3.1.1 The Challenge of Natural Hazards — Topic Overview
Natural hazards are naturally occurring physical events that have the potential to cause loss of life, injury, economic damage and disruption to communities. They include tectonic hazards (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions), weather hazards (tropical storms, extreme weather) and climate change.
Key sub-topics
| Sub-topic | Key content |
|---|---|
| Natural hazards overview | Definition; types; hazard risk = probability × severity |
| Tectonic hazards | Plate tectonics; earthquakes; volcanoes; responses |
| Weather hazards | Global atmospheric circulation; tropical storms; UK extreme weather |
| Climate change | Evidence; causes; managing climate change |
The nature of hazard risk
Hazard risk is influenced by: proximity to the hazard source, population density, vulnerability (economic and social), community preparedness, and governance. LIC (low-income country) communities often suffer more deaths from the same event than HICs (high-income countries) — compare the 2010 Haiti earthquake (~230 000 deaths) with the 2011 Christchurch earthquake (~185 deaths).
Plate tectonics — the big picture
The Earth's crust is divided into tectonic plates that move due to convection currents in the mantle. Plate boundaries are the sites of most hazard activity:
- Destructive (convergent): one plate sinks beneath another (subduction) — deep earthquakes, fold mountains, volcanoes
- Constructive (divergent): plates move apart — rift valleys, mid-ocean ridges, weaker volcanoes
- Conservative (transform): plates slide past each other — powerful earthquakes (e.g. San Andreas Fault)
Climate change — the overarching challenge
Climate change increases the frequency and intensity of many natural hazards — more intense tropical storms, more extreme weather events, coastal flooding from sea-level rise. Managing climate change is therefore interconnected with managing natural hazards.
Exam focus
- Know specific case studies for tectonic hazards (one in LIC, one in HIC) and tropical storms
- Be able to explain why hazard responses differ between LICs and HICs
- Evaluate strategies for managing each hazard type
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