Extreme Sea Level Events, Coastal Risks, and Climate Changes: Informing the Players

Fostering Geoethics in Flood Risk Reduction: Lessons Learned from the EU Project LIFE PRIMES

“…The very name of the current unit of geologic time, "Anthropocene", properly describes the magnitude of anthropic bearing; an epoch in which human activities have become a consistent force capable to influence changes on the Earth system [1]. Unfortunately, this expanded human capacity to impact the planet's climate and ecosystems is adding a 'systemic' dimension to risk [2], increasing the threat on exposed human assets [3,4]. Risk reduction activities must go beyond mere economic considerations and contemplate human and political ecology dimensions, to foster Homo sapiens' responsibility towards the Earth ecosystem [3].…”

“…Unfortunately, this expanded human capacity to impact the planet's climate and ecosystems is adding a 'systemic' dimension to risk [2], increasing the threat on exposed human assets [3,4]. Risk reduction activities must go beyond mere economic considerations and contemplate human and political ecology dimensions, to foster Homo sapiens' responsibility towards the Earth ecosystem [3]. Therefore, the challenge is to reconsider our relationship with Nature and to pursue disaster prevention and mitigation by making resilient communities (adapting to nature) rather than increasing our resistance to natural hazards (controlling nature) [5].…”