Title: Prioritising of safety measures in land use planning: on how to merge a risk-based approach with a cost-benefit analysis approach

Authors: Eirik Bjorheim Abrahamsen; Jon Tømmerås Selvik; Hallvard Berg

Addresses: Department of Industrial Economics, Risk Management and Planning, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway ' Department of Industrial Economics, Risk Management and Planning, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway ' Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, Oslo, Norway

Abstract: The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) is a governmental body, which, i.e., seeks to improve society's ability to deal with floods and landslides. The NVE is required by the national government and the Norwegian parliament to prioritise flood defences and landslide damage in those situations considered of highest risk. At the same time, the NVE should also prioritise safety measures with reference to cost-effectiveness. Within the NVE, prioritising safety measures with reference to risk and to cost-effectiveness is stated as challenging, and in some situations contradictory. To improve this situation, and to contribute to the ability to achieve more informed decisions upon prioritising of safety measures against floods and landslides, we have in this paper developed a semi-quantitative approach which incorporates assessments of both risk and cost-effectiveness. A more consistent and transparent decision-making process is then achieved. An example is included to illustrate our ideas.

Keywords: safety measures; land use planning; cost-benefit analysis; cost-effectiveness; floods; flooding; landslides; uncertainty; Norway; flood defences; risk assessment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBCRM.2016.079007

International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, 2016 Vol.6 No.3, pp.182 - 196

Received: 08 Jan 2016
Accepted: 13 Mar 2016
Published online: 08 Sep 2016 *

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