Speaker A
Does it matter whether you are rich or poor when disaster strikes? Stay with me to find out in this next episode of our series, The Science of Disasters.
Exploring how economic and social factors make disasters hit the poor hardest, with examples from heat waves to volcanic hazards.
Key Takeaways
- Disasters disproportionately affect the poor due to economic and social vulnerabilities.
- Preventative investments are often underfunded despite their long-term cost benefits.
- Systemic inequities in housing, energy, and governance increase disaster risk for marginalized groups.
- People’s choices about where to live are constrained by poverty, leading to higher exposure to hazards.
- Adaptation strategies can emerge in hazard-prone areas but do not eliminate underlying vulnerabilities.
What the video covers
- Economic factors often prevent effective disaster prevention and vulnerability reduction.
- Investing in disaster prevention is often seen as too expensive despite higher future costs.
- The 1995 Chicago heat wave highlighted how lack of affordable indoor climate control led to many deaths.
- Cities now offer cooling centers and transport to mitigate heat risks for vulnerable populations.
- Vulnerability is linked not just to lack of cash but also to systemic issues like energy pricing and housing quality.
- Social inequities, including racism and governance structures, exacerbate vulnerability to disasters.
- Poverty limits housing choices, often forcing people to live in hazard-prone areas with poor building standards.
- Affluent people may choose to live in risky areas for amenities, while the poor have fewer options and must accept hazards for livelihoods.
- Villagers near Merapi volcano in Indonesia adapt agricultural practices to volcanic activity despite risks.
- Disasters are influenced by economic, social, and governance factors, not just natural hazards.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction: Does wealth affect disaster impact?
- 00:39Economic barriers to disaster prevention
- 01:121995 Chicago heat wave and vulnerability
- 01:46Post-disaster responses and ongoing risks
- 02:21Economic and social roots of vulnerability
- 02:54Governance, inequity, and energy access
- 03:32Poverty, housing choices, and hazard exposure
- 04:06Adaptation near Merapi volcano, Indonesia
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
a disaster can still happen because economic factors stop us acting tackling vulnerability might be unaffordable or decision makers might state that talking vulnerability is unaffordable investing now to reduce vulnerability can be deemed to be too expensive even while knowing that avoiding
Speaker A
Even when we know exactly what to do in the face of a hazard, a disaster can still happen because economic factors stop us from acting. Tackling vulnerability might be unaffordable, or decision makers might state that tackling vulnerability is unaffordable. Investing now to reduce vulnerability can be deemed too expensive, even while knowing that avoiding immediate expenditure for disaster prevention then incurs future disaster-related costs which are far greater.
Speaker A
was that indoor climate control was too expensive for them to purchase and they did not have the means to move to a cooler place after the event today chicago offers cooling centers during times of extreme heat as well as transport
Speaker A
During the 1995 heat wave in Chicago, elderly people perished from medical conditions related to heat and humidity. The true cause of this tragic event was that indoor climate control was too expensive for them to purchase, and they did not have the means to move to a cooler place.
Speaker A
why is it that such large segments of the population cannot provide themselves with such a basic necessity vulnerability by economics is more than just the fact of some family's lack of cash on hand each summer or winter it dives into the
Speaker A
After the event, today Chicago offers cooling centers during times of extreme heat, as well as transport to and from these centers. But from Chicago to Shanghai, normal seasonal weather which has happened for centuries ends up killing thousands annually because people do not have the options by which they can stay alive in hot, humid, or cold and windy weather.
Speaker A
than owner occupiers interlinked social conditions crop up from racism to inequity as well as how much control governments should have over utilities all topics converge on economic and governance structures that deny people the options to reduce their vulnerabilities
Speaker A
Why is it that such large segments of the population cannot provide themselves with such a basic necessity? Vulnerability by economics is more than just the fact of some family's lack of cash on hand each summer or winter. It dives into the realms of why energy suppliers might not lower prices to affordable levels for everyone, why residential buildings are not designed or retrofitted for the weather variations and trends in their location, and why those in rented accommodation are typically more fuel impoverished than owner-occupiers.
Speaker A
for instance by purchasing a house on a floodplain to enjoy river views and access or perhaps purchasing a property by volcano slopes for similar mountain immunities but those who cannot afford to choose where they live find they have to gravitate towards locations
Speaker A
Interlinked social conditions crop up from racism to inequity, as well as how much control governments should have over utilities. All topics converge on economic and governance structures that deny people the options to reduce their vulnerabilities.
Speaker A
the merapi volcano in indonesia they have developed their agricultural systems to use the ever-present volcanic activity there ash fertilizes the areas where grass grows and hot gas emissions burn vegetation which supports fast-growing grass over slow-growing trees the villagers
Speaker A
Poverty breeds vulnerability. Poverty limits choices on where and how we live, so we end up occupying buildings which are constructed and maintained to worse standards than those in affluent districts. Affluent people often choose to live in harm's way, for instance by purchasing a house on a floodplain to enjoy river views and access, or perhaps purchasing a property by volcano slopes for similar mountain amenities.
Speaker A
opportunities for them despite attempts at post-eruption resettlement few have wished to move traditional beliefs and a sense of home contribute to reluctance to leave their land which due to the volcano provides them with a level of sustenance which they do not expect would be an
Speaker A
But those who cannot afford to choose where they live find they have to gravitate towards locations offering them livelihoods no matter what the hazards. Soil enriched with flood sediment or volcanic ash can be tempting to use as farmland, so it brings people, infrastructure, and livelihoods into floodplains and volcanic hazard zones.
Speaker A
in our next episode i'll be looking at why there is no such thing as a natural disaster you may like to try out more of the fascinating series in our science channel find out how technology can increase your chances of survival in a disaster
Speaker A
This was a case with villagers around the Merapi volcano in Indonesia. They have developed their agricultural systems to use the ever-present volcanic activity there. Ash fertilizes the areas where grass grows, and hot gas emissions burn vegetation which supports fast-growing grass over slow-growing trees. The villagers collect this grass to feed the cattle that form the basis of their livelihoods.
Topics:disasterspovertyvulnerabilityeconomic factorssocial inequitydisaster preventionheat wavehousingMerapi volcanoclimate control
