SUPERVISOR: Gernot STÖGLEHNER 

PROJECT ASSIGNED TO: Lena JUNGER 

Growing flood damage can be linked to socio-economic developments, including settlement expansion in flood prone areas (Barredo 2009). In addition, the changing climate can cause an increase of flooding, the precise impacts on a local scale however, are uncertain (Blöschl et al. 2011). Furthermore, societal change (ex.: digitalisation, demographic change) can lead to unknown effects, also impacting the way spatial planning needs to handle flood risk. The vulnerability of anthropogenic uses to flooding is a focus of this research, which is where it connects to the research cluster ‘vulnerability’ of the HR21 Doctoral School. The rising damage potential and these uncertain and unknown developments connected to flood risk have to be addressed by spatial planning. As a result of the paradigm shift in dealing with flood risk, from solely focusing on structural flood defence to an integrated flood risk management, spatial planning has become an important part of flood risk management (Samuels et al. 2006).

There is a shift from hazard prevention towards the acceptance of a certain degree of risk, which requests the emergence of a culture of risk. Culture of risk aims at a broad understanding of risks within society as a whole, so that a risk conscious and risk adapted behaviour can be developed. In Austria, the idea of risk-oriented spatial planning describes a concept, where land use decisions are not only based on flood hazards but also vulnerability of objects and land use. The research will build upon this approach, while also looking at the influence of planning culture on the way flood risks are handled. This is also where the research links up with the research cluster ‘governance and planning’ of HR21. The research focus is on areas with lower flood hazard (ex.: yellow hazard zones, residual risk areas, areas with a low flooding probability), due to the fact, that land use in zones with high flood hazard is widely regulated.

The aim of this dissertation project is to research aspects of culture of risk in Austria on the example of areas with lower flood hazard. This will lead to a better understanding on how spatial planning can adopt a risk-conscious approach. Following research questions will guide the project: (1) How are areas with lower flood hazard dealt with in Austria? Which related aspects of culture of risk can be found? (2)  Which framework conditions influence the development of a culture of risk? And what is the role of planning culture in this context? (3) How can a risk-oriented approach to natural hazards be established in spatial planning? To answer these questions a mixed-method approach was chosen, consisting of a quantitative GIS-analysis and qualitative expert-interviews as well as a stakeholder workshop.

 

References

Barredo, J. I. (2009): Normalised flood losses in Europe: 1970-2006. In: Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. (9), S. 97–104. Online verfügbar unter www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/9/97/2009/, zuletzt geprüft am 27.02.2020.

Blöschl, Günter; Viglione, Alberto; Merz, R.; Parajka, J.; Salinas, J. L.; Schöner, W. (2011): Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf Hochwasser und Niederwasser. In: Österreichische Wasser- und Abfallwirtschaft (63), S. 21–30. Online verfügbar unter doi.org/10.1007/s00506-010-0269-z, zuletzt geprüft am 10.02.2020.

Samuels, Paul; Klijn, Frans; Dijkman, Jos (2006): An analysis of the current practice of policies on river flood risk management in different countries. In: Irrig. and Drain. 55 (S1), S141-S150. DOI: 10.1002/ird.257.