Risk culture - Communities at the heart of action

Establishing a risk culture involves increasing citizens’, companies’ and local authorities’ capacity to maintain their integrity, as well as that of their community and the region. This also involves limiting damage to property, activities, heritage and the environment. As such, this requires preventive measures (before the disaster) and action measures (during and after the disaster) to be developed and implemented, with the aim of improving the return to a state of balance. Hence, risk culture helps make regions more resilient, while building on values of mutual aid, solidarity, commitment, attention and listening to others. In a context of climate change, which is increasing exposure to risks in our territories, the main priorities are: greater education, developing the right reflexes and strengthening participation. And even if there’s no “miracle cure”, we need to encourage involvement and active participation within our communities. These two factors are the basis of this Cerema guide based on feedback.