns auf Umweltfaktoren oder Gottheiten, die Todesfälle, Schäden und Störungen'verursachen'.Die Politik diktiert, wo und was wir bauen, während sie Armut, Marginalisierung und Diskriminierung schafft und aufrechterhält und wir konzentrieren uns auf Umweltfaktoren oder Gottheiten, die Todesfälle oder Schäden'verursachen'. Dieses Buch handelt von der Unfähigkeit der Menschheit, mit der Umwelt und mit uns selbst, kollektiv und individuell, umzugehen. Es wird Sie dabei unterstützen, bessere Entscheidungen zu treffen, um zukünftig dazu beizutragen Katastrophen zu verhindern.

This book stands as a manual and ready reference for structural engineers on the seismic protection of civil engineering structures. Beginning with a short historical overview, the book explains the concepts of seismic protection, describes the most common types of anti-seismic devices, and summarizes the main existing standards for anti-seismic devices, with particular reference to the European Standard. It imparts expertise on the devices that is normally restricted by proprietary interests of a few specialists. Then it goes on to illustrate the main differences between European and American Standards, examine the output of the principle laboratories globally engaged in testing anti-seismic devices, and to describe state-of-art technologies to retrofit seismically existing buildings. The volume concludes with a number of accounts of projects involving the author where structures were equipped with anti-seismic devices and provides some insight on the future development of relevant technologies.

The book illustrates a geospatial and geostatistical approach to data analysis, modeling, risk assessment, and visualization, as well as landslide hazard management in the hilly region. This book investigates cutting-edge methodologies based on open source software and R statistical programming and modeling in current decision-making procedures, with a particular emphasis on recent advances in data mining techniques and robust modeling in torrential rainfall and earthquake induced landslide hazard.

This book explores the relationship between tourism and high-magnitude storm events, including cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons and flooding, across all stages of a disaster. It considers the measures available to manage tourism after major storms and floods, examines the means to mitigate the potential impacts of these disasters on tourism, and provides insights into the ethical and socioeconomic issues facing tourism after a major flood or storm. The volume offers perspectives from a variety of countries and is a useful resource for researchers in tourism studies, tourism planning and marketing, geography and disaster management, as well as tourism stakeholders.

Floods are among the most common and consequential natural disasters on Earth, occurring in all natural areas at all times. Yet, they often surprise us with their unexpected magnitude and the damage they cause. Terms like century and millennium floods quickly become widespread, but what do we really know about the floods of the past? How can we truly classify events like the Mississippi flood of 1993, the Elbe flood of 2002, or the Pakistan flood of 2010? Have such floods occurred before, or are they unprecedented, perhaps even consequences of ongoing climate change? To answer these questions, we must look into the past. However, river level records are often limited in duration, rarely extending back more than a hundred years, and many regions lack any measured values at all. Nonetheless, floods have left their marks. These marks may exist in the form of historical records and descriptions, which vary in extent across different cultural contexts. In addition to historical records, natural indicators like deposited sediments or erosion traces provide valuable information about past flood levels. This is particularly important for prehistoric periods and for regions without dense settlements and related gauges. These investigations lead to further questions about maximum flood levels and the earliest recorded observations. This book addresses these questions by exploring the reconstruction of floods from both historical and prehistoric times. It explains and discusses methods and results for beginners with diverse backgrounds in disciplines such as earth sciences, hydrology, history, and engineering. Extensive and carefully selected reference lists offer access to additional information.

This book collects the selected papers of the XIV Congress of the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment held in Chengdu, Sichuan, China from September 21st - 27th, 2023, with the theme of Engineering Geology for a Habitable Earth. The meeting proceedings analyses the dynamic role of engineering geology in our changing world. The congress is expected to enhance the inter-disciplinary research development of international engineering geology and the environment, and contribute to the advancement of major projects, ecological progress, and habitable earth with in-depth discussion in the area of engineering geology and global climate change, geological hazard assessment and prevention, geotechnical properties of rock and soil mass, engineering geology and the environmental issues concerning marine, transportation, urban and ecological environment protection, engineering geology and resilience engineering construction, intelligent engineering geology, and new theories, methods, and techniques in engineering geology.

This book collects the selected papers of the XIV Congress of the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment held in Chengdu, Sichuan, China from September 21st - 27th, 2023, with the theme of Engineering Geology for a Habitable Earth. The meeting proceedings analyses the dynamic role of engineering geology in our changing world. The congress is expected to enhance the inter-disciplinary research development of international engineering geology and the environment, and contribute to the advancement of major projects, ecological progress, and habitable earth with in-depth discussion in the area of engineering geology and global climate change, geological hazard assessment and prevention, geotechnical properties of rock and soil mass, engineering geology and the environmental issues concerning marine, transportation, urban and ecological environment protection, engineering geology and resilience engineering construction, intelligent engineering geology, and new theories, methods, and techniques in engineering geology.

This book explores the complexities of landslide susceptibility and critical rainfall conditions in Lower Austria through a detailed analysis and actionable insights. This work provides a comprehensive approach to understanding LANDSLIDE risks by using data-driven methodologies, run-out models, and economic risk assessments. The book offers two types of scenarios: one that models more fluid LANDLSIDE movements and another that models more solid patterns, each responding differently to triggering events. This dual approach offers a more nuanced understanding of the variables at play, making the book an essential resource for those looking to make informed decisions ON LANSLIDE HAZARDS AND RISKS. If you are a policy-maker, an urban planner, or an environmental scientist, this book provides you with the tools needed to mitigate LANDSLIDE risks and improve safety measures. The focus here is on delivering solutions that have both immediate and long-term applications in the real-world context. The book fills a gap in the existing literature by providing a multi-dimensional, cross-sectoral assessment of landslide HAZARDS AND risks. Using state-of-the-art spatiotemporal LANDSLIDE models, the book goes beyond traditional hazard analysis to integrate critical variables like soil depth, economic impact, and climate conditions, here defined as scenarios. This approach provides a more holistic view of the risks, making it a valuable resource for both research and practical application. The principal audience remains environmental researchers and risk management professionals.

A catastrophic phenomenon should not be considered a sudden and causeless event, but as a process whose characteristics are continuously changing throughout the entire previous period. This process manifests itself in the form of a trajectory of changes in time of the controlled parameter. This trajectory contains the information necessary for making decisions, both about the current degree of criticality of the system's state and about the moment it reaches its limit state. This monograph discusses the method of searching for such a moment for a controlled system. The methodology consists of two complementary and therefore mutually validating forecasting methods. The first method analyzes the trend of a time series compiled from the results of monitoring the behavior of a controlled object, and the second method analyzes the periodic component, which together with the trend forms the original time series. The monograph considers the following processes as such processes: wear of the cutting tool, leading to defects in the workpiece; development of a manufacturing defect leading to an accident under operating conditions or catastrophe of products that differ in the volume of their production; preparation for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The book is on latest investigations of natural hazards like earthquakes, landslides, and glacial hazards carried out in last few years. Review papers are on the crustal structure of Himalaya based on latest studies through tomography and receiver transfer function. The seismotectonic models inferred from detailed modelling are also presented. Papers are on shallow soil/sediment structures inferred from passive seismic data, and also on estimation of strong ground motion. Several papers are on landslides and slope stability and two papers on glacial Hazards. A paper suggests multidisciplinary investigations for landslide and glacial hazards. Most of the papers are on investigations in J&K and western Himalaya which have come out for the first time. The results will be useful for planning risk mitigation. One paper is on safety of heritage structures of Ahmedabad UNESCO Heritage Site. Four papers give estimates of active deformation using PSINsar data in different regions. Two papers are on precursors. One review paper relates GPS results with earthquakes. Velocities of inferred movements in different parts of Himalaya are interpreted as partitions of active zones. This may preclude occurrence of mega earthquakes in Himalaya. Some papers show maps of VS30. One paper illustrates liquefaction potential at a dam site. Some papers outlay strategies for multidisciplinary research for risk mitigation of multi hazards. This book can serve as a valuable resource for researchers and professionals interested in the field of natural hazards.

This book presents the best practices necessary to embed climate change adaptation in the planning processes among the Adriatic coastal communities. Six coastal regions, which are distributed in the Northern, Central, and Southern Adriatic Basin in Italy and Croatia, were taken as reference areas. The book also introduces the state-of-the-art climate change adaptation strategies envisioned or implemented at national and regional governance levels in Europe. Additional details at the sub-regional scale were included in the analysis where possible. Moreover, these strategies were compared to the current and future climate trends on the Adriatic scale, in order to concentrate adaptation efforts on the expected risks. Based on the collected strategies, integrated with a further literature review extended to areas outside the Adriatic Basin, the book promotes a novel database of adaptation actions that includes targets, actors, expected results, and the timing for implementation. Such a database, called the Climate Menu, is publicly available on a web platform designed for the needs of public authorities and other stakeholders to undertake the reduction of climate risks.