Megadisasters: Natural vs. Stealth

Submitter: Beth Meschewski

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/108378 Copy

Description

Title

Megadisasters: Natural vs. Stealth

Issue Date

2008-02-08

Keyword(s)

climate change

Abstract

"Susan Kieffer - Center for Advanced Studies, Professor of Geology and Physics. Large-scale natural disasters--such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and floods--have occurred intermittently throughout geologic time. A unique new process is unfolding on Earth, one in which human activities are of the same, or greater scale, as natural geologic processes. Our activities, and the waste from these activities are leading to ""stealth disasters"", such as contamination and loss of soils and fresh water, pollution of the oceans and atmosphere, and ecosystem destruction. Unlike most natural disasters, the onset of stealth disasters is gradual, but the consequences can be relatively immediate. Kieffer reviewed some mega-scale processes and their effects in the past, and compare present conditions and possible outcomes. We must always live with and adapt to the inexorable course of natural disasters because we can't control the course of these events, but we have the potential to change the course of stealth disasters."

Series/Report Name or Number

Sustainable Seminar Series

Type of Resource

• text
• still image

Language

en

Permalink

• https://youtu.be/EAOQHpo4JFI
• http://hdl.handle.net/2142/108378

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