Beyond the Expected—Residual Risk and Cases of Overload in the Context of Managing Alpine Natural Hazards

Sönke Hartmann; Lydia Pedoth; Cristina Dalla Torre; Stefan Schneiderbauer

doi:10.1007/s13753-020-00325-3

Volume 12 Issue 2

Dec. 2021

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Article Navigation > International Journal of Disaster Risk Science > 2021 > 12(2): 205-219

Sönke Hartmann, Lydia Pedoth, Cristina Dalla Torre, Stefan Schneiderbauer. Beyond the Expected—Residual Risk and Cases of Overload in the Context of Managing Alpine Natural Hazards[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2021, 12(2): 205-219. doi: 10.1007/s13753-020-00325-3

Citation:

Sönke Hartmann, Lydia Pedoth, Cristina Dalla Torre, Stefan Schneiderbauer. Beyond the Expected—Residual Risk and Cases of Overload in the Context of Managing Alpine Natural Hazards[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2021, 12(2): 205-219. doi: 10.1007/s13753-020-00325-3

Citation:

Sönke Hartmann, Lydia Pedoth, Cristina Dalla Torre, Stefan Schneiderbauer. Beyond the Expected—Residual Risk and Cases of Overload in the Context of Managing Alpine Natural Hazards[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2021, 12(2): 205-219. doi: 10.1007/s13753-020-00325-3

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Beyond the Expected—Residual Risk and Cases of Overload in the Context of Managing Alpine Natural Hazards

doi: 10.1007/s13753-020-00325-3

1 Eurac Research, Institute for Earth Observation, 39100 Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy;
2 Eurac Research, Institute for Regional Development, 39100 Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy;
3 Institute for Environment and Human Security, United Nations University, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Funds:

The content of this article is based on a study carried out between March 2017 and March 2018 as part of the project AlpGov (Implementing Alpine Governance Mechanisms of the European Strategy for the Alpine Region), a project financed by the European transnational cooperation programme Alpine Space within the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It supports the work of the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) in improving the risk governance of natural hazards in the Alps. The study was carried out on behalf of and in close cooperation with the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection (STMUV), which, as a member of and together with the Action Group 8 of the EUSALP, has been working on improving the management of risks related to climate change, including major natural risks prevention. We would like to express our gratitude to Hannah Berger and Andreas Rimbo ¨ck for guiding us through the stages of this research, for their willingness to always provide us with helpful comments, and for their availability to fruitfully discuss the content whenever needed. We also would like to thank all experts who contributed to this research. All types of contributions—responding to the questionnaire, participating in the interviews, providing background material, and organizing site inspections—were of central importance to our research. Finally, we would like to thank the members of the EUSALP Action Group 8 for having given us the opportunity to discuss our findings during their meeting in Innsbruck on 19 September 2017.

Available Online: 2021-12-25

Abstract

Abstract

Structural protection measures are designed to protect the population and infrastructure against natural hazards up to a specific predefined protection goal. Extreme events with intensities that exceed the capacity of these protection structures are called “cases of overload” and are associated with “residual risks” that remain after the implementation of protection measures. In order to address residual risks and to reduce the damages from overload events, a combination of structural protection measures with additional, nonstructural measures is required. Based on data collected through a literature review, a questionnaire survey, expert interviews, and an expert workshop we highlight the status quo as well as key challenges of dealing with residual risks and cases of overload in Alpine countries in the context of geohydrological hazards and gravitational mass movements. We present a holistic conceptual framework that describes the relationships of residual risks, cases of overload, and protection goals in the context of both risk governance and integrated risk management. This framework is valuable for decision makers aiming at an improved management of natural hazards that takes adequate account of residual risk and cases of overload in Alpine countries and mountain areas worldwide.
- Alpine countries,
- Cases of overload,
- Integrated risk management,
- Natural hazards,
- Residual risk,
- Risk governance

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References(34)

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