Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Economics Of Natural And Unnatural Disasters, William S. Kern Editor

Upjohn Press

These papers present the economic issues debates that arise when natural disasters strike. Better mechanisms for coping with disasters through better preparation and mitigation efforts are addressed. The authors discuss insurance and risk and suggest long-term insurance arrangements and government policy action. The themes addressed also include the ability of potential disaster victims to accurately assess the risks they face, the role of incentives in ensuring that mitigation efforts are undertaken, the adequacy of the evaluation of the impact of disasters on economies, and discussion of the effectiveness of current government policies toward disaster prevention and relief.