Professor Bruce D Malamud presents: Challenges facing our understanding of natural hazards: A natural hazard community perspective

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In this research (Robert Šakić Trogrlić, Amy Donovan, and Bruce D. Malamud) we present the results of an NHESS (Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences) 20th anniversary survey, in which 350 natural hazard community members responded to two questions: (Q1) “what are the top three scientific challenges you believe are currently facing our understanding of natural hazards” and (Q2) “what three broad step changes should or could be done by the natural hazard community to address natural hazards in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals”? We have analysed the data quantitatively and qualitatively. According to the 350 respondents, the most significant challenges (Q1) are the following (within brackets % of 350 respondents who identified a given theme): (i) shortcomings in the knowledge of risk and risk components (64 %), (ii) deficiencies of hazard and risk reduction approaches (37 %), (iii) influence of global change, especially climate change (35 %), (iv) integration of social factors (18%), (v) inadequate translation of science to policy and practice (17 %), and (vi) lack of interdisciplinary approaches (6 %). In order for the natural hazard community to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (Q2), respondents called for (i) enhanced stakeholder engagement, communication and knowledge transfer (39 %), (ii) increased management and reduction of disaster risks (34 %), (iii) enhanced interdisciplinary research and its translation to policy and practice (29 %), (iv) a better understanding of natural hazards (23 %), (v) better data, enhanced access to data and data sharing (9 %), and (vi) increased attention to developing countries (6 %). We note that while the most common knowledge gaps are felt to be around components of knowledge about risk drivers, the step changes that the community felt were necessary related more to issues of wider stakeholder engagement, increased risk management and interdisciplinary working.

Bio for Professor Bruce D Malamud:

Since March 2023, I have been Wilson Chair of Hazard and Risk, and Director of the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (IHRR), Durham University, where I am also affiliated with the Geography Department.  My research focuses on multi-hazard interrelationships along with single hazard research in landslides, earthquakes, floods and wildfires. Research subthemes include anthropogenic processes, invasive species, time-series analyses, visualisation and communicating science.  Previous to coming to Durham University, I spent two years in the US Peace Corps (1986-1988) as a high-school teacher of chemistry/physics in Niger, West Africa, three years at Stanford Linear Accelerator (1988-1991) as an operations engineer, a PhD in geophysics/stratigraphy from Cornell University (1998), a Fulbright Fellow (1998-1999) studying natural hazards in Mendoza, Argentina, and (9/2000−2/2023) as Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader and then Professor of Natural & Environmental Hazards in the Geography Department, King’s College London.  I was President for four years (2007−2011) of the Natural Hazards Division of the European Geosciences Union (EGU), Programme Committee Chair for the EGU General Assembly (2010-2011) and Programme Co-Chair of the AOGS–EGU Conference Series on New Dimensions for Natural Hazards in Asia (2018−2022).  I am also executive editor of Natural Hazards & Earth System Sciences (NHESS).