TY - JOUR A1 - Otto, Antje A1 - Kellermann, Patric A1 - Thieken, Annegret A1 - Costa, Maria Manez A1 - Carmona, Maria A1 - Bubeck, Philip T1 - Risk reduction partnerships in railway transport infrastructure in an alpine environment JF - International journal of disaster risk reduction N2 - The transport sector is crucial for the functioning of modern societies and their economic welfares. However, it is vulnerable to natural hazards since damage and disturbances appear recurrently. Risk management of transport infrastructure is a complex task that usually involves various stakeholders from the public and private sector. Related scientific knowledge, however, is limited so far. Therefore, this paper presents detailed information on the risk management of the Austrian railway operator gathered through literature studies, in interviews, meetings and workshops. The findings reveal three decision making levels of risk reduction: 1) a superordinate level for the negotiation of frameworks and guidelines, 2) a regional to local level for the planning and implementation of structural measures and 3) a regional to local level for non-structural risk reduction measures and emergency management. On each of these levels, multi-sectoral partnerships exist that aim at reducing the risk to railway infrastructure. Chosen partnerships are evaluated applying the Capital Approach Framework and some collaborations are analyzed considering the flood and landslide events in June 2013. The evaluation reveals that the risk management of the railway operator and its partners has been successful, but there is still potential for enhancement. Difficulties are seen for instance in obtaining continuity of employees and organizational structures which can affect personal contacts and mutual trust and might hamper sharing data and experiences. Altogether, the case reveals the importance of multi-sectoral partnerships that are seen as a crucial element of risk management in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. KW - Risk governance KW - Risk reduction partnerships KW - Transport sector KW - Capital Approach Framework (CAF) KW - Austria Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2018.10.025 SN - 2212-4209 VL - 33 SP - 385 EP - 397 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vogel, Kristin A1 - Weise, Laura A1 - Schröter, Kai A1 - Thieken, Annegret T1 - Identifying Driving Factors in Flood-Damaging Processes Using Graphical Models JF - Water resources research N2 - Flood damage estimation is a core task in flood risk assessments and requires reliable flood loss models. Identifying the driving factors of flood loss at residential buildings and gaining insight into their relations is important to improve our understanding of flood damage processes. For that purpose, we learn probabilistic graphical models, which capture and illustrate (in-)dependencies between the considered variables. The models are learned based on postevent surveys with flood-affected residents after six flood events, which occurred in Germany between 2002 and 2013. Besides the sustained building damage, the survey data contain information about flooding parameters, early warning and emergency measures, property-level mitigation measures and preparedness, socioeconomic characteristics of the household, and building characteristics. The analysis considers the entire data set with a total of 4,468 cases as well as subsets of the data set partitioned into single flood events and flood types: river floods, levee breaches, surface water flooding, and groundwater floods, to reveal differences in the damaging processes. The learned networks suggest that the flood loss ratio of residential buildings is directly influenced by hydrological and hydraulic aspects as well as by building characteristics and property-level mitigation measures. The study demonstrates also that for different flood events and process types the building damage is influenced by varying factors. This suggests that flood damage models need to be capable of reproducing these differences for spatial and temporal model transfers. KW - flood loss KW - Bayesian Network KW - Markov Blanket KW - vulnerability KW - Germany Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2018WR022858 SN - 0043-1397 SN - 1944-7973 VL - 54 IS - 11 SP - 8864 EP - 8889 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bubeck, Philip A1 - Botzen, W. J. Wouter A1 - Laudan, Jonas A1 - Aerts, Jeroen C. J. H. A1 - Thieken, Annegret T1 - Insights into flood-coping appraisals of protection motivation theory BT - Empirical evidence from Germany and France JF - Risk analysis N2 - Protection motivation theory (PMT) has become a popular theory to explain the risk-reducing behavior of residents against natural hazards. PMT captures the two main cognitive processes that individuals undergo when faced with a threat, namely, threat appraisal and coping appraisal. The latter describes the evaluation of possible response measures that may reduce or avert the perceived threat. Although the coping appraisal component of PMT was found to be a better predictor of protective intentions and behavior, little is known about the factors that influence individuals’ coping appraisals of natural hazards. More insight into flood-coping appraisals of PMT, therefore, are needed to better understand the decision-making process of individuals and to develop effective risk communication strategies. This study presents the results of two surveys among more than 1,600 flood-prone households in Germany and France. Five hypotheses were tested using multivariate statistics regarding factors related to flood-coping appraisals, which were derived from the PMT framework, related literature, and the literature on social vulnerability. We found that socioeconomic characteristics alone are not sufficient to explain flood-coping appraisals. Particularly, observational learning from the social environment, such as friends and neighbors, is positively related to flood-coping appraisals. This suggests that social norms and networks play an important role in flood-preparedness decisions. Providing risk and coping information can also have a positive effect. Given the strong positive influence of the social environment on flood-coping appraisals, future research should investigate how risk communication can be enhanced by making use of the observed social norms and network effects. KW - Coping appraisal KW - floods KW - protection motivation theory (PMT) KW - risk communication KW - social vulnerability Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.12938 SN - 0272-4332 SN - 1539-6924 VL - 38 IS - 6 SP - 1239 EP - 1257 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Natho, Stephanie A1 - Thieken, Annegret T1 - Implementation and adaptation of a macro-scale method to assess and monitor direct economic losses caused by natural hazards JF - International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction N2 - As one of the 195 member countries of the United Nations, Germany signed the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (SFDRR). Among other targets, the SFDRR aims at reducing direct economic losses caused by natural hazards by 2030. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) has hence proposed a methodology for estimating direct economic losses per event and country, based on experiences from developing countries. Since its usability in industrialized countries is unknown, this study presents the first implementation and validation of this approach in Germany. The methodology was tested for the three costliest natural hazard types in Germany, i.e. floods, wind and hail storms, considering 12 case studies between 1984 and 2016. Although the event-specific input data requirements are restricted to the number of damaged or destroyed units per sector, incomplete event documentations did not allow a full validation of all sectors necessary to describe the total direct economic loss. New modules (cars, forestry, paved roads, housing contents and overall costs of urban infrastructure) were developed to better adapt this methodology to German conditions. Whereas the original UNISDR methodology both over-and underestimates the losses of the tested events by a wide margin, the adapted methodology is able to calculate losses accounting well for all event types except for flash floods. Hence, this approach serves as a good starting point for macro-scale loss estimations. By implementing this approach into damage and event documentation and reporting standards, a consistent monitoring of the SFDRR could be achieved. KW - Germany KW - Direct economic loss KW - Natural hazards KW - Flood KW - Storm KW - Hail KW - Loss modelling Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2018.03.008 SN - 2212-4209 VL - 28 SP - 191 EP - 205 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Otto, Antje A1 - Hornberg, Anja A1 - Thieken, Annegret T1 - Local controversies of flood risk reduction measures in Germany BT - an explorative overview and recent insights JF - Journal of flood risk management N2 - In light of the flood event in June 2013, local disputes of flood risk reduction measures became a public concern in Germany, as it was argued that these controversies delayed the implementation of flood defence schemes and thus aggravated the flood impacts. However, actual knowledge about such disputes is generally quite limited. Therefore, this paper uses different empirical approaches to present first an explorative overview of such ongoing controversies with a focus on the measures under dispute and their geographical distribution. Second, current insights in the disputes are delineated, and the following four central conflict lines are expounded: (1) the desire for safety, (2) arguments of nature and landscape protection, (3) questions regarding economic development, and (4) participation issues. The results are discussed comprehensively, and conclusions are drawn regarding further research as well as planning practice in the field of risk reduction measures. KW - Flood defence measures KW - public communication KW - public engagement KW - risk governance Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12227 SN - 1753-318X VL - 11 SP - S382 EP - S394 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Thieken, Annegret A1 - Dierck, Julia A1 - Dunst, Lea A1 - Göpfert, Christian A1 - Heidenreich, Anna A1 - Hetz, Karen A1 - Kern, Julia A1 - Kern, Kristine A1 - Lipp, Torsten A1 - Lippert, Cordine A1 - Meves, Monika A1 - Niederhafner, Stefan A1 - Otto, Antje A1 - Rohrbacher, Christian A1 - Schmidt, Katja A1 - Strate, Leander A1 - Stumpp, Inga A1 - Walz, Ariane T1 - Urbane Resilienz gegenüber extremen Wetterereignissen – Typologien und Transfer von Anpassungsstrategien in kleinen Großstädten und Mittelstädten (ExTrass) BT - Verbundvorhaben „Zukunftsstadt“ (Definitionsprojekt) N2 - Weltweit verursachen Städte etwa 70 % der Treibhausgasemissionen und sind daher wichtige Akteure im Klimaschutz bzw. eine wichtige Zielgruppe von Klimapolitiken. Gleichzeitig sind Städte besonders stark von möglichen Auswirkungen des Klimawandels betroffen: Insbesondere extreme Wetterereignisse wie Hitzewellen oder Starkregenereignisse mit Überflutungen verursachen in Städten hohe Sachschäden und wirken sich negativ auf die Gesundheit der städtischen Bevölkerung aus. Daher verfolgt das Projekt ExTrass das Ziel, die städtische Resilienz gegenüber extremen Wetterereignissen in enger Zusammenarbeit mit Stadtverwaltungen, Strukturen des Bevölkerungsschutzes und der Zivilgesellschaft zu stärken. Im Fokus stehen dabei (kreisfreie) Groß- und Mittelstädte mit 50.000 bis 500.000 Einwohnern, insbesondere die Fallstudienstädte Potsdam, Remscheid und Würzburg. Der vorliegende Bericht beinhaltet die Ergebnisse der 14-monatigen Definitionsphase von ExTrass, in der vor allem die Abstimmung eines Arbeitsprogramms im Mittelpunkt stand, das in einem nachfolgenden dreijährigen Forschungsprojekt (F+E-Phase) gemeinsam von Wissenschaft und Praxispartnern umgesetzt werden soll. Begleitend wurde eine Bestandsaufnahme von Klimaanpassungs- und Klimaschutzstrategien/-plänen in 99 deutschen Groß- und Mittelstädten vorgenommen. Zudem wurden für Potsdam und Würzburg Pfadanalysen für die Klimapolitik durchgeführt. Darin wird insbesondere die Bedeutung von Schlüsselakteuren deutlich. Weiterhin wurden im Rahmen von Stakeholder-Workshops Anpassungsherausforderungen und aktuelle Handlungsbedarfe in den Fallstudienstädten identifiziert und Lösungsansätze erarbeitet, die in der F+E-Phase entwickelt und getestet werden sollen. Neben Maßnahmen auf gesamtstädtischer Ebene und auf Stadtteilebene wurden Maßnahmen angestrebt, die die Risikowahrnehmung, Vorsorge und Selbsthilfefähigkeit von Unternehmen und Bevölkerung stärken können. Daher wurde der Stand der Risikokommunikation in Deutschland für das Projekt aufgearbeitet und eine erste Evaluation von Risikokommunikationswerkzeugen durchgeführt. Der Bericht endet mit einer Kurzfassung des Arbeitsprogramms 2018-2021. N2 - Cities are responsible for around 70 % of the global greenhouse gas emissions and are hence important for climate mitigation; consequently they are a crucial target group of climate policies. At the same time, cities are also severely affected by potential impacts of climate change: extreme weather events such as heat waves or heavy precipitation (pluvial floods) cause high economic losses in urban areas and have adverse effects on the health of the urban population. Therefore, the project ExTrass is aimed at measurably enhancing cities’ resilience against extreme weather events jointly with representatives of urban administrations, disaster assistance and civil society. The project focusses on small metropolises and medium-sized cities with 50,000 to 500,000 inhabitants, in particular on the case study cities of Potsdam, Remscheid and Würzburg. The report summarizes the results of a 14-month definition phase whose main purpose was to define the research program of the successive 3-year-R+D-project, to be implemented jointly by researchers and practitioners. In addition, an inventory of climate change adaptation and climate mitigation strategies and plans of 99 German metropolises and medium-sized cities was created. Moreover, an in-depth analysis of the pathways of climate policies in the cities of Potsdam and Würzburg was conducted, which particularly revealed the relevance of key personalities. Furthermore, current challenges in climate adaptation and needs for action were identified during stakeholder workshops in the case study cities. In addition, possible solutions were discussed which will be implemented and tested during the R+D-project. Besides measures on the city level and on the level of urban districts, options that improve risk awareness, preparedness and coping capacities of enterprises and residents are strived for. Thus the state-of-the-art of risk communication in Germany was reviewed for the project and a first evaluation of a serious game was performed. The report ends with a brief outline of the work program 2018-2021. KW - Klimaanpassung KW - Klimaschutz KW - Pfadanalysen KW - Stadtentwicklung KW - Hitze KW - Starkregen KW - Risikokommunikation KW - Potsdam KW - Würzburg KW - Deutschland KW - Climate Adaptation KW - Climate Mitigation KW - analysis of pathways KW - urban development KW - heat KW - pluvial flooding KW - risk communication KW - city of Potsdam KW - city of Wuerzburg KW - Germany Y1 - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-416067 ER -