X-RISK-CC

In recent years, the Alps have been affected by unprecedented weather extremes such as heatwaves,heavy rains and storms with severe impacts on the environment, humans and the economy. The Alpine territories involved in the project report that such events overstrained their risk management capacities. The unexpected magnitude and intensity of these extremes can in fact cause ‘compound’ impacts and domino effects (more than one impact happening simultaneously or subsequently) that turn into complex, long-lasting or even irreversible consequences. While there is recent scientific evidence of climate change (CC) attribution to the increasing intensity and frequency of such events, knowledge and management of their cascading impacts and risks are still insufficient. On the regional level, such events are not considered in current Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) mechanisms. Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) plans, if they exist, often underestimate domino effects and compound risks related to extreme events and miss concrete solutions. X-RISK-CC helps risk managers and policy makers across the AS to address the compound risks of CC-related extremes by developing local actions and transnational guidelines. They are based on newly generated and harmonized Alpine-wide data and knowledge on past and future extremes. The actions for upgrading current risk management instruments are designed with risk managers in five pilot areas in the AS (incl. two cross-border areas). The project outputs are co-developed by and disseminated through EUSALP AG8 and PLANALP of the Alpine Convention (AlpConv). X-RISK-CC partnership includes regional risk managers, national authorities, members of EUSALP and PLANALP/ACB of AlpConv and scientists. It explicitly responds to the need for common knowledge, actions and solutions for managing extremes under CC that will be expressed in the EUSALP AG8 2023-24 work programme.