Over the seawall : tsunamis, cyclones, drought, and the delusion of controlling nature / Stephen Robert Miller.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Miller, Stephen Robert, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Cyclones.

Droughts.

Human beings--Effect of environment on.

Human beings.

Natural disasters.

Nature--Effect of human beings on.

Nature.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (266 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : Island Press, [2023]

Summary:

"As extreme weather becomes more common, the urge to outwit nature can be irresistible. But when our expensive technosolutions backfire, are we worse off than before? How should we adapt to a changing climate? Miller reveals the unintended consequences of bad adaptations or as academics call it, maladaptations--fixes that do more harm than good. From seawalls in coastal Japan, to the reengineered waters in the Ganges River Delta, to the artificial ribbon of water supporting both farms and urban centers in parched Arizona, the author traces the histories of engineering marvels that were once deemed too smart and too big to fail. In each he takes us into the land and culture, seeking out locals and experts to better understand how complicated, grandiose schemes led instead to failure, and to find answers to the technologic holes we've dug ourselves into. Miller urges us to take a hard look at the fortifications we build and how they've fared in the past. He embraces humanity's penchant for problem-solving, but argues that if we are to adapt successfully to climate change, we must recognize that working with nature is not surrender but the only way to assure a secure future."--From publisher's description.

Contents:

Soutei-Gai : northeastern Japan

Pagal, by any other name : southwest Bangladesh

The audacity of desert living : central Arizona.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781642832570

164283257X

OCLC:

1407099253