Catastrophe: Risk and Response

INTRODUCTION What is catastrophe? The organization of this book Some useful disctinctions 1. WHAT ARE THE CATASTROHPIC RISKS, AND HOW CATASTROPHIC ARE THEY? Natural catastrophes Scientific accidents Other unintended man-made catastrophes Intentional catastrophes Catastrophic synergies and lesser-included catastrophes 2. WHY SO LITTLE IS BEING DONE ABOUT THE CATASTROPHIC RISKS Cultural factors Psychological factors Economic factors 3. HOW TO EVALUATE THE CATASTROPHIC RISKS AND THE POSSIBLE RESPONSES TO THEM The difference cost-benefit analysis can make: the case of RHIC A modest version of the precautionary principle Discounting to present value Taxes, subsidies, and options: the case of global warming Valuing human lives Risk versus uncertainty Coping with uncertainty Politics, expertise, and neutrality: RHIC revisited Summary 4. HOW TO REDUCE THE CATASTROPHIC RISKS Institutional reforms Fiscal tools: a recap Some hypothetical regulatory policies CONCLUSION Notes Index