This staggering figure represents half of the EU’s annual budget and adds to the €738 billion in cumulative asset losses between 1980 and 2023 ^[2] for EU countries alone.   

Yet, according to the World Bank’s report Natural Hazards, UnNatural Disasters, every euro invested in prevention can save up to €10 in losses ^[3]. But how many local authorities actually use field data to reduce risks?

Mayors and local governments must balance :

• Territorial development (local urban plans, master plans, etc.)
• Protection of people and property
• Management of increasingly frequent and severe natural crises, driven by climate change and urbanization.

To support them, Éric Leroi, a natural hazard expert and founder of QRISKA, answers our questions:

• What challenges do mayors face in sustainably planning their territories?
• Why and how should local populations—true ‘sensors’ of their territory—be mobilized?
• What concrete solutions can help prevent and reduce risks while improving the responsiveness of municipal services in daily life?

Read his interview and encourage your community to better understand its territory, protect its residents, and optimize its planning decisions.