Publications

Abstract

Over the past years, numerous large events have demonstrated how exposed property and even human life are to natural hazards. Protection against natural hazards is therefore a key responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism (BMLRT). The insurance industry has also a vital interest in the provision of data on various natural hazards. Science provides rigorous analyses and the related knowledge base. Due to multiple major flood events in the last two decades, there is a trend towards an increasing risk awareness of the population along with an increasing interest in freely accessible information on natural hazards and on ways of coping with them. In this context, the BMLRT, together with a team from science and research, very successfully promotes a large number of awareness-raising measures, in particular on the HORA natural hazards platform, which has been successful for more than fifteen years. The latest modelling approaches combined with improved computer performance contribute to setting new standards with the expansion and ongoing updating of the extensive map series.