Can the 'Natural Disaster' Concept be Superseded? A modern approach to classifying disaster triggering hazards

Abstract

Aim: The objective of this study is to demonstrate the need for a paradigm shift in terminology and concepts related to disasters, with particular emphasis on the use of the term "natural disaster" despite its compactness and widespread use. The author aims to demonstrate that natural hazards are not disasters in themselves but become disasters as a result of human vulnerability, exposure and lack of capacity, and therefore the term " natural hazard related disaster" more accurately reflects reality.

Methodology: The methodological framework of the study consists of a comprehensive review of the literature and an analysis of predonimantly international trends, legal and institutional definitions. The author examines the definitions of disasters provided by the United Nations, the European Union, and Hungarian documents, and then uses the terminology of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) and the EM-DAT The International Disaster Database as a starting point for classifying hazards. The study is characterized by the integrated use of quantitative data (statistical reports, research results) and qualitative analyses (interpretation of concepts, terminological comparisons).

Findings: Among the most important findings of the study is that disasters are not merely the consequences of natural events, but the result of complex interactions between human vulnerability, exposure, and capacity. The author points out that while floods and storms are the most common natural hazards, earthquakes cause the most fatalities, and the assistance in complex emergencies increasingly require humanitarian resources. It is important to recognize how the media significantly influences the financing and priorities of humanitarian aid through its disproportionate coverage of disasters.

Value: The scientific value of the study lies primarily in its comprehensive overview of modern approaches to hazard classification and its argument for a paradigm shift away from the concept of "natural disasters." The practical significance of the study lies in its contribution to the development of effective disaster management strategies by emphasizing the importance of reducing structural vulnerability. The theoretical contribution of the work to disaster research lies in the conceptual clarification and terminological precision that can serve as a basis for further research approaches.