Do you know what I know?

Abstract

Risk perception research has been used in flood risk management, environmental policies and programs, and the assessment of environmental attitudes and biases. Survey methods are frequently used in risk perception studies to assess a large population's perception of specific risks such as natural hazards. Others prefer focus group discussions and key informant interviews to target the study's specific risks. While these methods have yielded significant results in understanding a population's perception of the existence or non-existence of risks, as well as the personal effect or lack thereof on the target participants, these targeted risk perception studies have pre-determined risks outlined at their disposal that may condition the participants' thinking. In the City of Rotterdam, The Netherlands, six climate-related threats have been identified by the city that affects the current and future infrastructure and housing development in the city. This include extreme rainfall, flooding, soil subsidence, groundwater level decrease/increase, heat and drought, which affect many of the old houses built on poles because any drop in groundwater and increase in heat and drought weaken these wooden poles. In addition to these threats, the national government is under pressure to build at least 850,000 housing units by 2030 in order to meet current housing demand. Using a speculative design method that allows community participants to think of their own situations the study will explore what for them are existing and future risks, how they cope, and what they aspire to address the perceived existing and future risks. In this way, we will be able to identify interconnections or gaps in a community's risk perception in relation to government policy documents that have identified risks in the communities where participants live. In this study, I hope to find answers to the following questions: What are the current and perceived risks in communities both outside and inside the dike? What environmental and infrastructure changes are taking place in their communities? What effects do these changes have on the participants? And how do they intend to address perceived current and future risks?