The city‐island‐state, wounding cascade, and multi‐level vulnerability explored through the lens of Malta

Abstract

The city-island-state, wounding cascade and multi-level vulnerability explored through the lens of Malta.Accepted for publication in Area. The information, practices and views in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

A multi-hazard historical catalogue for the city-island-state of Malta (Central Mediterranean)

“…The event is confirmed by (a) reliable source(s), but an element of the event remains questionable or unknown 549 2 Probable event Recognised as an event within the catalogue, but more data are required to confirm occurrence and impact 212 1 Questionable event Based on inference, modelling or physical data only. This may be questionable than they were in the past (Schembri 2003;Vella et al 2005;Ciarlò 2017;Main et al 2021). Third, it is highly probable given the nature of the evidence discussed in Sect.…”

“…Islands have been long-represented as having high levels of exposure to environmental extremes owing to the complex interplay of a variety of factors (Pelling and Uitto 2001; Méheux et al 2007;Wisner and Gaillard 2009). Recent research has found that this is particularly apparent for advanced, independent and heavily urbanised island states, such as the city-island-state 1 of Malta (Main et al 2021). There is some research which has considered the hazardous history of economically more advanced islands and archipelagos where hazards occur frequently and/or where there are frequent reminders of the hazardousness of the place.…”

A Multi-Hazard Historical Catalogue for the City-Island-State of Malta (Central Mediterranean)

“…The city-island-state of Malta, also known as the Maltese Islands, is a small, European Union (EU), archipelagic island state comprising three principal islands: Malta (246 km 2 ); Gozo (67 km 2 ) and Comino (2.7 km 2 ) (Schembri 2019;Main et al 2021). Located in the central Mediterranean (Fig.…”

“…First, it is "only because of the probabilistic nature of extreme events impacting vulnerable people that [the island state] has not been more severely affected in recent years" (Main et al 2018, p. 131). Secondly, rapid and ongoing expansion of the urban footprint, including significant coastal development with over 35 % of Malta's littoral classified as urban in 2017 (up from 5 % in 1990), is making areas and their increasing population more exposed and vulnerable than they were in the past (Schembri 2003;Vella et al 2005;Ciarlò 2017;Main et al 2021). Thirdly, it is highly probable given the nature of the evidence discussed in Sect.…”

“…Islands have been long-represented as having high levels of exposure to environmental extremes owing to the complex interplay of a variety of factors (Pelling and Uitto 2001;Méheux et al 2007;Wisner and Gaillard 2009). Recent research has found that this is particularly apparent for advanced, independent and heavily urbanised island states, such as the city-island-state of Malta (Main et al 2021). There is some research which has considered the hazardous history of economically more advanced islands and archipelagos where hazards occur frequently and/or where there are frequent reminders of the hazardousness of the place.…”