Strategies for High Risk Reduction and Management as Global Responsibility Lorenzo Miccoli • Francesca Destefano Received: 22 December 2009 / Accepted: 16 February 2010 / Published online: 25 April 2010 Ó Springer-Verlag 2010 Abstract In the last decades it has been necessary to face emergencies due to big crisis events caused by anthropic and natural events. In particular modern techno- logical systems have reached such a high level of complexity that even a simple event can influence correct behavior with potential catastrophic consequences. The security and economy of technologically developed countries depends on the correct behavior of this infrastructure and on the continuity of the services that they grant. In this framework, risk management assumes an important role focusing on policies for vulnerability reduction and after-crisis management. It imposes a multidisci- plinary and transnational approach in order to establish a common strategy between different countries, studying how to be prepared for disasters and prevent disaster damage. In this paper a preliminary analysis of risk categories is presented, sug- gesting a number of tentative proposals for risk reduction. Keywords Risk management  Vulnerability  Risk analysis  Disaster risk reduction strategies JEL Classification D81  Q51  Q54  Q55 Introduction High risk management is assuming great importance in the framework of a common strategy for the prevention of catastrophic events and connected consequential further damages. Among the natural risks have to be recalled earthquakes, flooding, L. Miccoli (&)  F. Destefano Department of Civil Engineering, University of Rome ‘‘Tor Vergata’’, Rome, Italy e-mail: miccoli@ing.uniroma2.it F. Destefano e-mail: francesca_destef83@libero.it 123 Transit Stud Rev (2010) 17:400–412 DOI 10.1007/s11300-010-0154-2