NHESS Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences NHESS Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. 1684-9981 Copernicus Publications Göttingen, Germany 10.5194/nhess-12-2299-2012 Risk perception – issues for flood management in Europe Bradford R. A. 1 O'Sullivan J. J. 1 van der Craats I. M. 2 Krywkow J. 3 Rotko P. 4 Aaltonen J. 4 Bonaiuto M. 5 De Dominicis S. 5 Waylen K. 6 Schelfaut K. 2 7 Centre for Water Resources Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland Antea Group, Poortakkerstraat 41, 9051 Gent, Belgium Seeconsult GmbH, Sedanstrasse 61, 49076 Osnabruck, Germany Suomen Ymparistokeskus (Finnish Environment Institute), Helsinki, Finland Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca in Psicologia Ambientale and Dipartimento di Psicologia dei Processi di Sviluppo e Socializzazione, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, Scotland, AB15 8QH, UK University of Ghent, Vakgroep Geografie, Krijgslaan 281-S8, 9000 Gent, Belgium 20 07 2012 12 7 2299 2309 Copyright: © 2012 R. A. Bradford et al. 2012 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ This article is available from https://nhess.copernicus.org/articles/12/2299/2012/nhess-12-2299-2012.html The full text article is available as a PDF file from https://nhess.copernicus.org/articles/12/2299/2012/nhess-12-2299-2012.pdf

Public perception of flood risk and flood risk information is often overlooked when developing flood risk management plans. As scientists and the public at large perceive risk in very different ways, flood risk management strategies are known to have failed in the past due to this disconnect between authorities and the public. This paper uses a novel approach in exploring the role of public perception in developing flood risk communication strategies in Europe. Results are presented of extensive quantitative research of 1375 questionnaire responses from thirteen communities at risk across six European countries. The research forms part of two research projects funded under the 2nd ERA-Net CRUE Funding Initiative: URFlood and FREEMAN. Risk perception is conceptualised as a pillar of social resilience, representing an innovative approach to the issue. From this process recommendations are identified for improving flood risk management plans through public participation.

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