Gurtner, Yetta, and King, David (2021) Socio-economic vulnerabilities to natural disasters and social justice. In: Chaiechi, Taha, (ed.) Economic Effects of Natural Disasters: theoretical foundations, methods, and tools. Academic Press, an imprint of Elsevier, London, UK, pp. 493-509.

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Abstract

Climate change modeling predicts more extremes of hazardous weather conditions such as drought and bushfire through to periods of heavier rainfall and floods. Vulnerability to the impacts of floods has increased as a consequence of urbanization, changes in house design, land use, and climate change. The literature critiques the inequality of vulnerability as exemplified by socio-economic inequality, location in hazard prone areas, fragile infrastructure lifelines, environmental change, and development. International disaster risk reduction strategies have focused on building resilient communities in order to enhance strengths in social capital. Because vulnerability is structural in nature, governments and institutions have not tackled disaster vulnerability to the same extent as resilience. Consequently attempts to build hazard resilience of people, households, and communities are undermined by continuing vulnerability and inequality. The literature discusses the social justice and human rights issues that relate to vulnerability and which also undermine ecological sustainability. This chapter explores these issues through an examination of the impacts of severe monsoonal floods in Townsville, Queensland during the early part of 2019. The community impact of this flood demonstrates complex issues of vulnerability. Twelve months after the event many households have not recovered.

Item ID:	67038
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	978-0-12-8174654
Keywords:	community vulnerability, measures of household vulnerability, natural disasters, floods, social justice, socio-economic vulnerabilities
Copyright Information:	© 2021 Elsevier Inc.
Date Deposited:	16 Mar 2021 01:58
FoR Codes:	44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4406 Human geography > 440612 Urban geography @ 50% 33 BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND DESIGN > 3304 Urban and regional planning > 330404 Land use and environmental planning @ 50%
SEO Codes:	19 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL HAZARDS > 1999 Other environmental policy, climate change and natural hazards > 199999 Other environmental policy, climate change and natural hazards not elsewhere classified @ 50% 19 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL HAZARDS > 1904 Natural hazards > 190499 Natural hazards not elsewhere classified @ 50%
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