Resilience and risk mitigation: making the case for working across silos

Risk mitigation and resilience building require an integrated and coordinated policy response from multiple fields and joined-up thinking across disciplines. In this chapter, we consider the type of joined-up thinking that is necessary between the disciplines of spatial planning, infrastructure planning and crisis management. After examining some key terminology concerning risk, we explore the relations between these disciplines by examining three cases: the 2021 flashfloods in Germany, recurrent droughts in Greece’s Aegean Island communities and preparedness for a volcanic eruption in Naples, Italy. Risk mitigation and resilience building must contend with complex, dynamic Coupled Human And Natural Systems (CHANS) that are fraught with high levels of uncertainty. The root causes of risk come from (spatial) development processes and all forms of risk-based planning (from development, land use, infrastructure and institutional) are necessary for risk reduction and resilience building. Joined-up risk-based planning may be at odds with traditional and conventional development and spatial planning and threaten the benefits of some agents above others, including those of future generations. For policy-making, systemic thinking is indispensable to balance risks and uncertainty with precautionary measures, vulnerability with resilience, socio-economic development gains with ecosystem sustainability and it requires inclusive risk governance. Comparing international case studies demonstrates that resilience building may draw upon various strategies that combine technical and behavioural innovation and change from multiple disciplines. Examining the root causes of hazardous events and disasters, also from a spatial planning perspective, may inspire actions that increase preparedness and reduce the likelihood of disasters and reveal opportunities for restorative actions to build back better. Notwithstanding the value of international comparison, it is also important to underline the importance of context in determining risks and in shaping successful measures that build resilience