Potential contribution of flood insurance system to promoting ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction

Abstract

As a measure against water-related disasters, which are expected to be intensified in the future, whether insurance systems provide incentives for risk control (risk avoidance and risk reduction) and then contribute to the implementation of ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) was examined in this study by comparing the insurance systems in Japan and other countries. Our results showed that the Japanese insurance system is not designed to create incentives for risk control but rather primarily focuses on compensating for damages caused by disasters. Given the impacts of ongoing climate change, it is crucial for risk control to link land use regulations and disaster risk control by local governments with the insurance system, as has been done in other countries, and such an insurance system is expected to contribute to the implementation of Eco-DRR through suitable risk avoidance and risk reduction.