Mitigation & Adaptation (Edexcel A Level Geography)

Disaster Modification

• 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 

Reduction of Vulnerability & Increasing Resilience

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

Reduction of Loss

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