1. Leeds University Business School
  2. Centres and institutes
  3. Research projects
  4. An integrative approach to the World Risk Poll: Analysing risk perception and preparedness to develop effective disaster risk communication strategies

Research project

An integrative approach to the World Risk Poll: Analysing risk perception and preparedness to develop effective disaster risk communication strategies

  • Start date: 1 September 2023
  • End date: 31 August 2026
  • Principal investigator: Andrea Taylor, Associate Professor, Leeds University Business School/School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds
  • Co-investigators: Suraje Dessai, Chair in Climate Change Adaptation, School of Environment, University of Leeds; Sarah Jenkins, Lecturer in Applied Decision Making, Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds; Yim Ling Siu, Associate Professor of Environmental Risk Management, School of Sciences, University of Leeds; Barbara Summers, Professor of Human Judgement and Decision Making, Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds.
    Jack Thompson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Decision Research, Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds.

Description

Over the past 50 years there has been a five-fold increase in recorded weather-related disasters, with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) attributing two-million deaths and $3.64 trillion in losses to these events.

With a changing climate set to increase the frequency and severity of severe weather events in many areas of the world, effective early warning messaging is needed to help members of the public reduce the risk that these events pose to themselves and their households.

With countries differing in terms of culture, climate profile, socio-economic development, government structures and risk governance, understanding what forms of risk messaging work best in these different contexts is of critical importance.

This project is funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation (Ref 129290).

Research overview

We will use the World Risk Poll to gain an overview of perceptions of weather and climate risk as well as risk preparedness across countries.

Using a statistical approach called multi-level modelling, we will examine the factors that predict risk perception and preparedness across different countries, as well as those that are country- and context-specific (such as climate).

Combining the findings of this analysis with input from national meteorological services, risk reduction practitioners, NGOs and the WMO, we will select an indicative set of focal countries with different climate profiles and risk governance contexts for which to develop and test weather warning communication strategies.

Through this process, we will develop communication recommendations for multi-hazard early warning systems, with the ultimate goal of reducing harm from severe weather events.

Visit the external project website.

Publications and outputs

News items: