University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu professor Dr. Ross Prizzia recently published the third edition of his textbook, “Climate Change and Disaster Management.”
Originally published in 2015, the new edition was made available on June 24 as an online textbook by Sentia Publishing.
“Climate Change and Disaster Management” makes the case that many climate-related scientists have provided data confirming that burning fossil fuels has increased greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, which has had a major impact on climate change. Each of the eight chapters provides references and questions for review.
The first chapter emphasizes worldwide awareness of the relationship between climate change and disasters, said Prizzia, professor of Public Administration and Disaster Preparedness, and the director of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (DPEM) programs at UH West O‘ahu.
“The year 2021 was marked by extremes across the U.S., including exceptional heat, devastating severe weather, and the second-highest billion-dollar weather and climate disasters on record,” Prizzia said. “These disasters included wild fires, droughts, heat waves, floods, tornados, and hurricanes.”
Other chapters cover topics such as climate change mitigation measures by government; the relationship between climate change and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; climate change and sustainable development and issues of equality and equity; technology, innovation, and initiatives to improve climate change resilience; and climate change challenges of the future, including pandemics and COVID-19.
Another notable chapter in the book explains climate change, national security, and disaster management with a focus on Asia and the Pacific, and issues of sea-level rise, water, and food security.
“Of the 12 disasters with the highest death tolls across the world since 1980, nine occurred in Asia and 40 percent of all disasters triggered by natural disasters occur in Asia,” Prizzia said.
He continued, “Pacific islands are especially vulnerable to sea-level rise, and one case resulted in ‘climate refugees’ from an island that was completely submerged and sought refuge on another island. This gave rise to legal issues as to whether the government on the island that they sought refuge had an obligation to allow them to land and stay.”
Prizzia’s “Climate Change and Disaster Management” online textbook can be purchased via Sentia Publishing.