Playing against nature : integrating science and economics to mitigate natural hazards in an uncertain world /

• Main Author: Stein, Seth
• Other Authors: Stein, Jerome L.
• Format: eBook
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, West Sussex : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2014.
• Series: Wiley Works.
• Subjects: Hazard mitigation.; Hazard mitigation > Economic aspects.; Natural disasters > Economic aspects.; Natural disasters > Risk assessment.; Emergency management.; BUSINESS & ECONOMICS > Infrastructure.; SOCIAL SCIENCE > General.; Electronic books.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource.
• Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• ISBN: 9781118620809; 1118620801; 9781118620816; 111862081X; 9781118620786; 111862078X; 130663976X; 9781306639767; 1118620828; 9781118620823
• DOI: 10.1002/9781118620786

Defending society against natural hazards is a high-stakes game of chance against nature, involving tough decisions. How should a developing nation allocate its budget between building schools for towns without ones or making existing schools earthquake-resistant? Does it make more sense to build levees to protect against floods, or to prevent development in the areas at risk? Would more lives be saved by making hospitals earthquake-resistant, or using the funds for patient care? What should scientists tell the public when - as occurred in L'Aquila, Italy and Mammoth Lakes, California - there.