Landslide risk: some issues that determine societal acceptance

This paper illustrates approaches to landslide risk acceptance in various parts of the world in the context of the willingness to accept that risk, the willingness to pay to reduce the risk, and the willingness to alter the environment in the process. These factors are interlinked using the ternary ‘willingness diagram’ which is also used to demonstrate how such willingness may change over time and to compare a range of generic approaches to landslide remediation as well as different conceptual approaches to landslide risk management. The willingness construct is intended to provide a readily understood framework for infrastructure owners and operators, amongst others, to understand how their approach to risk management compares with those in other regions, countries and contexts. Issues relevant to the response of society and groups of individuals to landslide risk, its acceptance and management include cultural factors, regulation and planning, budgetary constraints, vehicular vulnerability, and the often limited size of the event footprint compared to the vulnerability shadow that is cast are also discussed. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012