| This R&D project focuses on the perception and acceptation of flood risks along rivers, the implications for flood risk management policy making, and risk communication. Research questions include: How do people live with (flood) risk and how do they feel about it? What can be learned from this information and applied to communication and flood risk management? Is compensation for flood damage advisable? Flood risk experts generally pay attention only to the technical aspects of risks (probability of an unwanted event and its consequences [casualties and damage]). However, lay people take other aspects into account when evaluating individual risks. Qualitative aspects, such as the (perceived) degree of free choice, equity, degree of control of the risk, but also expected benefits, are often decisive for risk acceptance. From this research, we have learned that there are large differences between how the government and experts view risks and how the public at large views risks. This knowledge is useful for drafting flood risk management policy, for communicating about risks, and for practical flood risk management. The knowledge and insight gained within this research project contribute to the EU-subsidised projects Freude am Fluss and FLOODsite. As a result, the knowledge has become available during the discussions on the development of an EU policy on cross-border cooperation and integration of flood risk management strategies, initiated by the Dutch presidency. The results of the research project will prove to be particularly useful during participation in agenda-setting workshops and discussions with government agencies involved in the drafting of strategic flood risk management policies. |
