Geographic Perspectives on Disaster Risk Management

Chris Ewing, Matthew Foote, William Forde, Tina Thomson

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2026
• Print ISBN:
  9781119751441
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781119751465
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Civil Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

A holistic view of geospatial data and analysis across the risk management lifecycle

Geospatial data and analytical tools are widely used for disaster management, insurance, humanitarian response, and defence—yet methodologies remain siloed. Geographic Perspectives on Disaster Risk Management, written by a team of experienced practitioners in catastrophe risk analytics and geospatial studies, connects these sectors by comparing approaches, identifying common challenges, and distilling cross-sector best practices for preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation.

Structured around the disaster risk cycle, the book addresses exposure and vulnerability mapping, risk preparedness and mitigation strategies, event monitoring, damage assessment, resilience building, and risk communication. It draws on data sources ranging from local traffic cameras to geostationary satellites and includes case studies illustrating real-world applications alongside outcome-based evaluations of current practices and future developments in disaster risk assessment.

Readers will also find:

• Cross-sector comparison of methodologies from international development, emergency response, insurance, defence, and commercial geospatial analytics
• Practical case studies demonstrating real-world challenges and solutions in disaster preparation, monitoring, damage assessment, and recovery operations
• Outcome-based evaluation of common approaches to emergency risk management, identifying strengths and limitations of current practice
• Coverage of future developments in data availability, analytical techniques, and climate risk assessment relevant to evolving environmental uncertainty
• Guidance on risk communication and decision-making frameworks that translate geospatial analysis into actionable operational and financial strategies

Designed for professionals in disaster management, emergency response, and the insurance industry, as well as researchers and advanced students in the geosciences, this book provides a structured, practice-oriented resource for applying geographic perspectives to quantify, communicate, and reduce disaster risk across sectors.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Editors
• List of Contributors
• Contributors and Acknowledgements
• Foreword
• Preface: Geography Underpins Disaster Risk Management
• 1 Defining Characteristics of Assets for Risk Assessment – Exposure and Vulnerability
• 2 Common Approaches to Exposure and Vulnerability Data Across Risk Management Sectors
• 3 Innovations in Spatial Exposure Modelling for Public Sector Disaster Risk Practitioners
• 4 Geographic Nature of Hazard and Risk
• 5 Disaster Risk Reduction, Risk Mitigation
• 6 Insurance and Risk Transfer Mechanisms
• 7 Disaster Preparedness in Fragile, Conflict‐ and Violence‐Affected Humanitarian Settings
• 8 Event Response: Mobilisation and Logistics
• 9 Real‐Time Monitoring and Communication
• 10 Damage Assessment
• 11 Long‐Term Resilience: Recovery Finance and Implementations of Lessons Learned
• 12 Data Accuracy and Requirements: ‘What Data Are Appropriate?’
• 13 Communicating Uncertainty
• 14 Reporting and Decision‐Making
• 15 Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead
• Glossary
• Index
• End User License Agreement