Societal implications of multi-hazards: towards place-based understanding and management

Interconnected hazards and the resulting multi-hazard risks pose an increasing challenge for science, policy and practice. While recent research has advanced understanding of the physical processes linking hazards, place-based perspectives on how multi-hazard risk is experienced, governed and reduced remain comparatively limited. This contribution examines key themes for improving local-level understanding and management of multi-hazard risk across diverse rural and urban contexts.

Drawing on qualitative empirical evidence from multiple settings, the contribution synthesizes insights into what “managing multiple hazards” entails in practice. Cross-sectoral implications are considered across urban planning, maternal and child health systems, and the design and use of multi-hazard early warning systems. In addition, forensic analyses of selected multi-hazard events are used to identify recurring patterns in risk accumulation, institutional response and uneven impacts.

The contribution indicates that multi-hazard risk management is strongly shaped by place-specific configurations of vulnerability, infrastructure and governance, which influence trade-offs between sectors and over time. It argues for a shift from predominantly hazard-linkage framings towards community-centred, place-based approaches that better capture complexity and support context-sensitive solutions for populations at risk.