Spatial Decision Support System for Multi-Risk Assessment of Post-Mining Hazards

The closure of coal and lignite mines has the potential to result in long-term environmental risks and socio-economic issues. To solve these, this research aims to improve the hazard assessment and risk management of former mining regions in a European project funded by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel. A multidisciplinary approach integrated historic, geological, topographical, environmental, and socio-economic data to create a methodology to support stakeholders at different decision-making levels in risk assessment and possible mitigation. For this purpose, a spatial decision support system was developed using a multi-hazard, multi-risk methodology. The individual hazards (post-mining, natural, and technical) are weighted using expert knowledge, their interaction analyzed, and then combined into a spatial multi-hazard index. Together with the other risk factors of social vulnerability and exposure, a comprehensive spatial risk map can be created automatically for individual regions using open-source components. In addition, GIS and statistical tools enable further analysis and visualization for decision-making by the relevant stakeholders. The methodology was validated through the examination of a first case study conducted in the post-mining region of the southern Ruhr area in Germany. The methodology and tool created significant results in two test scenarios, and will be tested and improved using other European mining sites during the next stages of the project.