CHAPTER 2 Essential 3: Multi-hazard Risk Assessment—Know your Risk
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Essential 3: Multi-hazard Risk Assessment— Know your Risk “Maintain up-to-date data on hazards and vulnerabilities, prepare risk assessments and use these as the basis for urban development planning and decisions. Ensure that this information and plans for improving resilience are readily available to the public and fully discussed with them.”
Why?
Satellite pictures of Venice.
Risk assessments provide local authorities, investors and the general community with vetted and updated data, maps and other information on hazards, vulnerabilities and risk in order to take decisions regarding timely interventions before, during and after a disaster.
Unless cities have a clear understanding of the risks they face, planning for meaningful disaster risk reduction may be ineffective. Risk analysis and assessments are essential prerequisites for informed decision making, prioritizing projects, planning for risk reduction measures and identifying high-, medium- or low-risk areas, according to their vulnerability and the cost effectiveness of potential interventions. A well-maintained database of disaster losses and a Geographic Information System to map hazards, vulnerabilities, the exposure of people and assets and capacities will provide the foundation for the risk assessment.
What? Determine the nature and extent of disaster risk • Led by the appropriate city department, prepare a comprehensive risk assessment and risk maps with loss scenarios, including the impact of climate change, using technical expertise available through city entities or local technical institutions. • Enlist, as necessary, technical support from national, regional and international experts. Make sure to consult and involve local stakeholders. Make the information available to the public. • Historic loss data: Prepare and maintain an updated database of disaster losses from past events and current potential hazards in the city. • Hazard assessment: Establish and map the nature, locale, intensity and probability of hazards (including natural events, technological and other man-made hazards).