Roles and Activities of Local Stakeholders Faced with Alpine Permafrost Warming: A Comparative Exploratory Analysis of Three Contexts and Networks of Actors

• Main Authors: Weissbrodt, Rafaël, Caroly, Sandrine, Marques Pisoeiro, Jessica, Ravanel, Ludovic, Bodin, Xavier
• Other Authors: Pacte, Laboratoire de sciences sociales (PACTE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Sciences Po Grenoble - Institut d'études politiques de Grenoble (IEPG), Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Environnements, Dynamiques et Territoires de Montagne (EDYTEM), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB Université de Savoie Université de Chambéry )-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2023
• Subjects: Ergonomics; activity analysis; natural hazards; permafrost; public policy networks; risk managemement; [SHS.SCIPO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Political science; [SHS.GEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Geography
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-04285962; https://hal.science/hal-04285962/document; https://hal.science/hal-04285962/file/Weissbrodt%20et%20al.%20-%202023%20-%20Roles%20and%20Activities%20of%20Local%20Stakeholders%20Faced%20w.pdf; https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4555176

International audience Mountain permafrost warming resulting from climate change increases gravitational hazards.This interdisciplinary study compared the networks of actors involved in managing such hazardsin three regions of the European Alps. Interviews were conducted with 40 people (members oflocal authorities, mountain professionals and private citizens) in Chamonix and the Vanoisemassif (France) and in the canton of Valais (Switzerland). Data were analysed qualitatively andquantitatively using interaction matrices and network diagrams. Communal authorities played acentral role but partnered with many other public and private actors. In Valais, collaboration toprotect infrastructure and inhabited areas centred around communal and cantonal authorities. InChamonix, the network of actors gave a significant role to mountain professionals. In Vanoise, thenetwork of local actors was less dense and less well-defined, although they had high expectationsregarding awareness-raising and prevention. Sources of tension existed in all three networks,particularly between authorities and mountain professionals. To strengthen communityresilience, authorities should develop more mechanisms for citizen participation in riskmanagement.