Science versus economy and sociology: balanced modeling for a balanced protection... how to fit the needs of the society?

Eric Leroi(*)
(*)Urbater (France). E-mail: e.leroi@wanadoo.fr

Scientists and decision-makers have the same responsibility toward the society: reducing the damaging consequences of the natural phenomena, which means mitigating the natural risks and especially landslide risk. They have to work together, scientists to improve the knowledge and decision-makers to take the "best" decision, both to design and implement balanced solutions. Feedback shows that if the collaboration between those two main actors has already improved, a lot has still to be done. Despite the improvement of the scientific knowledge and the continuous development of new technologies, the costs of the damages still keep going up. Synergy between scientists and decision-makers can further be improved. Why such a situation? Because the needs and the requirements of each of them are not the same. Risk mitigation is not a technical problem… not only. Economy and sociology have to further be taken into account. The paper tries to check those needs and requirements and aims to propose recommendations so that the differences could be reduced and the decision-making be improved. The paper tries also to define what a balanced solution is, what a balanced protection means?

Risk management, land development, society.