ABSTRACT
In the early twenty-first century, the Earth sup - ports a human population that is more numerous and – in general – is healthier and wealthier than ever before. At the same time, there is an un precedented awareness of the risks that face people and what they value. Some of this concern is associated with the death and destruction caused by ‘natural’ hazards like earthquakes and floods. Other anxieties focus on the risks that originate in the built environment, such as indus - trial accidents and failures of technology that are seen as ‘man-made’. In addition, there are wide - spread fears about more elusive, still-emerging dangers, like climate change, sea-level rise and the loss of biodiversity.
