Economics and Engineering of Unpredictable Events

Book excerpt: In recent decades, the intensification of unpredictable events including the Covid-19 outbreak, Brexit, trade warfare, religion-inspired terrorism and civil wars, and climate change has resulted in serious loss of human lives and property, a decrease in biodiversity and natural hazards (with long-term negative impacts on environment), and impeded social and economic development. Economics and Engineering of Unpredictable Events: Modelling, Planning and Policies provides an integrated view of the management of unpredictable events incorporating three major perspectives: economic management, environmental planning and engineering models. Contributors from economics, planning, regional science, and engineering address key questions including; How resilient are human societies and their habitats? What should societies do to shift from being vulnerable to being more resilient? And what role should planning and policies play to protect communities and the natural environment? The chapters cover academic debates, conceptual reflections, case studies, methods, and strategy development with particular reference to mitigation and adaptation in face of unpredictable events. This book is of particular interest to readers of economic policy, urban and regional planning and engineering.