Overview

This unit takes as its starting point the catastrophes of our world today, such as droughts, earthquakes, epidemics, fires, floods, hurricanes, landslides, tsunamis and weather extremes, and seeks to provide a blended understanding between the mechanics and dynamics of these environmental phenomena with the social contexts in which these disasters … For more content click the Read More button below.

Offerings

S1-01-CLAYTON-ON-CAMPUS

Contacts

Chief Examiner(s)

Associate Professor Megan Farrelly

Unit Coordinator(s)

Associate Professor Megan Farrelly

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you should be able to:
1.

Gain awareness of the range of environmental processes that are recognised as hazards to human lives, livelihoods and settlements

2.

Understand the nature and origin of hazardous environmental processes, including concepts of event magnitude and frequency of occurrence

3.

Appreciate regional variations in the characteristics of environmental and socio-economic processes that produce catastrophes

4.

Recognize the social and demographic factors through which an environmental process becomes a human disaster

5.

Appreciate the range of factors than may influence the vulnerability of particular regions or communities to hazardous environmental processes

6.

Be able to summarise and discuss some of the strategies used to minimise the risk of environmental disaster and to respond to disasters that occur.

Assessment summary

Within semester assessment: 100%

Workload requirements

Workload

Availability in areas of study

Geographical science
Human geography