Better risk prevention avoids disasters
Significant developments in climate change and land use are bringing with them increased threats of natural disasters such as floods and landslides. The EU is concerned about the effectiveness of traditional approaches in combating water-related disasters caused by increasing rainfall, weakening soil and rising sea levels. To better face such challenges, the EU-funded project 'Knowledge-based approach to develop a culture of risk prevention' (Kulturisk) is revolutionising post-disaster recovery strategies. The project is investigating novel prevention initiatives such as early warning systems, improved planning and risk insurance, as well as highlighting the need to create hazard inventories and record sites (build memory). It is studying specific problem areas across the EU such as the Danube River in eastern Europe, low coastal areas in the United Kingdom, and mountain catchments in Switzerland. Generally, prevention measures are much more socially and economically viable than post-disaster recovery. In this light, the project team is reviewing structural measures, insurance policies and land planning strategies to develop risk-based methodology for evaluating risk-prevention measures. It is also examining EU and international policies in risk prevention, as well as current risk assessment methods for natural hazards and recent developments in hazard mapping. Key project priorities also include shaping public awareness of risks through better communication, in addition to training engineers, consultants and authorities to better assess socioeconomic benefits of relevant risk-prevention techniques. The project also called for involving stakeholders in assessing risks to develop management measures that incorporate concepts such as sustainability and global change. Several benefits are expected from the project, such as better estimation of disaster costs, improved readiness of people to cope with emergencies, and more effective risk management. A much more powerful way for evaluating the benefits of different risk-prevention measures has already emerged and will be applied to different case studies across Europe. With the expected project success, the Kulturisk approach could eventually be applied to other disasters such as earthquakes and forest fires.
