Abstract ID: 3.13629 | Accepted as Poster | Poster | TBA | TBA

Mountainous regions are increasingly vulnerable to natural hazards due to climate change and expanding human settlements, and growing economic activities such as industry and tourism. Well-established solutions involving all interested groups are required for supposedly competing developments such as societal demands for protection against natural hazards, the protection and use of natural resources and land. Existing instruments (e.g. hazard zone maps, spatial planning regulations, technical guidelines, funding systems, participation processes) need to be adapted to the current and future challenges in the mountainous regions. In particular, the socio-ecological approach, but also the level of socio-economic developments, must be harmonised to ensure the compatibility of use in rural areas. In order to prevent natural hazards, it is necessary to align the following tasks with relevant policy instruments: Firstly, there is a need to strengthen personal responsibility, and civil society needs to be directly involved in planning and implementation processes. This necessity is particularly evident in the processing of protective measures, which are often accompanied by long delays. Nature-compatible measures must not be rejected as an obstacle to safety requirements; they should be integrated as positive interventions as blue and green infrastructure in the all-encompassing management of protection against natural hazards. There are already good examples of this that can also be implemented in accordance with the principles of economy, efficiency and expediency. However, an objective assessment and prioritisation with regard to the funding framework for measures is also required, whereby the public interest in protection against natural hazards must be considered as a whole. This means that ecosystem services beyond direct economic valuation must also be included. Good practice examples and opportunities in selected catchments in the the LTSER Eisenwurzen and Middle Styrian Enns Valley for co-operation are presented that can lead to resilience to natural hazards in line with land use management and nature conservation measures