Search

Natural hazards — such as storms, floods, and wildfires — can be disastrous phenomena and so can biological invasions, for which impacts are often irrevocable and insidious. Yet, biological invasion awareness remains low compared to natural hazards, and investments to manage invasions remain vastly underfunded and delayed. Here, we quantified biological invasion costs relative to natural hazards, to raise awareness and political leverage. Analysing biological invasions and natural hazards damage cost data over 1980–2019, economic losses from biological invasions were of similar magnitude to natural hazards (e.g., $1,208.0 bn against $1,913.6 bn for storms and $1,139.4 bn for earthquakes). Alarmingly, invasion costs increased faster than natural hazards over time. Similar biological invasions impact magnitudes to natural hazards and faster cost growth rates urge commensurate recognition, coordination and action towards invasions in policies.

Introduction: Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is a global burden where fear, anxiety and lack of knowledge, awareness and preventive measures play pivotal role for community transmission. Authority of each nation is strictly approaching various health related guidelines and awareness campaigns. However, the present study was aimed to assess Bangladeshi people pattern of adherence with the health principles, level of knowledge and awareness of community transmission about the virus. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among the general people from 13 to 19 August 2020 by using a pre-assessed and validated questionnaire with the help of google tool and form. Total 1014 respondents were participated. Using SPSS software, chi-square (χ²) statistic was calculated to analyze the significance of knowledge level, risk perception, actions and precautionary behavior of participants according to their educational level and age group. Results: Among the respondents, male (85%) were more knowledgeable than female (82.53%). Correctness of answers was maximum (92.31%) in 41-50 age group and minimum (69.23%) in 51-60 age group. Post graduated participants had the highest knowledge while students of secondary level had the lowest knowledge on it. Although, maintenance of personal hygiene was proportional with the educational status, but it had no significant variance regarding age. Taking medication without doctor advice showed similar character on sex, but it was considerably varied on ages. Conclusion: The study clearly indicated that knowledge, awareness, risk perception and preventive practices about COVID-19 significantly associated with age and education. A comprehensive public health strategy and additional effort is necessary to facilitate precautionary actions to limit the COVID-19 transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar radiation management (SRM) – a form of geoengineering – creates a risk of 'termination shock'. If SRM was to be stopped abruptly then temperatures could rise very rapidly with catastrophic impacts. Two prominent geoengineering researchers have recently argued that the risk of termination shock could be minimised through the adoption of 'relatively simple' policies. This paper shows their arguments to be premised on heroically optimistic assumptions about the prospects for global cooperation and sustained trust in an SRM deployment scenario. The paper argues that worst-case scenarios are the right place to start in thinking about the governance of SRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of travel risk has been recognized, but only a limited number of studies have been conducted on this risk and the precautionary actions the public may take to manage it during holidays. This study applied the protective action decision model and the protection motivation theory to examine the public's intent to take precautionary actions during holiday times to handle the risk of overcrowding in China. Our survey showed that efficacy-related attributes of precautionary actions were positively correlated, whereas resource-related attributes were negatively correlated, with the intention to take precautionary measures. Risk perception also significantly influenced the adoption intention, but the amount of variance in the intention to adopt precautionary actions that was motivated by risk perception was lower than that related to efficacy-related attributes. In addition, we found that risk perception mediated the influence of past overcrowding experiences on people's intention to adopt precautionary measures. Travel frequency, length of time spent away for the holiday, and the number of underage family members involved were significantly correlated with the intention to adopt precautionary actions. Finally, this paper discussed suggestions and implications for travelers, tourist departments, and related stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risk perception paradox illustrates the perception of natural hazards as not directly related to a willingness to act or engage in precautionary behavior. Yet the utilization of participatory processes can help to overcome this gap. In a practical example in the watershed of the Danube River and its contributing streams in Germany, we aimed to solve questions about the value of participatory modeling as a method to bridge the gap linked to flood polder planning and a relocation of a dike for protection against high floods (centennial floods and rarer). Local communities, citizen initiatives, and nongovernmental environmental organizations joined together for round table discussions initiated by the water management authorities. A participatory modeling process enabled these diverse stakeholders to engage with the experts who built the groundwater models for the planning process. As part of this study, two case studies are presented. In the first example, neutral mediators assisted the round table "Flood Polder Katzau (Danube)" in order to cultivate mutual trust and understanding between the authorities and the former opponents of the project. This process is still ongoing, challenged by long-term planning and the more immediate obstacle of current political changes. The second case study is located on the river Alz, a tributary of the river Inn, which flows into the Danube, where the relocation of a dike was planned. This article demonstrates how participatory modeling contributes to bridging the gap between a local resident's risk perception and real action in the case of flood preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The meltdown and release of radioactivity (ionizing radiation) from four damaged nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Nuclear Facility in Japan in March 2011 continues to contaminate air and ocean water even 1 year later. Chronic exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation will occur over large populations well into the future. This has caused grave concern among researchers and the public over the very long period of time expected for decommissioning alone (current estimate from official sources is 30-40 years based on TEPCO in Mid-and long-term roadmap towards the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power units 1-4, ) and the presumed adverse effects of chronic, low-dose ionizing radiation on children, adults and the environment. Ultimately, radioactive materials from Fukushima will circulate for many years, making health impacts a predictable concern for many generations (Yasunari et al. in PNAS 108(49):19530-19534, ). There is long-standing scientific evidence to suggest that low-dose ionizing radiation (LD-IR) and low-intensity non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (LI-NIER) in the form of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields and radiofrequency radiation (RFR) share similar biological effects. Public health implications are significant for reconstruction efforts to rebuild in post-Fukushima Japan. It is relevant to identify and reduce exposure pathways for chronic, low-dose ionizing radiation in post-Fukushima Japan given current scientific knowledge. Intentional planning, rather than conventional planning, is needed to reduce concomitant chronic low-intensity exposure to non-ionizing radiation. These are reasonably well-established risks to health in the scientific literature, as evidenced by their classification by World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer as Possible Human Carcinogens. Reducing preventable, adverse health exposures in the newly rebuilt environment to both LD-IR and LI-NIER is an achievable goal for Japan. Recovery and reconstruction efforts in Japan to restore the communications and energy infrastructure, in particular, should pursue strategies for reduction and/or prevention of both kinds of exposures. The design life of buildings replaced today is probably 35-50 years into the future. Cumulative health risks may be somewhat mitigated if the double exposure (to both chronic low-dose IR from the Fukushima reactors and LI-NIER [EMF and RFR] in new buildings and infrastructure) can be dealt with effectively in early planning and design in Japan's reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Power & Electrical Engineering is the property of RTU Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Uncertainty, the precautionary principle and scenario are three important concepts in current regulatory debates concerned with risk management. In this paper, each concept is described in relation to its regulatory context and a linkage between the three concepts is established. Three scenarios relating to increasing scientific and technical uncertainty are presented. The most obvious regulatory approach to uncertainty is to ban a product, process or substance under the aegis of the precautionary principle. However, this may not be appropriate in all cases and a range of other possible policy responses to uncertainty are discussed and avenues for further research suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]