Risk perception, a key component of systemic vulnerability of the coastal zones to erosion-submersion. A Case study on the French Mediterranean coast

Abstract

This research is based on a view of vulnerability comprised of four main components: hazards (marine-meteorological factors and climate change, geomorphologic process), assets at stake (identification and valuation, commercial and non commercial goods, damage valuation), management (public policies of prevention and reparation), and perception of risk. Risks perception has a major position in systemic vulnerability evaluations because it gives precious indications on the variability of the points of view of the stakeholders, the degree of conscientiousness and sensibility of the exposed inhabitants, their attachment to their territory, their reactions to the hazards, etc. So it provides indications on their adaptation capacity. The results of a large survey conducted in 2009 of over more than 560 inhabitants and shopkeepers of a low and very urbanised stretch of the French Mediterranean coast (Palavas zone, Hérault) are analysed.

Interest of Social Representations Theory to grasp coastal vulnerability and to enhance coastal risk management (Interés de la Teoría de las Representaciones Sociales para entender la vulnerabilidad costera y para mejorar la gestión de los riesgos costeros)

“…We focus on the inhabitants of exposed coastal municipalities in France. Interviews and questionnaires were conducted and qualitative and quantitative data analyses were used (for more details, see: Hellequin et al, 2013; Meur-Ferec et al 2008; Meur-Ferec, Flanquart, Hellequin, & Rulleau, 2011; Michel-Guillou, Krien, & Meur-Ferec, 2016; Michel-Guillou, Lalanne, & Krien, 2015; Michel-Guillou & Meur-Ferec, 2016a; Rey-Valette, Rulleau, Meur-Ferec, Flanquart, Hellequin, & Sourisseau, 2012; Rulleau, Rey-Valette, Flanquart, Hellequin, & Meur-Ferec, 2015).…”

Coastal flood risk: improving operational response, a case study on the municipality of Leucate, Languedoc, France

“…The surveys included questions based on vulnerability criteria and indicators (extract: see Table 2). The methodology used to assess vulnerability was adapted to the local context of the municipality of Leucate, using evaluation criteria that had been designed for other locations and hazards and had been proven to be relevant to this site (Leone 2007;Meur-Ferec et al 2011;Lagahé and Vinet 2014).…”

Representations of coastal risk (erosion and marine flooding) among inhabitants of at-risk municipalities

“…Other dimensions of risk, especially the stakes involved, were primarily addressed in terms of structural or tangible vulnerability (resistance of materials, physical mitigation measures, etc.). The notion of social vulnerability started to emerge in the 1980s when social sciences began to conduct more in-depth research into these natural risks by taking into account the structural and functional factors of vulnerable societies, such as population structure, social and political organization, uses and beliefs (Meur-Ferec et al, 2011). The objective was to enhance knowledge of the fragility of a system in its entirety and its capacity for reconstruction (Birkmann, 2006;Becerra & Peltier, 2009;Metzger & d'Ercole, 2011).…”