Roles and activities of local stakeholders facing Alpine permafrost warming: A comparative exploratory analysis of three contexts and networks of actors

• Published in: Climate Risk Management
• Main Authors: Rafaël Weissbrodt, Sandrine Caroly, Jessica Marques Pisoeiro, Ludovic Ravanel, Xavier Bodin
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2024
• Subjects: Ergonomics; Activity analysis; Natural hazards; Permafrost; Public policy networks; Risk management; Meteorology. Climatology; QC851-999; permafrost
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2024.100591; https://doaj.org/article/1c7b5f0529f9497386725091041a2c0e

Mountain permafrost warming resulting from climate change increases gravitational hazards. This interdisciplinary study compares the networks of actors involved in managing such hazards in three regions of the European Alps. Interviews were conducted with 40 people (members of local authorities, mountain professionals, and private citizens) at the foot of Mont Blanc (Chamonix, France), in the Vanoise massif (France), and in the canton of Valais (Switzerland). Data were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using interaction matrices and network diagrams. Communal authorities played a central role but partnered with many other public and private actors. In Valais, collaboration to protect infrastructure and inhabited areas was centred around communal and cantonal authorities. In Chamonix, the network of actors gave a significant role to mountain professionals. In Vanoise, the network was less dense and less well-defined, although actors had high expectations regarding awareness-raising and prevention. Sources of tension existed in all three networks, particularly between authorities and mountain professionals. To strengthen community resilience, authorities should develop more mechanisms for citizen participation in risk management.