Environmental hazards and risks
Disasters generated by natural hazards and from technological sources (such as chemical spills and industrial explosions) continue to rise in profile.In this area of work, IESR staff are addressing how the impact of hazards may be reduced by developing a better understanding of hazard processes and the ways in which both individuals and communities become vulnerable to hazards.
Recent large-scale projects on these themes have included participation in an EC Framework 6 project examining multi-risk mapping, land-use planning and management in areas of Europe exposed to natural hazards (ARMONIA) and the development of a national population database for modelling major accidents and hazards, conducted for the Health and Safety Executive. Earthwatch IcelandImpacts and dynamics of volcanically-generated jökulhlaups, Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland