Strategy natural hazards
Improvement of the protection against natural hazards
The national platform for natural hazards (PLANAT) optimises the protection against natural hazards by order of the Swiss Federal Council.
The extent of damage from natural disasters is constantly increasing. The causes for it are multifarious: increase and concentration of economic assets, more vulnerable infrastructures, increasing demands on mobility and communication, greater insecurity due to climate changes, etc. Security is a fundamental human need, and a basic requirement for a prosperous society. Our security also hinges on the protection against natural hazards, which includes reducing risks, preventing new risks insofar as possible and above all launching a society-wide dialogue on risk awareness.
Motivated by the Danioth motion (1999), the Swiss Federal Council commissioned PLANAT to develop a comprehensive and interlinked strategy to improve the protection against natural hazards. The Federal Council emphasized that protection against natural hazards should not only be provided for residents of the Alpine region, but for the entire population of Switzerland. It also intends to ensure comparable security standards throughout Switzerland based on extensive risk management. The aim is to protect people and their livelihood as well as important material assets.
Up to now, PLANAT has completed the first step of developing a comprehensive and interlinked strategy for improved protection against natural hazards, and the second step of analyzing the current situation and proposing an action plan with measures. The third step (action plan 2005-2008) as well as the fourth step (action plan 2009-2011) will include implementing these measures.
In order to evaluate progress of the strategy national hazards' implementation, strategic controlling will be carried out in 2013.
