The severity and frequency of extreme weather events possibly influenced by climate change increasingly threaten environmental and socio-economic systems. An example is the 2018 Vaia (also known as Adrian) storm (Oct 28-Nov 04), which strongly affected Italy, Austria, France and Switzerland. Over the past 50 years several damaging storms strongly impacted (i.e., caused adverse consequences on assets, people, infrastructure or the environment) mostly those countries on the northern side of the Alps (e.g. Vivian 1990, Lothar 1999, Gudrun 2005, Kyrill 2007). These cases have been considered exceptional, yet could foreshadow multi-hazard events whose frequency and intensity are likely influenced by climate change. In such conditions, currently available risk assessment and prevention tools can prove inadequate, particularly on a cross-border level and in vulnerable mountainous regions. Therefore, there is a need to provide local, national and European decision makers and stakeholders with improved and harmonized tools and standardized frameworks to conduct efficient (climate) risk assessments for cross-border areas. Current and future impacts need to be systematically investigated in order to adopt prevention and disaster risk reduction (DRR) measures for the mitigation of inherent risks.

The overall goal of the TRANSALP project is to provide an integrated multi-hazard storm risk assessment and impact forecasting methodology, tailored for Civil Protection authorities in cross-border mountain regions. Currently existing multi-hazard risk assessment approaches and mapping techniques of socio-economic assets and their vulnerability will be critically scrutinized, with the main goal of advancing decision-making processes for disaster risk prevention in mountain areas of the European Union and foster the adoption of common standards within a collaborative framework.

The project is financed by the EC under the program UCPM-2020-PP-AG (Prevention and Preparedness Projects for Civil Protection and Marine Pollution). EURAC is the leading partner within a transboundary consortium including:

-          EPC Srl (Italy)

-          ARPA Veneto (Italy)

-          ZAMG (Austria)

-          BFW (Austria)

The strategic objective of EURAC is to consolidate its position within Climate Risk Assessment and further advance scientific and technical approaches aimed at single and multi-hazard risk assessment, in order to provide actionable tools and scientific support to relevant local and transboundary partners, including the Civil Protection Departments.

Contact person: Massimiliano Pittore massimiliano.pittore@eurac.edu