Risk in the modern world

Thomas Abraham

BBC Flash news : Japan Government confirms radiation leak at Fukushima nuclear plants. Asian countries should take necessary precautions. If rain comes, remain indoors first 24 hours. Close doors and windows. Swab neck skin with betadine where thyroid area is, radiation hits thyroid first. Take extra precautions. Radiation may hit Philippine at around 4 pm today. If it rains today or in the next few days in Hong Kong. Do not go under the rain. If you get caught out, use an umbrella or raincoat, even if it is only a drizzle. Radioactive particles, which may cause burns, alopecia or even cancer, may be in the rain.

26 April 1986 –Chernobyl disaster

The effects of Chernobyl

• The worst nuclear power plant accident in history- level 7 according to the International Nuclear Event Scale (Fukushima disaster is level 5)

• Over 300,000 people evacuated and relocated• Radioactive material deposited over the

region and Europe

Riding motorcyclesRadiation from a nuclear accidentRock climbingSwine fluCrossing the road when the pedestrian light is redAir travelCancer

Which of these is a more serious threat to human health?

Some factors that affect risk perception

• Voluntary risks are seen as more acceptable than involuntary risks

• Risks that are known, raise less concern than risks that are unknown

• Risks that affect future generations are often seen as more terrible than those that do not

UN Scientific Committee Report

• Long term health effects according to UN Scientific Committee report

-6848 cases of thyroid cancer-134 rescue workers at the plant suffered acute

radiation: 37 have died, 87 others have cancers and other radiation related illnesses

-Over time, more likely to show the effects

Ulrich Beck and the Risk Society

• Beck traces the movement from a wealth distributing society, to a risk distributing society.

• Risks are global: endanger all forms of life on the planet

• Risks are invisible• Risks are not equally shared

What risks do you see here?

A family in Germany

A family in Ecuador

Who is at less risk?

Man, animals and disease

New Diseases

Measles

Tuberculosis

Flu

Man

AnimalsThe

environment

New Disease

Globalization has accelerated the process

Air Travel

2010- Estimated 2.3 billion passengers will fly by air

Hong Kong to anywhere in Asia= 1 to 6 hours

Hong Kong to Europe= 12 hours

Hong Kong to North America= 18 hours

How Sars Spread

Hotel Metropole

Hong Kong

Prof. from Guangzhou

Singapore

Toronto

Hanoi

How the 2009 “Swine Flu” Pandemic Spread

April 24 US and Mexico

April 30 ,11 countries including UK, Spain, Canada, New Zealand

Demand for meat and livestock produce

Trade in livestock

Human Population Growth

Summing up

• Globalisation and modernisation has given rise to new risks, from environmental risks to diseases

• Our modern era has been characterised as a risk society

• What can we do to reduce our risks?