ABSTRACT
This book is not just about knowledge. It is also about actions – actions to stop people being harmed when we generally recognise why disasters happen and how disasters could be avoided. As has been evident throughout this book, and through continuing research, we are far from knowing everything about environmental hazards. In fact, it is unlikely that we could ever know everything about environmental hazards. Indeed, the more we discover about hazards, the more complex we realise they are; moreover, we become more aware of what we do not know. Small-scale actions within local communities have consequences, particularly with regard to changing consumption practices and land use, as well as the sharing of knowledge on environmental hazards and the efficacy and reach of diverse responses. Local communities can have global impact when amplified by news and social media, scientific projects and supranational organisations.
