Final hazards report-Germany

The main natural hazards that I have perceived to be the most dangerous for Germany are the extreme weather conditions and coastal hazards.
These seem to be the most dangerous due to their stronger presence in the country versus other risks. Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, etc. are not as dangerous for the country for they are not as prevalent.

Extreme weather is a main hazard for Germany due to it's widespread effects, and intensity in the southern part of the country. Rising temperatures in the summer leads to extreme cases of heat stroke, and extreme temperatures in the fall and winter months leads to flooding (landslide events) and freezing. This event of extreme weather is caused by climate change. Climate change has been caused due to change in nature over time due to mass amounts of chemicals leeching into the air from either nature or human causation. This is a priority because human intervention can lead to the prevention of further change, should humans work to pollute the atmosphere less.
The recommendations I would offer to address this issue, the country is already working towards having in place.  In an extensive article about climate change, it is stated, "Germany has a strategy in place to cope with severe weather events, having defined and established plans for many of the sectors that would be affected by such events. For example... a rapid alert system has been installed in Germany... which alerts vulnerable sections of the population, such as the elderly, via the media or via direct contact with nursing homes." These systems warn the population to an event which allows for preparedness to prevent damage. To further address this risk, specific committees are being created to study and properly respond to the changing atmosphere, "In Germany, the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) has invested a high level of resources in developing measures to address the issue of climate change and public health, in particular through establishing the national Competence Centre on Climate Impacts and Adaptation1 , which created a catalogue of climate change and health data... A climate change adaptation plan has been developed, including measures such as awareness-raising at both national and local levels." The ideas and means for solution created by these teams of people could lead to a global solution, should they prove effective in negating as much of the negative effects of climate change as possible.

(http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/144389/e95103.pdf)

Coastal hazards are another main hazard for Germany due to the extreme risk being posed to the coasts. Erosion is a big factor in the hazard area since it has become more prominent with coming climate change.
In a website about climate, it is stated, "Germany's coast extends over 3700 km on both the North (1600 km) and Baltic Seas (2100 km)...Along the coast large low-lying areas are already threatened by recurring storm flood events and erosion. Accelerated sea-level rise therefore exacerbates a high-risk situation."
The more the coast erodes, the more risk posed to beach areas, homes near these coasts, and over time, pose a threat to inland areas as they start to become more coastal with sea level rise. This will lead to less land area, less stability in the surrounding earth, etc. This is an extreme risk because, should things become extreme enough, entire parts of land can fall away causing major devastation.

(http://www.climateadaptation.eu/germany/coastal-floods/)

Specific areas I would target first to address these hazards are the ones most at risk: Northern Germany for coastal hazards, and Southern Germany for extreme weather hazards. These areas suffer the most, and would need attention more. Prevention methods are always the best way to address these risks. If the population is prepared to survive the risk, and aware of the risk, there is a chance efforts can be made to prevent the risk.

If I could pick a part to build a home, I would pick somewhere in the North-western area of Germany (Luxemborg). I would try to find a rural area within a decent driving distance of a major city that way I am far enough from terrible people, but close enough to an airport should an major event happen, and the need to leave the country arise.I chose this area of Germany because it is furthest from most natural hazards, and close enough to France should the government collapse.

Coastal Hazards

An extreme coastal hazard for Germany is erosion of the coastline. According to a website about different climate changes, it is stated, "The German coastline is mainly shallow, i.e., marsh, dune, coast, while only approximately 11% of the coast is steep." The sand is not tightly compacted, therefore easily washed away by wave action on the beach.

After the 2004 Tsunami, Germany partnered with the effected to install proper warning systems. The group 'Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific' (ESCAP) was supported by Germany to provide better systems for warning of oncoming storms. Since Germany has the technology to support outside country's with warning systems, it is safe to assume that the country itself has systems in place to detect hazards for themselves.


http://www.climateadaptation.eu/germany/coastal-floods/

http://www.unescap.org/news/escap-and-germany-strengthen-partnership-early-warning-coastal-hazards

Extreme weather in Germany

It seems southern Germany tends to take the most beatings when it comes to natural hazards, weather, etc.
There is extreme weather consisting of thunderstorms, rain, hail, etc that plague the area.
For all of Germany, extreme weather, including heat waves and intense cold events occur within the country. Temperature extremes and flooding seem to be big risks.

As always, there are many procedures in place to study the weather to allow warnings and aid.
In an article on different extreme weather events, it is stated, "Germany has a strategy in place to cope with severe weather events, having defined and established plans for many of the sectors that would be affected by such events. For example, in reaction to the heat-wave 2003, a rapid alert system has been installed in Germany and other European countries, which alerts vulnerable sections of the population..." 

 Germany has these systems to study storms and uses this techology to help/study weather of other countries to alloow for better warning procedures for when these events occur.
Germany studies other countries extreme weather to better understand how to prevent as much destruction as possible in the future.
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/144389/e95103.pdf
https://germanwatch.org/en/download/10333.pdf

Mass Wasting Hazards

The areas that seem to be most at risk for mass wasting hazards are South, West, and Central Germany. These areas look to be the more mountainous regions of the country, which would explain why they are most at risk. There are higher elevations of land that could cascade down due to earth movements, too much rain, etc.

One way Germany works to stay informed on the land is by using "GIS techniques" to map and study high risk areas. This allows for an understanding of the geological make-up of the high risk areas and can act as a warning system if movement is being recorded. It is stated in a book discussing landslide events, etc., it is stated, "Methodology to assess risks and hazards caused by mass movements is based on the advantages of GIS techniques. Two main advantages of GIS in relation to geological risk assessment are the integration and analysis capabilities." This supports that scientists can study the land with this system as a way to warn when a mass movement event is to occur.
 In a seperate article it is stated how common landslide events can be in due to the geography, "In alpine regions natural hazards are a common phenomenon. Landslides, rock falls and mudflows occur in the course of mountain degradation that reflects the natural slope instability of mountain areas. Landslides are mostly triggered by extreme rainfall that will, according to climate scientists, become more relevant especially in alpine regions." Due to this knowledge, it is suggested that the best preventative measure to not be effected by these events, is to avoid those areas most at risk in the mountains.



https://books.google.com/books?id=37MIBHs3_-kC&pg=PA325&lpg=PA325&dq=Germany%27s+mass+wasting+hazards&source=bl&ots=7Lcudz5hFM&sig=sMzdhaI7Ky8zjWrpz1hXbj6XpPI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAWoVChMIyNvnxO7UyAIViyuICh3MnQOb#v=onepage&q=Germany's%20mass%20wasting%20hazards&f=false

https://www.lfu.bayern.de/geologie/massenbewegungen/doc/finalreport_adaptalp.pdf

Germany Volcanoes

There are about four mountain ranges with approximately twenty-two mountains that pose risk of having volcanic activity (dispersed within each range) in Germany. When it comes to active volcanoes, there are about three: Kaiserstuhl, Laacher See, and Vogtland volcanic area. The Laacher See volcano is located in the Eifel range and is a very young and dormant volcano, but still poses a threat.

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/germany.html

The current range that scientists predict most at risk is the Eifel range. This is located in western Germany. The last eruption from this area was approximately 11,000 years ago. In an article online, it is stated, "The experts are agreed that eruptions will occur in the Eifel again...It is probable that the Eifel is now at the beginning of a new phase of activity..." As always, scientists are studying the volcanoes to be prepared for an eruption, but predicting how soon one will occur is almost impossible due to the probability that one could erupt at any moment in time.

http://www.q-mag.org/germany-a-danger-of-volcanic-eruptions.html

Germany has strived toward eliminating nuclear plants (mostly, they've strived to moving away from that energy source and have worked to stop building these plants). This effort is being made in preparation of WHEN a volcano erupts. They are working to reduce the amount of nuclear waste damage/explosions/etc. from wreaking havoc once a volcano explodes. It is not widely known that Germany has volcanoes so there is probably an extreme risk of ill-preparedness should there be an eruption. Germany has experienced ash cover from volcanic explosions in Iceland, so there is a knowledge base on emergency measures and actions to take should an eruption take place.

Tsunami hazards

Germany has a low risk for a tsunami to torment the country. Less than a third of the country touches water, and that is at the top of the country, meeting the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Some of the last recorded tsunamis occured in the 1800s. The main tsunami threat to Germany would be if an earthquake occured in the North Sea, as that situation has caused the recorded tsunami to the country. In an article belonging to the "Journal of Tsunami Society International", it is stated that, "an earthquake generated tsunami imposed in the same way affected different regions in the German Bight and the North Sea." It is also stated in the article, "Tsunami risk in the North Sea was explored by means of N-waves imposed at the open boundaries of the refined North Sea model. Each tsunami affected different regions on the North Sea basin and the German Bight. For the German Bight, among all cases analyzed, the most dangerous tsunamis were those generated by earthquakes south of the North Sea, because of their incidence direction. Particularly for the 1858 tsunami, the location of the most affected regions and their arrival times along the German Bight and Denmark were well reproduced." This depicts the main tsunami threat germany would suffer.

 It was hinted that Germany was more likely to suffer storm surges due to the weather.
Germany has decent systems and methods in place for warnings. As can be help to support this, Germany created the system "The German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (GITEWS)" to help assist Indonesia in having a proper warning system to protect their country from future devestation. 

 

The link to the article in the journal can be found here, followed by an article about GITEWS:
http://tsunamisociety.org/321ChaconEtAl.pdf
http://www.earthobservations.org/documents/sbas/di/42_the_german_indonesian_tsunami_ews.pdf

seismicity

Germany does not have a high seismicity, but it does still encounter earthquakes. In a thorough article about Germany's seismic history, it is stated, "...some of the highest seismic activity in Europe north of the Alps is found in Germany." Part of this is due to the weaker state of the Earth's crust found along the Rhine River. The northern center area of Germany has the most seismic activity.
There is a relative risk of vulnerability to damage from a quake in those active parts of the country. However, preventative measures (to an extent) have been put in place. As the same article also relates, "The building stock of German communities contains to some extent modern buildings constructed in accordance with requirements of the national seismic code, but pre-code buildings are predominant. Due to the generally good workmanship the latter are only to a smaller portion vulnerable with respect to the existing hazard level." This means many of the buildings have been engineered to withstand damage. Scientists have mapped out extensively which areas are most at risk, along with varying levels of vulnearability. There is great detail in where would suffer however much damage, and the costs to fix them. This mean preparedness and distrribution of information to the people so they can prepare themselves should anything happen. There are warning systems in place to help warn as best possible.

Here is the link to the article.

http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/6/573/2006/nhess-6-573-2006.pdf