A Common Methodology for Risk Assessment and Mapping of Climate Change Related Hazards-Implications for Climate Change Adaptation Policies

Author(s)
Maria Papathoma-Köhle, Catrin Promper, Thomas Glade
Abstract

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2014, suggests that an important increase in frequency and magnitude of hazardous processes related to climate change is to be expected at the global scale. Consequently, it is necessary to improve the level of preparedness and the level of public awareness, to fill institutional gaps, and to improve territorial planning in order to reduce the potentially disastrous impact of natural hazards related to climate change. This paper mainly presents a new framework for risk assessment and mapping which enables countries with limited data sources to assess their risk to climate change related hazards at the local level, in order to reduce potential costs, to develop risk reduction strategies, to harmonize their preparedness efforts with neighboring countries and to deal with trans-boundary risk. The methodology is based on the European Commission's "Risk Assessment and Mapping Guidelines for Disaster Management" (2010) and considers local restrictions, such as a lack of documentation of historic disastrous events, spatial and other relevant data, offering alternative options for risk assessment, and the production of risk maps. The methodology is based on event tree analysis. It was developed within the European project SEERISK and adapted for a number of climate change-related hazards including floods, heat waves, wildfires, and storms. Additionally, the framework offers the possibility for risk assessment under different future scenarios. The implications for climate change adaptation policy are discussed.

Organisation(s)
Department of Geography and Regional Research
Journal
Climate : open access journal
Volume
4
No. of pages
23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/cli4010008
Publication date
2016
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
105408 Physical geography, 105404 Geomorphology
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Atmospheric Science
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 13 - Climate Action
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/a-common-methodology-for-risk-assessment-and-mapping-of-climate-change-related-hazardsimplications-for-climate-change-adaptation-policies(7121d6d9-2023-49f7-86d1-aeda1522b18e).html