Trust between public institutions and communities is essential for effective natural risk
prevention, particularly in contexts marked by high exposure to environmental hazards and
increasing social sensitivity to public decision-making. This paper analyses how transparency in
public spending and public contracting contributes to the social acceptance and long-term
sustainability of preventive measures. Focusing on territorial risk management, the study
examines the legal and administrative frameworks that govern openness, traceability, and
accountability in procurement processes related to prevention, mitigation, and adaptation policies.
Through a legal and institutional analysis, the paper highlights how transparency
obligations—such as access to information, justification of choices, and clear allocation of financial
resources—play a crucial role in shaping public trust. Particular attention is paid to the preventive
phase, where investments often produce benefits that are indirect, delayed, or not immediately
visible to affected communities. In this context, the absence of transparency can foster mistrust,
resistance, and social conflict, undermining the effectiveness of risk prevention strategies.
The analysis shows that preventive investments, when clearly justified, proportionate, and legally
sound, strengthen institutional credibility and enhance cooperative relationships between public
authorities and local communities. Transparent procurement procedures not only reduce the risk
of corruption and mismanagement but also function as instruments of communication, making
public action intelligible and socially legitimate.
The contribution ultimately frames transparency as a preventive tool in itself, capable of
reinforcing both social cohesion and legal compliance. By integrating legal guarantees with
participatory and informative practices, transparency supports a model of risk governance in
which prevention is understood not only as a technical or financial issue, but also as a relational
and institutional process grounded in trust.
