Water Hazards and Risk Management (Flood & Water Scarcity)

A method for flood hazard mapping based on basin morphometry: application in two catchments in Greece A method for flood hazard mapping based on …

by Michalis Diakakis

Thematic Digest - Water and Hazards, Issue 27

by Basudev Upadhyay

Weekly digests contains news, views, events, opportunities, announcement and resources of specific themes of ICIMOD.

Scales As a Challenge for Vulnerability Assessment

by Alexander Fekete

Co-authors: Marion Damm, Jörn Birkmann.
NatHazards 55:729–747. DOI10.1007/s11069-009-9445-5

The aim of this paper is to introduce scale as a basic tool for improving the conceptual structure of vulnerability... more The aim of this paper is to introduce scale as a basic tool for improving the conceptual structure of vulnerability assessments. The terminology useful for vulnerability assessments and the current use of scale issues in theoretical vulnerability frameworks will be discussed briefly. Two case studies working on sub-national and on local level will demonstrate problems as well as benefits resulting from scale implications. Both assessments analyse vulnerability in context to river floods in Germany. In order to develop a spatial comparison and to integrate topics like environment and society, vulnerability assessments need to be aware of scale implications. The main point is that a scale debate on a broader spectrum than just in technical spatial terms is missing in vulnerability and risk conceptualisations so far. Vulnerability assessments and scale are highly intertwined, not only in technical application but also in conceptualisation, which needs more scientific development.