Geography, Risks and Disasters

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

Teaching is face-to-face. Theoretical classes are based on expository methods and techniques - lectio - using audio-visual and GIS / TIG tools, complemented with fieldwork and, whenever possible, with practical exercises applied to solve concrete problems using spatial analysis GIS / TIG -based and geojuridic concepts and tools.

Learning Outcomes

1. Distinguish the concepts of Danger, Risk and Disaster.

2. Understand the concepts of Susceptibility, Vulnerability, Reisilience and Mitigation, as well as their position in Risk assessment.

3. Understand the procedural chain for risk assessment.

4. Identify the triggering factors and conditioning factors, potential players in the risk analysis.

5. Discriminate the different causes of hazards, risks and disasters.

6. Know the Methods and Models for Risk Classification.

7. Know the different plans, programs and national and international policies for Mitigating the consequences of disasters and increasing territorial resilience.

8. Know the main institutions, national and international, that serve as a formal reference for implementing strategies to reduce the risk of disasters, mitigate their consequences and increase the resilience of the populations. 

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Hazard, Risk and Disaster - Terminological and conceptual framework.

2. Hazard Analysis.

2.1. The spatial component of danger - Susceptibility.

2.2. The danger in its chronological dimension - Frequency, Return Period and Probability.

3. Factors triggering instability contexts - potentiating the danger.

4. Conditioning factors in the assessment of the risk manifestation potential.

5. Qualitative Risk Assessment.

6. Quantitative Risk Assessment.

7. Methods and Models for Risk Classification.

7.1. Monogenic Risks, Polygenic Risks and Concatenated Risks (Multirisk).

7.2. Natural Risks, Technological Risks, Mixed Risks and Natech Events.

8. Classification of Disaster types.

9. Mitigating the consequences of disasters and increasing territorial resilience.

9.1. The importance of UNDER (formerly UNISDR).

9.2. The Sendai action plan for disaster risk reduction (2015-2030).

9.3. Early Warning and Mitigation strategies in the context of crisis.      

Head Lecturer(s)

José Gomes dos Santos

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Report of a seminar or field trip: 25.0%
Resolution Problems: 25.0%
Exam: 50.0%

Bibliography

DAHLBERG, R., RUBIN, O., & VENDELØ, M.T. (Eds.). (2015). Disaster Research: Multidisciplinary and International Perspectives (1st ed.). Routledge, London, 270 p.

POLJANŠEK, K.,FERRER, M., De GROEVE, T., CLARK, I. (2017). Science for disaster risk management: knowing better and losing less. EUR 28034 EN, Publ. Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2017, ISBN 978-92-79-60678-6, doi:10.2788/688605, JRC102482.

REBELO, F., (2001). Riscos naturais e acção antrópica: estudos e reflexões. Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, 289. http://dx.doi.org/10.14195/978-989-26-0467-1.

SANTOS, José Gomes (2015). GIS-based hazard and risk maps of the Douro river basin (north-eastern Portugal), Geomatics, Natural Hazards and Risk, 6:2, 90-114, doi: 10.1080/19475705.2013.831952

UNDRR. 2004. Living with risk: a global review of disaster reduction initiatives. UNDRR, 429 p. ISBN/ISSN/DOI 9211010640.

UNDRR. 2019. Global Assessment on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR). UNDRR, 472 p. eISBN: 978-92-1-004180-5.