Components of risk: a comparative glossary

The extent of disasters and their foreboding trend to increase in frequency and severity imply that the problem of disasters will have to be addressed by the world community in the coming years. A shared language and shared concepts are crucial stepping-stones in widening the understanding and effectiveness of disaster reduction. This publication is not only a useful reference before or even during an interdisciplinary meeting, but could also facilitate the reading of proceedings and books authored by experts of different professional backgrounds. We are living in a rapidly changing world, where new concepts, ideas, and solutions are incessantly developed. Therefore, a glossary can not be else but a snap shot of this development process.