(Ebook) Playing against nature : integrating science and economics to mitigate natural hazards in an uncertain world by Stein, Jerome L.; Stein, Seth ISBN 9781118620786, 9781118620809, 9781118620816, 9781118620823, 9781306639767, 111862078X, 1118620801, 111862081X, 1118620828

(Ebook) Playing against nature : integrating science and economics to mitigate natural hazards in an uncertain world by Stein, Jerome L.; Stein, Seth ISBN 9781118620786, 9781118620809, 9781118620816, 9781118620823, 9781306639767, 111862078X, 1118620801, 111862081X, 1118620828

Defending society against natural hazards is a high-stakes game of chance against nature, involving tough decisions. How should a developing nation allocate its budget between building schools for towns without ones or making existing schools earthquake-resistant? Does it make more sense to build levees to protect against floods, or to prevent development in the areas at risk? Would more lives be saved by making hospitals earthquake-resistant, or using the funds for patient care? What should scientists tell the public when - as occurred in L'Aquila, Italy and Mammoth Lakes, California - there.� Abstract: * Outlines a framework to find the optimal level of mitigation by balancing its cost against the expected damages, recognizing the uncertainties in the hazard estimates. �