Natural Hazards is an emerging area of significant economic and societal impact. The sustainable management of our natural capital is at risk from the increase in magnitude and frequency of natural hazards.
Conditions that serve to modulate the impacts of extreme events on human well-being have experienced significant changes as a result of a variety of drivers. For example, the reduction of ecosystem services due to anthropogenic activities on floodplains is not adequately modelled or understood for flood events. We are therefore not in a position to offer productive mechanisms to offset costs and/or enhance the benefits of hazards for physical, ecological and human systems.
Geography is leading the initiative to develop a Center for Natural Hazards at Trinity College, Dublin that will meet both national policy needs and lead in transnational issues. We have research partners across the college in Physics, and Engineering. Our associate members come from institutions across the island of Ireland and several international institutions.
This emerging area of research excellence will develop scholarship of international significance and make a significant contribution to knowledge.