RIASSUNTO
Abstract
In this paper, we analyzed the data on marine disasters in Chinese coastal areas over twenty-four years from 1989 to 2012. According to the results of the analysis, the uncertainty degree of marine disaster hazards increased, and the exposure and vulnerability of coastal hazard bearing bodies also gradually increased. After 2000, the proportions of economic loss in the marine Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and national GDP were significantly reduced. Furthermore, for the establishment of an integrated risk management system in China, we proposed improvements in the following three areas: marine disaster risk awareness, quantitative analysis supporting technology, and decision optimization.
Introduction
The marine economy, especially the coastal zone economy, has been developing continuously at a high speed over the past twenty years in China. According to China’s Ocean Development Report by the China Institute for Marine Affairs (2013), the marine economy will still maintain a high developing period over the next twenty years, and its contribution rate to the national economy will still improve stably. The specific weight of the marine domestic product share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of China will reach 12.44%, 13.89%, and 15.49%, respectively, in 2020, 2025, and 2030. Chinese coastal areas have long coastlines, and the Pacific Ocean is the ocean with the most serious and frequent marine disasters. Chinese coastal areas along the Pacific Ocean are also highly risky areas with marine disasters. Since the 1980s, economic losses caused by marine disasters in Chinese coastal regions experienced an average annual growth of nearly 30%, which was higher than those caused by other natural disasters (United Nations, 2008; Zhang et al., 2011). Losses caused by marine disasters have a negative impact on marine economic development, and marine disasters can be considered to be a negative economic growth factor. In order to achieve sustainable development of the socio-economic system in coastal regions, it is necessary to pay much attention to potential threats from marine disasters and strengthen disaster risk management for avoiding or mitigating the adverse effects of marine disasters.