In the recent past a marked increase of the damages caused by natural hazard processes has been documented, for example by the Munich Re-Insurance. On a regional scale, a similar development can be observed in mountain regions such as the Alps, where it is particularly a rise in flood events that has caused the maximum amount of economic damage.
Three major aspects may help to explain this phenomenon: The changing frequency-magnitude relationship of the natural hazard processes, the multiplication of the damage potential due to the socio-economic change, and the non-adequate way of coping with the changing risk by the official authorities. As a consequence, Sustainable Natural Hazard Management in Alpine Environments tries to address key questions related to these developments and to give answers to these problems.
- Global change -- natural hazards: new challenges, new strategies
- Flood forecasting system for the river Inn
- Estimation of both flood discharge and sediment transport in small alpine catchments -- development and application of the software PROMABGIS
- Modelling the system conditions of small alpine catchments to improve runoff estimation - development of an expert support system
- Socio-economic evaluation of protection measures
- Analysis of decision making processes in natural hazard management
- Contingency plans for enterprises
- Risk communication in tourism
- Development of a system for monitoring and modelling instable slopes
- Laser-scanning data -- making use of a new technology in natural hazard management
- Improving safety in Alpine regions by combination of GSM/GPRS with satellite communication and GIS technology
- Road information system for the assessment and improvement of the natural hazard situation on mountain road by use of an internet based information system
- Increasing the safety on alpine hiking paths -- the web-portal 'Edelweiss'
- Four years experience of inter- and multi-disciplinary research for a sustainable safety in alpine environments
"This edited book, which comprises 13 chapters, provides an overview of the projects conducted at alpS – Centre for Natural Hazard and Risk Management during the period 2002-2008. [...] there is plenty to appeal to those interested in natural hazard management, including the fact that the book provides an overview of some of the German-language literature published in this area. [...] It would make a useful addition to any university library."
- Des McDougall, Mountain Research and Development, Vol. 30 (3), August, 2010