Evaluate risk perception of residents in the Nigua River basin due to climate change-related events
INTEC researchers surveyed 1,223 residents of the tributary basin, located in the province of San Cristóbal, with the intention of understanding the factors that influence their risk perception and proposing viable strategies to improve environmental governance in the region.
SANTO DOMINGO. - The Nigua River basin, located in San Cristobal, is a critical hydrographic area that faces environmental challenges, including deforestation, soil erosion, and pollution from mining and agricultural activities. The water in its channel has been threatened by human activity and extreme weather events.
An investigation conducted by researchers from the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) and the Higher Institute of Teacher Training Salomé Ureña (ISFODOSU) determined that Residents in the area have an underestimated perception of the risk that living in that place represents for them., perhaps influenced by factors such as limited understanding of these risks, uncertainty regarding the causes of disasters, acceptance of natural disasters as inevitable, and lack of trust in institutions.
By contrast, Another proportion of the surveyed population overestimates the risk, which is associated with limited exposure to risk information, a tendency toward catastrophizing, and an overemphasis on the perceived benefits of environmental protection. “This suggests that inadequate media coverage and heightened awareness of disasters may contribute to exaggerated risk perceptions.”
The research entitled “Risk perception in the Nigua River basin: key determinants and policy implications", which was made by Carol Franco y Ulises Jauregui, from INTEC, and Casimiro Maldonado y Antonio TorresThe ISFODOSU project aimed to identify the factors that influence risk perception and propose viable strategies to improve environmental governance in the region. As part of the study, 1,223 residents of the river basin were surveyed.
Regarding the population that underestimates the risk, the researchers point out that, “these findings highlight a critical need for interventions aimed at improving education, fostering clearer communication about risks and strengthening community engagement with local institutions,” as they state in a scientific article published in the journal Water in December 2024.
The analysis revealed that education level and location are key factors in risk perception, with higher levels of education associated with a "slightly greater" tendency to overestimate risks, possibly due to a more informed understanding of potential hazards.
Proposals for action
The researchers recommended specific strategies to overcome gaps in risk perception, including personalized risk communication, community-based environmental education, and stronger institutional trust-building initiatives, all aimed at promoting more effective and inclusive environmental governance in the Nigua watershed.
In turn, they recommended the design of policies that address the specific risk perceptions of residents in different areas of the watershed, with particular attention to the lower basin, where risk perceptions are most acute due to the proximity to accumulated pollution and recurring environmental disasters.
The Nigua River basin is a territory that provides multiple ecosystem services to the province of San Cristóbal and, over the last 10 years, has experienced significant changes in the use of its natural resources.
Professor Maldonado made this statement during the presentation of the "Diagnosis for the Development of a Management System in the Nigua River Basin" during the webinar "Ecosystem Services and Watershed Management in the Dominican Republic," organized by the Center for Environmental Management (CEGA) and the INTEC Doctoral Program in Environmental Sciences.
About Water Magazine
Water is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that addresses research related to water science and technology. Its areas of interest include water resources management, water quality, and water scarcity. It is published by the MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute), a Swiss open-access academic publisher that publishes scientific journals in a wide variety of disciplines.