Volcanic Hazard Assessment in Western Europe

DK Chester, Christopher John Lloyd Dibben, AM Duncan

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Volcanology has been in the past and in many respects remains a subject dominated by pure research grounded in the earth sciences. Over the past 30 years a paradigm shift has occurred in hazard assessment which has been aided by significant changes in the social theory of natural hazards and the first-hand experience gained in the 1990s by volcanologists working on projects conceived during the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR). Today much greater stress is placed on human vulnerability, the potential for marginalisation of disadvantaged individuals and social groups, and the requirement to make applied volcanology sensitive to the characteristics of local demography, economy, culture and politics. During the IDNDR a methodology, broadly similar to environmental impact analysis, has emerged as the preferred method for studying human vulnerability and risk assessment in volcanically active regions, The characteristics of this new methodology are discussed and the progress which has been made in innovating it on the European Union laboratory volcanoes located in western Europe is reviewed. Furnas (Sao Miguel, Azores) and Vesuvius in Italy are used as detailed case studies. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)411-435
    Number of pages25
    JournalJournal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
    Volume115
    Issue number3-4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 30 Jun 2002

    Keywords

    • hazard reduction
    • European Union
    • volcanoes
    • International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR)
    • EL-CHICHON VOLCANO
    • SAO-MIGUEL
    • FURNAS VOLCANO
    • NATURAL DISASTERS
    • 1928 ERUPTION
    • LA FOURNAISE
    • VESUVIUS
    • RISK
    • AZORES
    • ETNA

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