The effects of tailor-made flood risk advice for homeowners in Flanders, Belgium

Swimming alone? Why linking flood risk perception and behavior requires more than “it's the individual, stupid”

“…However, despite decades of research on protective behavior and perception, predicting the actual behavior of individuals, homeowners, citizens still is a major challenge (Bubeck, Botzen, Kreibich, & Aerts, 2012;Milman, Warner, Chapman, & Short Gianotti, 2017). Uncertainty derives from many areas and results in fragmented understanding of risk perception and behavior (Davids, Boelens, & Tempels, 2019;Lechowska, 2018). An especially broad gap can be observed between risk perception and behavior, leading to a disconnection between decision-makers and affected people with respect to risk communication and risk knowledge (Höppner, Whittle, Bründl, & Buchecker, 2012;Wachinger et al, 2013;Whitmarsh, 2008).…”

“…It is important to move beyond analytic and descriptive identifications of risk to a more propositional approach that provides decision-makers not only with empirical evidence but also with solution options, not only with rules of thumb but ways of deepening knowledgefor-action in specific places (Eiser et al, 2012). These solutions may not take the form of "products" but advice about "processes" such as engagement with citizen-scientists, co-production of knowledge with local residents, including children and youth, or the risk perception knowledge "quadrangle" (connecting higher education, research, policy-making, and communities) (Davids et al, 2019;Snel et al, 2019).…”

On the horns of a dilemma: Experts as communicators for property‐level flood risk adaptation measures

“…This study links research on the role of the expert (Grundmann, 2017; Stehr & Grundmann, 2011), homeowner perspectives (Snel et al, 2019), and tailored flood risk advice (Davids et al, 2019). Davids et al (2019) illustrated how the engineering skills of experts alone are insufficient to increase at‐home flood resilience. Therefore, the objective of this study was to provide a better understanding on the potential role of experts in tailoring flood risk advise.…”

“…This mediating or facilitating role is often not fully recognised, when dealing with the needs of homeowners, and, for those homeowners receiving advice directly, may be partially responsible for the low uptake of PLFRA. Indeed, Davids et al (2019) show that only 11% of the homeowners considered the implementation of measures after receiving advice from an expert. To improve this situation, we need to consider the multiple roles of an expert in these circumstances to provide more insight into the effective ways of offering tailored flood risk advice.…”

“…To tailor expert advice to the homeowners' needs, the expert needs to be deployed in a more reciprocal relationship. In these situations, the expert cannot function solely by providing information one-directionally-for those with flood experience that are already eager to adapt (Davids et al, 2019)-but also needs to act as a mediator, conveying meaning by adding, changing or adjusting information according to the needs of the homeowners (Boelens, 2010(Boelens, , 2020. Thus, the challenge for the expert in being as effective as possible in initiating PLFRA, is to fulfil these multiple roles of expertise (Stehr & Grundmann, 2011), and mediate between various interests and needs of homeowners, government, and other actors in flood risk governance (Boelens, 2010(Boelens, , 2020.…”