To be able to take effective and efficient decisions leading to transparent and comparable results between different risk situations, a consistent and systematic risk management process has to be followed (in this context called “integral risk management”). The risk concept, as it is presented hereafter, is a systematic framework for the risk analysis and risk assessment procedures leading finally to the integral planning of measures. The paper discusses the systematic implementation of a conceptual approach to risk governance as a whole and to an integral risk management of natural hazards in particular. It describes, how to implement a consistent risk concept as a basic need for an integral risk management, specifies the single steps of risk identification, risk analysis, risk assessment and the evaluation of necessary risk reduction and mitigation measures, summarizes the resulting needs for an efficient risk dialogue among stakeholders and public and makes first proposals for a systematic and periodic risk controlling.