New challenges for hydrogeological risk, among established and emerging paths. The case of ‘Timpa di Acireale’

Abstract

Hydrogeological risk is one of the major challenges that a community must face to be resilient to water-related disasters. Italy is highly vulnerable to hydrogeological risk and for this reason the issue has assumed ever greater importance in planning and has involved the need for implementing measures to make the territory safer. Generally, planning tools and action for adapting to hydrogeological risk are based on technical paradigm, that seems to be insufficient and inadequate. The era of Anthropocene, the sudden changes taking place and their unpredictability put us in the conditions to plan in ever-increasing uncertainty. Those has led more and more scholars to talk about resilience as a new ‘strategy’ to redefine the ways of adaptation. In this article I intend to reflect on the traditional approach to risk management and the new challenges, starting from the need to strengthen the relationship between technical-scientific knowledge and common knowledge for a real integration of resilience approach in local governance practices. The case reflects on the initial work led by a local environmental organisation, in a natural protected area La Timpa di Acireale (Sicily), in which different actors are implementing different approaches to face the problem.