Natural Hazards

Geohazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and extreme weather events continue to have devastating effects on populations and economies worldwide. In collaboration with partners from industry and academia, we strive to manage the risks of natural hazards through understanding how they occur.

As a founding member of the UK Centre for Observation and Modelling of Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tectonics (COMET), our volcanologists and seismologists work in active volcanic zones and contribute to international monitoring efforts in regions like Hawaii, Iceland, and La Palma.

Through initiatives such as Earthquakes without Frontiers—an international collaboration spanning natural sciences, social sciences, and education—we are increasing resilience to earthquakes in Asian countries, shaping policies to safeguard lives and property.

We also investigate air pollution; our scientists have surveyed magnetic particulate pollution on the London Underground and trialled the effectiveness of natural barriers, such as hedges, in improving air quality.

Additionally, our researchers are examining how climate change and human activity are intensifying natural hazards, including extreme weather, flooding events, and multihazard chains, where one hazard can trigger a sequence of interconnected events. We’re using a range of methods, including AI, to shed light on the complex and chaotic nature of these environmental interactions.