1. Climate risk in France since 1982

1.1 A statistical tool: natural disaster decrees

Since 1982, when decrees recognizing the state of natural disasters were first issued, an average of nearly 6,000 communes have received such recognition each year, and some 17,500 events have been the cause of such recognition. Nearly 60% were caused by flooding, 17% by drought leading to clay shrinkage and swelling, and the same percentage by landslides. The remainder were caused by storms and cyclones (9%), while the group including earthquakes, submersions, avalanches and volcanic eruptions accounted for just 1% (figure 1 )