IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/nathaz/v82y2016i1d10.1007_s11069-016-2186-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Critical infrastructure, panarchies and the vulnerability paths of cascading disasters

Author

Listed:
  • Gianluca Pescaroli

    (University College London)

  • David Alexander

    (University College London)

Abstract

Cascading effects and cascading disasters are emerging fields of scientific research. The widespread diffusion of functional networks increases the complexity of interdependent systems and their vulnerability to large-scale disruptions. Although in recent years studies of interconnections and chain effects have improved significantly, cascading phenomena are often associated with the “toppling domino metaphor”, or with high-impact, low-probability events. This paper aimed to support a paradigm shift in the state of the art by proposing a new theoretical approach to cascading events in terms of their root causes and lack of predictability. By means of interdisciplinary theory building, we demonstrate how cascades reflect the ways in which panarchies collapse. We suggest that the vulnerability of critical infrastructure may orientate the progress of events in relation to society’s feedback loops, rather than merely being an effect of natural triggers. Our conclusions point to a paradigm shift in the preparedness phase that could include escalation points and social nodes, but that also reveals a brand new field of research for disaster scholars.

Suggested Citation

  • Gianluca Pescaroli & David Alexander, 2016. "Critical infrastructure, panarchies and the vulnerability paths of cascading disasters," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 82(1), pages 175-192, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:82:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1007_s11069-016-2186-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-016-2186-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11069-016-2186-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11069-016-2186-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Elisabeth Krausmann & Elisabetta Renni & Michela Campedel & Valerio Cozzani, 2011. "Industrial accidents triggered by earthquakes, floods and lightning: lessons learned from a database analysis," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 59(1), pages 285-300, October.
    2. Aekapol Chongvilaivan, 2012. "Thailand's 2011 flooding: Its impact on direct exports and global supply chains," Working Papers 11312, Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT), an initiative of UNESCAP and IDRC, Canada..
    3. Farid Kadri & B. Birregah & Eric Chatelet, 2014. "The Impact of Natural Disasters on Critical Infrastructures: A Domino Effect-based Study," Post-Print hal-02365385, HAL.
    4. Dirk Helbing, 2013. "Globally networked risks and how to respond," Nature, Nature, vol. 497(7447), pages 51-59, May.
    5. Sergey V. Buldyrev & Roni Parshani & Gerald Paul & H. Eugene Stanley & Shlomo Havlin, 2010. "Catastrophic cascade of failures in interdependent networks," Nature, Nature, vol. 464(7291), pages 1025-1028, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Balint, T. & Lamperti, F. & Mandel, A. & Napoletano, M. & Roventini, A. & Sapio, A., 2017. "Complexity and the Economics of Climate Change: A Survey and a Look Forward," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 252-265.
    2. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/1nlv566svi86iqtetenms15tc4 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Arnaud Mignan & Ziqi Wang, 2020. "Exploring the Space of Possibilities in Cascading Disasters with Catastrophe Dynamics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-21, October.
    4. Gianluca Pescaroli & David Alexander, 2018. "Understanding Compound, Interconnected, Interacting, and Cascading Risks: A Holistic Framework," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(11), pages 2245-2257, November.
    5. Kashin Sugishita & Yasuo Asakura, 2021. "Vulnerability studies in the fields of transportation and complex networks: a citation network analysis," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-34, March.
    6. Yu, Jianyong & Jiang, J.C. & Xiang, Leijun, 2017. "Group-based strategy diffusion in multiplex networks with weighted values," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 469(C), pages 148-156.
    7. Dror Kenett & Shlomo Havlin, 2015. "Network science: a useful tool in economics and finance," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 14(2), pages 155-167, November.
    8. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/5qr7f0k4sk8rbq4do5u6v70rm0 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Wang, Weiping & Yang, Saini & Hu, Fuyu & Stanley, H. Eugene & He, Shuai & Shi, Mimi, 2018. "An approach for cascading effects within critical infrastructure systems," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 510(C), pages 164-177.
    10. Christos Ellinas & Christos Nicolaides & Naoki Masuda, 2022. "Mitigation strategies against cascading failures within a project activity network," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 383-400, May.
    11. You, Tao & Yang, Haochun & Wang, Jian & Zhang, Peng & Chen, Jinchao & Zhang, Ying, 2023. "Cooperative behavior under the influence of multiple experienced guiders in Prisoner’s dilemma game," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 458(C).
    12. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/1nlv566svi86iqtetenms15tc4 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Didier Wernli & Lucas Böttcher & Flore Vanackere & Yuliya Kaspiarovich & Maria Masood & Nicolas Levrat, 2023. "Understanding and governing global systemic crises in the 21st century: A complexity perspective," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 14(2), pages 207-228, May.
    14. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/5qr7f0k4sk8rbq4do5u6v70rm0 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Tianyuan Zhang & Jiayao Li & Frederick Benaben, 2022. "A Simulation Framework Dedicated to Characterizing Risks and Cascading Effects in Collaborative Networks," Post-Print hal-03775883, HAL.
    16. Piao, Xiufeng & Lv, Tianyang & Zhang, Xizhe & Ma, Hui, 2015. "Strategy for community control of complex networks," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 421(C), pages 98-108.
    17. Perc, Matjaž & Grigolini, Paolo, 2013. "Collective behavior and evolutionary games – An introduction," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 1-5.
    18. Seth D. Baum, 2018. "Uncertain human consequences in asteroid risk analysis and the global catastrophe threshold," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 94(2), pages 759-775, November.
    19. Chopra, Shauhrat S. & Khanna, Vikas, 2015. "Interconnectedness and interdependencies of critical infrastructures in the US economy: Implications for resilience," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 436(C), pages 865-877.
    20. Linqing Liu & Weiran Wang & Xiaofei Yan & Mengyun Shen & Haizhi Chen, 2023. "The cascade influence of grain trade shocks on countries in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-28, December.
    21. Igor Linkov & Benjamin Trump & Greg Kiker, 2022. "Diversity and inclusiveness are necessary components of resilient international teams," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-5, December.
    22. Wang, Chengjiang & Wang, Li & Wang, Juan & Sun, Shiwen & Xia, Chengyi, 2017. "Inferring the reputation enhances the cooperation in the public goods game on interdependent lattices," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 293(C), pages 18-29.
    23. Tang, Liang & Jing, Ke & He, Jie & Stanley, H. Eugene, 2016. "Robustness of assembly supply chain networks by considering risk propagation and cascading failure," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 459(C), pages 129-139.
    24. Shogo Mizutaka & Kousuke Yakubo, 2017. "Structural instability of large-scale functional networks," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(7), pages 1-11, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:82:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1007_s11069-016-2186-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.