Natural disasters are events caused by nature that have catastrophic consequences such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, etc. They are caused by factors like increased temperature differences causing more tornadoes and the collision of tectonic plates. When they occur, they receive global media attention and foreign aid is provided to affected countries. At a national level, they can cause economic downturns from infrastructure damage and loss of life as well as overwhelm rescue sectors. Locally, they destroy homes and communities and cause problems with public services. Preparing for disasters at a local level through donations and awareness can help mitigate their impacts.

1. GLOBAL ISSUES ANALYSIS
MODEL: NATURAL
DISASTERS & PREVENTION
By Witek Tochowicz & Rudy Cook

2. A DEFINITION:
Any event or force of nature that has catastrophic
consequences, such as avalanche, earthquake, flood,
forest fire, hurricane, lightning, tornado, tsunami, and
volcanic eruption
There is a lot of evidence for the existence of natural
disasters such as previous events like the earthquake in
Haiti, Volcano eruption in Iceland and etc.

3. CAUSES
increased differences in temperatures causing more
tornados
collision of tectonic plates
human causes such as the release of green house
gasses

4. PERSPECTIVES
Media coverage, foreign aid
Example haiti earthquake

5. SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS
Buildings able to withstand earthquakes because of
their new structure
Deeper basement in houses in order to hid from a
tornado
Aid programs for the ones affected by the natural
disasters

6. ICELAND VOLCANO
The eruption of the
volcano in 2010
affected the airspace the
most
up to 4,000 flights were
cancelled, airspace was
closed in Norway,
Sweden, Finland and
Denmark

7. ICELAND VOLCANO
extra 10,000 seats were
booked for the Eurostar
companies lost loads of
money because of the
decrease in air travel
solutions to future ash
clouds are better
predictions of the ash
clouds and which areas
they may occur in,
nothing more can be done

8. GLOBAL LEVEL
Natural disasters gather
global media attention
Economic trading with other
countries
Japan, March 2011
Foreign Aid
Humanitarian aid
Funding, cash injections to
increase GDP
Haiti, Jan. 2010

10. NATIONAL LEVEL
Economy goes into freefall (GDP, stock
trading)
Japan, March 2011
Damage costs (infrastructure, buildings,
employment, etc.)
Public & merit goods
Loss of life
Overwhelmed rescue sectors
Enforcing regulations to prevent same
repercussions
California, Japan, Turkey
Enforce procedures for people to follow
when dealing with disaster
Insurance rates increase for prone regions

11. LOCAL LEVEL
Destruction of homes,
communities, jobs
Loss of life
Problems with public
goods
Japan, rolling power
cuts
Regulations
Costs

12. WAYS TO THINK GLOBALLY BUT
ACT LOCALLY...
Donate money
Fundraise for a global
cause
Spread awareness of action
(charities) rather than the
devastation
For example, visit...
http://
www.redcross.org.uk/Get-
involved/Get-fundraising

13. WORKS CITED
"Haiti Earthquake Aid Pledged by Country: Full Data | News |
Guardian.co.uk." Latest News, Sport and Comment from the Guardian | The Guardian.
Web. 13 Oct. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/jan/
14/haiti-quake-aid-pledges-country-donations>.
Webb, Tim. "Japan's Economy Heads into Freefall after Earthquake and
Tsunami | World News | The Guardian." Latest News, Sport and Comment from the
Guardian | The Guardian. Web. 13 Oct. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/
world/2011/mar/13/japan-economy-recession-earthquake-tsunami>.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/17/preparing-for-volcanic-ash-
clouds
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/archives/ndht.php
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8621407.stm
http://syzygyastro.hubpages.com/hub/Root-Causes-of-Natural-disasters