Spatially enabled risk management: models, cases, validation

Abstract

Risk has a spatial nature. All events that result from risks have a link to a specific location or a factor in space. Understanding where on earth these risks are present allows for these risks to be mitigated, avoided, or managed. In order to manage the risks however accurate and timely spatial information about land and property is first needed. Historically, land administration systems have held this information, however, in recent years these systems have been superseded by other infrastructures that have the capability to capture and store information spatially. While these new systems offer the advantages of spatially enabled information, the authoritative information held within land administration systems is necessary for risk management. Land administration systems need to adapt to remain relevant in the 21st century, and coordination between these land administration systems and the new infrastructures is required to increase the ability of stakeholders to manage this information for risk management purposes. A framework targeted at this issue has been developed which proposes a spatially enabled approach for managing risks for governments, industry, citizens and wider society that takes into account the current information infrastructures (including land administration systems), the stakeholders, and the relevant risks that affect land and property. This framework results in the aggregation and dissemination of consistent information about risk to land and property to all stakeholders. So far the proposed framework has not been tested; however the recent floods in Queensland present an opportunity to apply the framework in the post event environment to determine whether the framework is appropriate within the Australian context.