Disaster Risk Assessment Strategies for Cultural Heritage

Abstract

The growing risks faced by cultural heritage assets due to a complex interaction of hazards and vulnerabilities have become a worldwide concern. This chapter addresses the main concepts associated with disaster risk and how it integrates climate change concerns. In particular, the chapter reviews the connection between disaster management, disaster risk management, and disaster risk assessment. The chapter also presents an interdisciplinary methodology applicable to multiple hazards that can be used to assess disaster risk in cultural heritage. The main steps of the methodology are detailed, and discuss issues related to the definition of hazard scenarios for different categories of hazards, the influence of climate change in certain hazard scenarios, and the consideration of cascading hazards. Aspects related to the application of the methodology to a large number of cultural heritage assets are also addressed, as well as the consideration of different types of disaster impacts to cultural heritage, and the importance of risk prioritisation. Regarding the latter, the integration of disaster risk assessment results into cultural heritage management plans is also addressed, given their importance to informed decision-making and prioritisation of risk mitigation measures. (c) 2024 selection and editorial matter, Bijan Rouhani and Xavier Romão; individual chapters, the contributors.