Aegean Geography: Environment and Threats

The course explores the influence of the natural environmental processes that can pose risks and cause disasters in nature and in human society. Geological processes (e.g. earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, tidal waves), atmospheric processes (e.g. tropical cyclones, tornadoes, extreme rainfall, floods, droughts), changes in global biodiversity (local and global extinctions, biological invasions, redistribution of organisms and communities), in relation to climate change and related impacts (e.g. epidemic diseases, wildfires). It is envisaged that global climate change will lead to a changing geography of natural hazards and vulnerable populations. The course will also address problems and actions for reducing the vulnerability of systems through geographic risk assessment and management methods (e.g. crisis and risk management, disaster management information systems, new technologies). Finally, operational emergency response is discussed (e.g. prevention planning, operational organization, impact management, response and disaster recovery, socio-economic systems, civil protection).