§16§§In the recent past a marked increase of the damages caused by natural hazard processes has been documented, for example by the Munich Re-Insurance. On a regional scale, a similar development can be observed in mountain regions such as the Alps, where it is particularly a rise in flood events that has caused the maximum amount of economic damage. Three major aspects may help to explain this phenomenon: The changing frequency-magnitude relationship of the natural hazard processes, the multiplication of the damage potential due to the socio-economic change, and the non-adequate way of coping with the changing risk by the official authorities. As a consequence, this book tries to address key questions related to these developments and to give answers to these problems. Question 1: How can the strategies for coping with the rise in extreme flooding be improved? Question 2: How can the damage potential and other socio-economic aspects be quantified? Question 3: How can new computer §16§based technologies contribute to minimizing the risks related to alpine natural hazards? An initial chapter gives an overview of the global change aspects of natural hazards and their related risks. While three chapters outline answers to question 1, four chapters discuss question 2. Five chapters give examples of new technologies.§ §04§Global change natural hazards: new challenges, new strategies.- Flood forecasting system for the river Inn.- Estimation of both flood discharge and sediment transport in small alpine catchments development and application of the software PROMABGIS.- Modelling the system conditions of small alpine catchments to improve runoff estimation - development of an expert support system.- Socio-economic evaluation of protection measures.- Analysis of decision making processes in natural hazard management.- Contingency plans for enterprises.- Risk communication in tourism.- Development of a system for monitoring and modelling instable slopes.- Laser-scanning data making use of a new technology in natural hazard management.-Improving safety in Alpine regions by combination of GSM/GPRS with satellite communication and GIS technology.- Road information system for the assessment and improvement of the natural hazard situation on mountain road by use of an internet based information system.- Incr §04§easing the safety on alpine hiking paths the web-portal Edelweiss .- Four years experience of inter- and multi-disciplinary research for a sustainable safety in alpine environments §13§§From the reviews:§"This edited book, which comprises 13 chapters, provides an overview of the projects conducted at alpS-Centre for Natural Hazard and Risk Management during the period 2002-2008. ... there is plenty to appeal to those interested in natural hazard management, including the fact that the book provides an overview of some of the German-language literature published in this area. ... It would make a useful addition to any university library." (Des McDougall, Mountain Research and Development, Vol. 30 (3), August, 2010)
