The Role of Education in Increasing Awareness and Reducing Impact of Natural Hazards

David Cerulli, Michael Scott, Raivo Aunap, Ain Kull, Jaan Pärn, Jack Holbrook and Ülo Mander
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David Cerulli: Centre of Natural Science Education, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
Michael Scott: Department of Geography and Geosciences, Salisbury University, 1101 Camden Avenue, Salisbury, MD 21801, USA
Raivo Aunap: Department of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
Ain Kull: Department of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
Jaan Pärn: Department of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
Jack Holbrook: Centre of Natural Science Education, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
Ülo Mander: Department of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 18, 1-14

Abstract: Education could play a role in decreasing and mitigating damages caused by natural disaster. By analysing relationships between level of education and components of the World Risk Index, this study demonstrated an education’s role in natural hazard awareness and mitigation. For this purpose, we analysed relationships between the components of WRI, created an education factor independent of WRI (based on PISA 2018 Science test results), analysed the frequency, magnitude and exposure of natural hazards of an extreme event character in selected countries and analysed the relationships between the education factor and WRI components among the countries. A detailed analysis was performed for 15 countries representing the full global range of natural hazards (frequency, magnitude and exposure to droughts, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods (not related to hurricanes), mass movements, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis) and level of education. We found that the education factor (ranked and normalised to the maximal value among the considered countries) has significant negative correlation with the following WRI parameters: the Natural Hazard Factor (relative vulnerability, based on the difference between the relative and calculated WRI, ranked and normalised to the maximal value of WRI differences), susceptibility, lack of coping capacities and lack of adaptive capacities (all ranked and normalised to the maximal value). Results indicated that countries at low risk tend to be over-aware while countries at high risk are under-aware of natural hazards. Education can significantly increase awareness of natural hazards and reduce their impact.

Keywords: awareness; disaster reduction; exposure; lack of adaptive capacities; lack of coping capacities; susceptibility; vulnerability; world risk index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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