Impacts from multiple hazards are expected to grow with increased dependency on and vulnerability of Critical Societal Services and Infrastructure (CSSIs). Despite this, risk analyses usually study the likelihood of single events and their impacts but fail to consider the web of connections between them.

While the stable welfare society in Sweden and the Nordic countries in general, makes them among the least vulnerable societies in the world, the challenge is whether existing Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) arrangements can react to changes in society, the economy, and the physical environment due to drivers such as climate change or infrastructure development.

HydroHazards will contribute to Swedish DRR policies and practices with a specific focus on the management of multiple water hazards and potential mitigation and adaptation strategies. The project will examine how exposure and vulnerability to multiple water hazards lead to different types of cumulative and interactive impacts on CSSIs and populations. As such, the project not only strongly relates to, but also complements, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency’s work by investigating multiple water hazards.