Abstract
This research addresses the need for proactive climate risk management (CRM) by developing and applying a spatial climate risk and vulnerability assessment (CRVA) to flooding under consideration of the socio-economic dimension in Austria. Our research builds on a consolidated risk and vulnerability framework targeting both disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) while integrating the consolidated risk approach of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Furthermore, our research advances current methodologies by applying a spatially explicit and indicator-based approach, which allows the targeted and place-specific identification of intervention options—independent from the spatial bias of administrative units. The flooding CRVA is based on a comprehensive list of 14 primary indicators and 35 socio-economic sub-indicators. Our results indicate that high levels of socio-economic vulnerability related to flooding are concentrated in the northern and eastern regions of Austria. When integrating a climate hazard proxy, statistically significant risk hotspots (>90% confidence) can be identified in central-northern Austria and towards the east. Furthermore, we established a typology of regions following a spatially enabled clustering approach. Finally, our research provides a successful operationalization of the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) risk framework in combination with enhanced spatial analysis methods.
Highlights
The occurrence of extreme natural events, such as droughts and floods, has increased during the past decades [1] globally as well as in Austria [2]
It is likely that extreme natural events will become even more frequent in the future as climate change continues to evolve and socio-economic development further shapes the drivers of risk
To more effectively manage such climate risks, it is necessary to establish a link between disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) and address those in an integrated manner
Summary
The occurrence of extreme natural events, such as droughts and floods, has increased during the past decades [1] globally as well as in Austria [2]. It is likely that extreme natural events will become even more frequent in the future as climate change continues to evolve and socio-economic development further shapes the drivers of risk. Under these conditions, river floods will affect more people worldwide than any other natural hazard [1,3]. To more effectively manage such climate risks, it is necessary to establish a link between DRR and CCA and address those in an integrated manner. A proactive approach to climate risk management (CRM) is essential for comprehensively addressing climate-related risks and successfully coping with the challenges at the interface of CCA and DRR
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