MONITOR - Hazard Monitoring for Risk Assessment and Risk Communication : Monitor is an Interreg IIIb CADSES project, co-financed by means of the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF)

Klagenfurt

2008

35 S.

14 Lit. Ang.

Monographie

3-902338-94-6

155373

Monitoring tools and appropriate simulation procedures are indispensable when it comes to providing vital information for risk evaluation, successful risk management and communication. New methods useful for monitoring, like new remote sensing and high resolution laserscan techniques, have been developed in the past. The value of these techniques can be calculated in theory but practical experience is limited. The main goal of the MONITOR (INTERREG IIIB CADSES) project was the improvement of the methodology of risk evaluation and communication by applying these innovative methods. The project partners represent authorities dealing with hazard processes as well as infrastructure and land-use experts. Monitoring methods for the assessment of natural hazards, differentiated by risk quality and risk quantity as well as by differing legislative and organisational environments, were compared and evaluated. The MONITOR project developed transnational, harmonised, best-practise methods for the Implementation of monitoring on the basis of criteria of cost, reliability, quality, re-usability as well as applicability. A wide range of suitable methods (like remote sensing and airborne and terrestrial laser scanning) have been implemented in various test-beds with a focus on different types of natural hazards. The suitability of methods was shown to be adequate but related risk communication difficult (short time period of warning). The test-beds also represent different conflict potentials like: conservation, infrastructure, tourism, land-use. Risk communication procedures were developed as a participatory process in alarm plan development (especially related to flooding). Options for improving alarm plans have been identified regarding risk communication and topicality of alarm plans. The Implementation of monitoring and risk management methods in the test beds resulted in reports on the applied methods. A regional hazard matrix has been generated to show the relation between hazard potential and actual land use activities, where risk combinations between several hazard processes and exposition structures can be displayed. The developed risk management ontology provides ideal background information for communication and knowledge transfer between different public and private stakeholders by creating a standardised, universally accessible language. The internet portal in which this knowledge base is incorporated provides the different institutions with a communication structure for the exchange of experiences, results and best practise methods and increases the understanding of risk management methods. This internet portal will also be a basis for a Decision Support System for selection of monitoring methods. Finally the process and the results of the project MONITOR has produced a further cornerstone in the risk management circle in a row described by the former projects DOMODIS and DIS-ALP.