The Handbook provides a comprehensive statement and reference point for hazard and disaster research, policy making and practice in an international and multi-disciplinary context. It offers critical reviews and appraisals of current state-of-the-art and future development of conceptual, theoretical and practical approaches as well as empirical knowledge and available tools.Organised into five interrelated sections, this Handbook contains sixty-five contributions from leading scholars. Part I situates hazards and disasters in their broad political, cultural, economic and environmental context. Part II contains treatments of potentially damaging natural events/phenomena organised by major earth system along with categories of vulnerabilities to them and capacities to deal with them that exist in communities. Part III critically reviews progress in responding to disasters including warning, relief and recovery. Part IV addresses mitigation of potential loss and prevention of disasters under two sub-headings: governance, advocacy and self-help, and communication and participation. Part V ends with a concluding chapter by the editors.The engaging international contributions reflect upon the politics and policy of how we think about and practice applied hazard research and disaster risk reduction. This Handbook provides a wealth of interdisciplinary  information and will appeal to students and practitioners interested in Geography, Environment Studies and Development Studies.