Iceland Volcano Eruption 2010 Flashcards
What was the name of the Volcano that erupted
Eyjafjallajökull
Why was this volcanic eruption globally significant?
disrupting air travel across Europe and beyond.
How many flights were cancelled due to the eruption?
100,000
What was the economic impact of the eruption?
1.7 billion USD in global airline industry losses; widespread supply chain disruptions, especially in Europe and Africa.
Realism
states prioritized national interests (e.g., closing airspace) and revealed limited global coordination mechanisms for environmental disasters.
Liberalism
Focuses on the role of international institutions and regional cooperation (e.g., Eurocontrol) in managing airspace safety and crisis coordination.
Constructivism
threat of nature is socially constructed and how perceptions of risk shaped different state responses (some states closed airspace earlier than others).
Environmental Politics / Climate Security
vulnerability of global systems to environmental disruptions and raises questions about resilience and adaptation strategies.
Complex Interdependence (Liberalism variant)
interconnected economies can be paralyzed by environmental events in small, remote regions like Iceland.
What role did the EU and Eurocontrol play?
Coordinated airspace closures; their delayed or inconsistent messaging led to criticism about lack of contingency plans.
Why was Africa economically affected by a volcano in Iceland?
Countries rely on air freight to Europe; delays caused export losses of up to $3 million/day
