Working Group Prof. Dr. Matthias Garschagen

We concentrate on risk and adaptation in the context of natural hazards and climate change impacts, particularly in cities.

At the chair of Human Geography and Human Environment Relations Prof. Matthias Garschagen and his team, pursue three tightly interconnected lines of research:

Firstly, we develop and apply innovative methods to assess past, current and especially future trends in risk as they unfold at the interface of climate change hazards and changing human societies and infrastructures, notably urbanization.
Secondly, we develop and test novel approaches to evaluate different adaptation and risk reduction options (including aspects of tipping points and limits of adaptation). In this context we also examine how different options are negotiated within the wider risk governance in societies. We are particularly interested in analyzing how roles and responsibilities between state and non-state actors are shifting when societies develop new social contracts for adaptation.
Thirdly, we assess when and how transformative change for risk reduction becomes necessary and how it can be fostered pro-actively, e.g. through new planning regulations or insurance solutions.

The group develops and applies cutting-edge mixed methods approaches, including novel scenario techniques, modelling, gaming simulations, household surveys and participatory workshop formats. While adopting a global perspective in many of our projects, most of the empirical research focuses on Europe as well as transition economies in Asia and Africa. Cities in different parts of the world receive particular attention.