Stimulus for Human and Societal Dynamics in the Prevention of Catastrophes

Disasters, both natural and man-made, not only present a major threat to national security, they can also significantly impede the stable development of national economies. Dealing with them safely and efficiently is dependent on a well structured policy in emergency preparedness, something which can also go some way towards mitigating the inevitable burden they represent in financial terms. In the Caucasian region alone, natural and man-made disasters are estimated to have cost hundreds of millions of US dollars in the period 2003 to 2010. This book presents 34 papers, arising from the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) held in Yerevan, Armenia, in October 2010. The aim of this ARW was to further supplement the common efforts of scientists from NATO and partner countries to transfer technology and knowledge with the objective of decreasing the vulnerability of the population from both natural and man-made disasters. The ARW's aim was achieved, not least, by evaluating accumulated European theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the relevant fields so that recommendations could be developed for the prevention and mitigation of disasters. The book is divided into four m