Learning from Catastrophes: Strategies for Reaction and Response

7. The Role of Risk Regulation in Mitigating Natural Disasters

Bridget M. Hutter

London School of Economics and Political Science

Overview

Mitigating the damaging effects of natural disasters is a global priority. Risk mitigation can help minimize the great human and financial costs associated with disasters. Various generic forms of mitigation can prove useful in reducing the damage that may be caused by natural disasters. This chapter focuses on the role of risk regulation. It considers the situations for which risk regulation is best suited and circumstances that might limit its effectiveness. One consideration is the importance of balancing anticipation and resilience—putting in place firmer emergency plans and capacities where one can ...