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| Titel |
The net benefit of public expenditures on avalanche defence structures in the municipality of Davos, Switzerland |
| VerfasserIn |
S. Fuchs, M. C. McAlpin |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1561-8633
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Natural Hazards and Earth System Science ; 5, no. 3 ; Nr. 5, no. 3 (2005-04-01), S.319-330 |
| Datensatznummer |
250002482
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/nhess-5-319-2005.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Avalanches pose a threat to settlements as well as industrial and
recreational areas in the Alps. As a counter measure, technical mitigation
measures have been implemented since the 19th century, resulting in a
raise in value of formerly endangered areas. This increase in value can be
considered as a benefit due to prevented damage. This paper compares the
total costs and benefits of technical mitigation measures in the
municipality of Davos, Switzerland as a basis for evaluating their net
social benefit. The benefit of avalanche defence structures is determined
using two different approaches. First, the replacement value of buildings
protected by mitigation measures is quantified. Second, the number of
protected persons is monetarily assessed by means of a human capital
approach. The quantified benefit is compared with the present value of
cumulative capital expenditures on avalanche mitigation measures. In
addition, distributional effects of the public expenditures on technical
mitigation measures are discussed based on the average future tax revenues
within protected areas. Depending on whether benefits are calculated in
terms of protected buildings or protected persons, the results show a large
range of cost-benefit ratios. Critical issues of cost-benefit analyses in
the context of alpine natural hazards are highlighted, including problems
related to the human capital approach and the sensitivity of results to how
benefits are calculated. The applicability of cost-benefit analyses for
evaluating avalanche mitigation measures is discussed. |
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