Mitigation & Adaptation (Edexcel A Level Geography)

• Strategies to manage and reduce the impact of tectonic hazards can be divided into three groups - modification of the:
  • Event
  • Vulnerability, increasing resilience
  • Loss
• These strategies involve mitigation or adaptation

Modification of the event

• This happens before the event occurs
• Modifying earthquakes is challenging because they occur without warning 
  
  • Construction of earthquake-resistant buildings can help to reduce the impacts on people 
• Modifying volcanic hazards can be achieved by:
  • Hazard risk mapping using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify areas at highest risk followed by land use zoning to prevent development in these areas
  • Draining crater lakes reduces the chance of lahars
  • Barriers and channels can also be constructed to divert lava flows
• Modifying tsunamis can be achieved by:
  • Using land use zoning to prevent construction at the coast
  • Building offshore barriers 
  • Building sea walls - Japan has increased the height of sea walls in some areas to over 12 meters 
  • Replanting mangrove forests 

Land use zoning in Christchurch, New Zealand

Modification of vulnerability

• This happens before the event occurs
• Vulnerability can be reduced and the resilience of populations increased in a number of ways:
  • Land use zoning - ensuring that people are not living in high-risk areas
  • Hazard resistant buildings 
  • Improved services and infrastructure
  • Hazard risk mapping using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify areas at highest risk
  • Planning of evacuation routes
  • Education of the population to ensure that they know the actions to take when a hazard event occurs - earthquake drills
  • Improved storage of food, water and medical supplies so sufficient are available
  • Monitoring and warning systems to allow people time to evacuate

Earthquake resistant building design

Modification of loss

• This happens after the event occurs
• Loss can be reduced by efficient and effective aid and recovery, which can be achieved in a range of ways:
  • Evacuation - moving people away from the area that has experienced destruction/damage
    • This is particularly important after earthquakes when there are likely to be aftershocks which cause further damage
  • Search and rescue teams, who are well-equipped and trained
  • Emergency aid - food, water, medical aid to ensure survival 
  • Short-term aid - shelter, reconnecting of water and electricity supplies
  • Development aid - long-term aid to help with reconstruction and recovery
  • Insurance - to help people rebuild 
  • Local communities - supporting each other, providing shelter and helping with the search and rescue effort
• Aid may be provided by:
  • Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as the Red Cross, Medicin San Frontiers and Disasters Emergency Committee
  • Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs) such as the UN and World Bank
  • National and local government