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SUMMARY:Managing the Risks from Natural Catastrophes: Are We Making Progre
 ss? - Prof. Robin Spence\, Director of Cambridge University Centre for Ris
 k in the Built Environment
DTSTART:20091105T130000Z
DTEND:20091105T140000Z
UID:TALK21283@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:15899
DESCRIPTION:The risks from floods\, storms\, earthquakes and volcanic erup
 tions have been with us for centuries\, yet we are far from controlling th
 em. In the present decade alone\, for example\, nearly half a million peop
 le have died as a result of earthquakes. The modelling of these risks is a
  growing industry\, and its outputs are today widely used in insurance\, f
 or establishing building codes\, and in developing scenarios for emergency
  planning. But how good are these models? The talk will look at the eviden
 ce basis for modelling natural catastrophe risks\, with an emphasis on ear
 thquakes and volcanic eruptions. It will discuss the limitations and uncer
 tainties inherent in the modelling process\, and ask whether it is possibl
 e to reduce these uncertainties.
LOCATION:Judge Business School\, Trumpington Street\, Room W2.02
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