1.4B - The Pressure and Release Model
The Pressure and Release Model (PAR) and the complex inter-relationships between the hazard and its wider context.
Some disasters are truly catastrophic in terms of their impact, for example the 2010 Port-au-Prince earthquake in Haiti. Its magnitude of 7.0 was relatively low, but it is estimated that 160,000 people died. The PAR model can be used to help understand this.
The PAR model suggests that the socio-economic context of a hazard is important. In poor, badly governed (root causes) places with rapid change and low capacity (dynamic pressures) and low coping capacity (unsafe conditions), disasters are likely.
It show how root causes, dynamic pressures and unsafe conditions combine with a natural hazard to create a disaster.
Haiti:
Root causes:
It show how root causes, dynamic pressures and unsafe conditions combine with a natural hazard to create a disaster.
Haiti:
Root causes:
- Per capita GDP (PPP) US $1200
- 50% of the population is under 20 years old
- Lack of education, training and investment
- Rapid population change and urbanisation
- 25% of people live in extreme poverty
- 80% of Port-au-Prince's housing is unplanned, informal slums