Agronomy 342

By: Jodie

Clifton

HOW NATURAL DISASTERS

AFFECT POVERTY

Kinds of disasters

Hurricanes

Earthquakes

Drought

Floods, Etc.

These disasters have been faced in the U.S. but when

it affects the poor and vulnerable populations it may

seem worse

The poor already cant afford housing and food, and when being

struck by a natural disaster, its even harder to get on your feet and

fix things

NATURAL DISASTERS

Over 90% of deaths caused by disasters occur in

poor countries

After a disaster, disease spreads quickly if there is

no clean water and limited toilets available, and with

some countries being so poor, they have limited

health care to help deal with the emergencies from

the disasters.

The poor are more likely to live in less expensive and

environmentally vulnerable areas such as: Flood

plains, and tornado alleys

DISASTERS FACTS

The Ethiopian drought from 1998-2000

caused destruction of assets and income

looses of repeated crop failures.

Forced households to choose between

preserving or selling some of their household

things, to maintain consumption and health.

This provides insight into the longer-term

effects of droughts and how people are

affected.

ETHIOPIAN DISASTER

A clear link of natural disasters to poverty is through

infrastructure according to the Managing Disaster

Risk in Emerging Economies book.

Natural disasters destroy essential rural

infrastructure

As more infrastructure is developed in rural areas to

combat poverty, and as the frequency and severity of

natural disasters also increase, the impacts on the

poor will become more critical.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Rights Theory

Everyone has the right to:

Food, water and shelter

Since the poor can’t always get aid themselves, other

countries like the U.S. and more wealthy countries should

aid affected countries

Categorical Imperative Theory

People should not be treated as means to an end

If some have access to the means of survival, everyone should

have the access to the means of survival

ETHICAL ARGUMENT

Natural disasters are becoming an increasing concern

globally, and the world’s poorest are becoming more

exposed to the risk of disasters, aggravated by climate

change and globalization.

The poor suffer more from economic loss, because they

are more vulnerable to the direct economic loss and also

to the indirect losses and the secondary effects.

When information is available on risk identification,

people with resources can find ways to avoid it, while the

poor are forced to accept a higher level of risk.

CONCLUSION

Scholarly

Carter, M. , P. L i t t le , T. Mogues, and W. Negatu. "Pover ty Traps and Natural

Disasters in Ethiopia and Honduras." World Development 35.5 (2007): 835 -

56. Iowa State Universi ty E - l ibrary . May 2007. Web.

<(http://www.sciencedirect .com/science/ar t ic le/pi i/S0305750X07000149)>.

Kreimer, Alc i ra , and Margaret Arnold. “ Infrastructure , Natural Disasters, and

Pover ty." Managing Disaster Risk in Emerging Economies . Washington, D.C. :

World Bank , 2000. N. pag. Google Books . Google, 2012. Web .

Cronin, Michael S. "POVERT Y AND DISASTERS." Proc. of

18th World Conference of Socia l Work , Brazi l , Salvador. N .p. , 18 Aug. 2008.

Web. <http://www.cfess.org.br/pdf/michael_cronin.pdf >.

Non-Scholarly

http ://famvin.org/en/2005/10/15/pover ty -and-natural -d isasters/

http://www.dmh.ca.gov/disaster/docs/DisastersandPover ty.pdf

SOURCES