WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE PROJECT?
The project focuses on the Ahr Valley flood as a traumatic event for the people of the region. Using this case study, the research team is investigating how legal, political, and social structures function in crisis situations—and where improvements can be made that may also be relevant for other regions in Germany. Extreme weather events as a consequence of man-made climate change are becoming increasingly likely and may occur in many places in the future. It is therefore crucial to learn from the experiences in the Ahr Valley in order to be better prepared and mitigate the effects of future disasters.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
In July 2021, flooding and flash floods caused enormous devastation in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate in particular. As a result, the Ahr Valley has become the focus of increased scientific attention. Public research on the Ahr Valley has so far focused on technical issues relating to flood-proof reconstruction.
These events highlight the need for systemic transformation towards greater climate resilience that takes into account not only ecological effectiveness but also social compatibility. The interdisciplinary research team of the SOZIAHR project on “Social, Economic, and Administrative Challenges of Climate Resilience” is placing greater emphasis on social perspectives. Climate protection and climate adaptation are also seen here as important goals for supraregional development, but are considered from the outset in conjunction with issues of justice and feasibility. This innovative research approach will be funded with one million euros over the next three years by the Mercator Foundation and various institutions at the University of Bonn.
HOW ARE THE RESEARCHERS PROCEEDING?
In order to obtain statistically reliable data on the living conditions of people in the Ahr Valley since the flood, the project is conducting a large population survey in the Ahr Valley, for which approximately 40,000 households are being contacted. At the same time, the administrative side of the reconstruction will also be examined through interviews with legal authorities and document analyses. The aim is to report the project findings back to the Ahr Valley in a timely manner and to jointly develop realistic actions for the identified problems. To ensure this succeeds, the project seeks direct exchange with practitioners in repeated workshops with experts from the region. The Wuppertal Institute is also supporting the project as part of a cooperation with an analysis of stakeholders and policy areas, which brings together the various political levels (municipality, district, state, and federal) and identifies systemic solutions.
WHEN CAN THE FIRST RESULTS BE EXPECTED?
The descriptive results of the population survey will be made publicly available at the beginning of 2027. The first scientific partial results will be published at the end of 2027 in the form of short reports, media articles, and specialist presentations. At the end of 2028, the joint final report will follow, containing recommendations for action on the political and legal framework for comparable reconstruction processes and for the prevention of future crisis situations. This will be presented and promoted at several regional and national events for politicians and the public. After the end of the project, scientific publications will follow in specialist journals.
WHO IS FUNDING THE PROJECT AND HOW MUCH?
The SOZIAHR team will have a total of approximately €1,000,000 in research funding at its disposal between 2026 and 2028, with €840,000 of this amount being provided by the Mercator Foundation. Various institutions at the University of Bonn – the Rectorate, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and the Faculty of Law and Economics– are also making an important financial contribution with grants totaling approximately €160,000.
Thanks to internal start-up funding of approximately €90,000 from the Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA) ‘Individuals, Institutions, and Societies’, the project team was able to start in mid-2024 with initial stakeholder workshops, legal background research, and the development of the questionnaire for the population survey. Without this extremely valuable financial and conceptual support, it would not have been possible to obtain this extensive third-party funding.
WHAT IS THE TERM?
January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028
WHAT IS THE COMPOSITION OF THE SOZIAHR CORE TEAM?
- Susanne Bell, M.A., Sociology/Cultural Geography
- Jun.-Prof. Dr. Svenja Hippel, Law and Economics
- Prof. Dr. Kathrin Hörschelmann, Cultural Geography
- Jun.-Prof. Dr. Jacqueline Lorenzen, Law
- Jun.-Prof. Dr. Julia Mink, Applied Microeconomics
- Jun.-Prof. Hanna Schwank, Ph.D., Applied Microeconomics