Environmental Hazards
Assessing Risk and Reducing Disaster, 3rd Edition
By Keith Smith
Routledge, (2001)
ISBN: 0-415-22464-0
Reviewed by Sheldon Ztvordokov
The term 'Environmental Hazards' covers a wide range of dangers, both man-made and natural. In Environmental Hazards: Assessing Risk and Reducing Disaster, Keith Smith takes a broad look at the scope and variety of environmental hazards that exist in the world. In addition, he also looks at various means of mitigating the dangers that these hazards pose, both to people and to the environment in general.
In writing this book, Smith has taken an interdisciplinary approach. He merges hard science with data from the social sciences, and the political and economic implications inherent in attempting to reduce, or prevent the occurrence of, an environmental hazard. Overall, the book is divided into two main sections. The first part offers a general overview of what constitutes an environmental risk, the factors that can cause such hazards, and how the level of risk is assessed. In the second part of this book, Smith details how environmental hazards can affect people in various parts of the world, and how such hazards can be mitigated.
Issues addressed in this work include, El Nino, impact of mega-cities, global weather changes, floods, droughts, biohazards, volcanos and earthquakes, landslides, and technological hazards such as the disaster at Chernobyl.
In general, the text is written in a nontechnical format that should be accessible to all interested readers. As well, the text is enhanced by the inclusion of numerous tables, graphs, and illustrations that serve to clarify details in the text. The text is suitable for an introductory text in a college level course in environmental hazards. It can also be used, in conjunction with other texts, for specialized courses in environmental or geological hazards. In addition, this work will be a valuable aid to those in the field seeking a general reference guide on the subject.
