Extreme Events: A Research and Policy Framework for Disasters in Context

Abstract

Extreme events are significant determinants of the character and evolution of many natural and human systems. When extreme events occur at the interface between natural and human systems, they are often called "disasters." Here, we use a systemic, contextual view of disasters to construct a framework for organizing research and policy. Within this framework, reduction of vulnerability is the organizing principle, and decision processes (which lead to reduced vulnerability) are the fundamental unit of analysis and action. Scientific research is connected to decision processes through knowledge-integrating activities such as prediction, observation, and heuristics. But the value of research depends on its capacity to enhance decision-making capabilities. Our goal is to define an approach by which policy-relevant research questions can be more readily recognized. and societally valuable (i.e., vulnerability-reducing) knowledge can be more effectively created and used.

The Great 2008 Chinese Ice Storm: Its Socioeconomic–Ecological Impact and Sustainability Lessons Learned

“…A weather disaster can benefit long-term societal development if the society is willing to grab the "window of opportunity for change" immediately after the event to deal with the vulnerabilities exposed (Sarewitz and Pielke 2001;Birkmann et al 2010). However, whether the society can materialize the benefit may have nothing to do with the disaster itself.…”

The ecology of pulse events: insights from an extreme climatic event in a polar desert ecosystem

“…It has been predicted that the frequency of extreme events, such as high or low temperature, drought or heavy rainfall, and severe storms, is likely to accompany the increases in temperature and changed precipitation patterns (IPCC 2007). Sarewitz and Pielke (2001) defined an extreme event as an occurrence 'that, relative to some class of related occurrences, are either notable, rare, unique, profound, or otherwise significant in terms of their impacts, effects, or outcomes'. However, what we consider to be an extreme climatic event may not necessarily result in an extreme ecological response (Arnone et al 2011, Jentsch et al 2011, Smith 2011b.…”

La vulnérabilité des systèmes socioécologiques aux événements extrêmes : exposition, sensibilité, résilience

“…Réduire cette vulnérabilité passe par une organisation des connaissances scientifiques en liaison avec les processus de prise de décision (Sarewitz et Pielke, 2001) -une organisation dans laquelle : les catastrophes dues aux événements extrêmes sont considérées dans le contexte de systèmes socioécologiques ; la réduction de la vulnérabilité correspond à l'objectif privilégié des recherches ; les processus de décision visant à cette réduction intègrent la connaissance et l'action. Ces processus sont eux-mêmes variés, complexes et changeants, impliquant à la fois des individus et des organisations plus ou moins vastes.…”