GEOG30019 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Anthropocene, Ocean Acidification, Planetary Boundaries
6 Jun 2018
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LECTURE 8: DISASTERS &
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
• Is there a relationship between disasters and development - how does this shape the issue of
SD
• Can we have sustainability with ever-increasing disasters and disaster impacts?
o Are the two connected: more wealth = more impacts?
o How does poverty/inequity fit into this equation
o What is the role of env degradation
• What is the cumulative impact of disasters
Anthropocene and Climate Change
• Anthropocene: geological era in which humans are the main force of change to the planet
o Tipping points
o Anthropocene is trying to discuss with society whether we are moving between states of
nature - first week myths of nature
• Coproduction: how we know bonds and constrains how we govern and act
o Anthropocene - learning how to view the world differently, and how we govern it
o Going to be on the final exam
o How does framing effect what can be done
o Fundamental differences means groups have to discuss different understandings before
coming to a management solution
• Scales of climate change icons:
o Glacial receding, polar bears, tar sands (for oil), ocean acidification, planetary
boundaries
• A global problem that requires global understanding
o A global understanding is suited to a global solution - however, need local change
o A global solution requires global disciplines
• SD has provided a template for climate change and Anthropocene, as a global issue, which is
not effective
• Fear is an inconsistent motivator - doesn't lead to lasting behaviour change
Disaster
• Hazard: a naturally or human process or event with potential to create harm/loss
• Risk: actual exposure of something of human value to a hazard and is often measured as a
product of probability and loss
• Vulnerability: how likely this risk is going to effect you and to what degree
• Many different ways to define risk - very subjective
• Calculating risk, is it objective? Yet others see it as subjective
• Very normative, reliant on values, rather than facts
• Impact of disasters are increasing - higher populations, more expensive assets, more
frequency of disasters
• Development relationship with disaster: poor people focus on capital, therefore will live in
higher risk locations to make capital
• Pressure & Release Model: disasters are a result of the interaction of risk and hazard, occurs
when significant number of vulnerable people experience a hazard and suffer sever
damage/disruption of their livelihood system in such a way they recover is unlikely without
external aid
o There is hazards, however there is socio-economic progressions of vulnerability to
understand how bad the disaster is for different groups/individuals
• Cyclical nature of poverty and disasters
