The 18-month BMBF research project "HoWas2021-Governance and communication in case of crisis of the flood event in July 2021" has started. The DRU will participate in the project with a sub-project on civil protection governance. The overall project aims to improve risk forecasting, crisis communication and disaster management in dealing with extreme weather situations. In addition to the DRU, RWTH Aachen University (coordination), the University of Siegen, the German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer and the University of Potsdam are involved in the project. The project is also supported by stakeholders such as the BBK, the THW, the DWD, the North Rhine-Westphalia State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection (LANUV), the Eifel-Rur Water Association and the Emschergenossenschaft/Lippeverband. The DRU will use expert interviews, meta-analyses and selected case studies in the regions affected by the 2021 flood to analyze the different phases of disaster management, with a particular focus on the civil protection organizations and the longer-term reconstruction processes.

Press release can be found here.