PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2017, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (2): 256-263.doi: 10.18306/dlkxjz.2017.02.011

• Reviews • Previous Articles    

Importance of economic loss evaluation in natural hazard and disaster research

Ning LI1,2,3,*(), Zhengtao ZHANG1,3, Xi CHEN1,3, Jieling FENG1,3   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
    2. Key Laboratory of environmental Change and Natural Disaster, MOE, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
    3. Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
  • Online:2017-02-20 Published:2017-02-20
  • Contact: Ning LI E-mail:ningli@bnu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research Program of China, No.2016YFA0602403;National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41171401, No.41101506;National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program), No.2012CB955402;Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation, No.9172010;Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, No.310421101

Abstract:

This article comprehensively analyzes the current thinking about disaster economic losses in China and internationally, the importance of loss evaluation in disaster management, and issues in the assessment of direct and indirect losses caused by natural hazards and disasters. It examines the progress of research in China on disaster impact evaluation methods and the current requirements of disaster management on loss evaluation. The article expounds the importance of understanding the economic losses of natural hazards and disasters, distinguishes the difference between total losses and direct loss, and demonstrates the necessity and feasibility of indirect loss evaluation of disasters. The results show that both direct and indirect loss assessments are important, and loss evaluation results based on sound assessment methods are urgently needed for disaster prevention and mitigation. Economic loss evaluations are also beneficial for measuring the effect of disaster management for improved disaster prevention and mitigation. Integration of disaster science and economics is an effective way to improve disaster economic loss evaluation.

Key words: direct economic loss, indirect economic loss, disaster loss evaluation, importance, disaster prevention and mitigation