Disasters and emergencies can have a devastating impact on the environment, as well as on people and the economy. Natural systems, when disrupted or corrupted, can suffer significantly from events such as chemical/petroleum spills, the release of toxins into the air, water, or soil, and contamination through events like overland flooding and fires. Climate change continues to contribute to the increasing number, severity, and duration of weather-related disaster events and ongoing shifts in global demographics and weather patterns will have far-reaching consequences for the environment, creating significant risks and cascading effects of disasters that need to be understood by all Disaster and Emergency Management practitioners. Students will learn about a variety of contaminants, biogeochemical cycles, and the other ways in which contaminants move in, through, and out of our natural systems. Both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems will be explored to uncover the areas that are particularly vulnerable to disasters and also the ways in which the environment contributes to disaster risk reduction and resiliency. Students can expect to learn about Environmental Impact Assessments and management systems and will understand how environmental disaster risks can be more effectively anticipated and mitigated. Students completing this course will have a better overall understanding of the role that natural systems play in both creating and mitigating disaster events, and explore actions and strategies to more effectively manage environmental risk and engage in appropriate remediation measures that will enable recovery and foster resiliency in the environment.