Mission
CIMA Research Foundation is a non-profit research organization dedicated to advancing study, scientific research, technological development, and higher education in environmental sciences and engineering. Born from the vision of Professor Franco Siccardi, the foundation’s main goals are to protect public health, advance civil protection, and safeguard ecosystems through innovative and science-based solutions.
The scientific research conducted by CIMA Research Foundation focuses on disaster risk reduction. Since its inception, it has played a key role in developing advanced mathematical models for predicting and preventing hydrometeorological phenomena such as floods and wildfires. Over the years, its scope has broadened to include the preservation of forest biodiversity, satellite data analysis, and disaster loss data analysis. It also contributes to the protection of marine ecosystems and species within the Pelagos Sanctuary, with a particular focus on cetaceans. A notably innovative area of research involves developing participatory civil protection plans and legal studies in the context of risk management. Another branch of research focuses on regulatory review (including analyses of complex national and international institutional structures), legal compliance, legal risk analysis within risk management, and forensic investigation.
Vision
CIMA Research Foundation’s vision bases on the connection between science, awareness and behaviors.
The concept of risk is no longer viewed solely within the context of risk reduction but also as a focal point for significant economic and social change. Risk has become an increasingly crucial factor in determining the sustainable development of our civilization: there is a strong link between development and risk, as development cannot occur without effectively reducing risk. Therefore, scientific and technical knowledge for risk mitigation must not remain confined to laboratories but should be made available to institutional systems, policymakers, and citizens alike as operational support. This sets in motion a pathway in which science serves the community, contributing to greater awareness and promoting choices in behavior that mitigate risk.
History
The history of CIMA Research Foundation is closely tied to Professor Franco Siccardi, who laid the groundwork for creating a center of excellence in natural risk research. In the 1980s, then-Minister of Civil Protection Giuseppe Zamberletti entrusted Professor Siccardi, then at the University of Genoa, with developing strategies to mitigate flood and landslide risks. This initiative led to the creation of the Interuniversity Center for Environmental Monitoring, an early version of CIMA Research Foundation.
In 2007, thanks to Professor Siccardi’s pioneering vision and the support of Bernardo De Bernardinis, then Deputy Chief of the Department of Civil Protection, the center evolved into today’s CIMA Research Foundation. It has been supported by founding entities such as the Department of Civil Protection, the University of Genoa, the Liguria Region, and the Province of Savona. In 2019, the Ligurian Regional Agency for Environmental Protection (ARPAL) further enriched the foundation’s governance.
One of the foundation’s earliest successes was the development of a national Early Warning System for flood and wildfire risks, still in use today. Dedicated to the importance of international cooperation, CIMA Research Foundation established a branch in Albania in 2011, strengthening its role in global civil protection.
In 2012, CIMA Research Foundation was recognized as a Center of Expertise within the Italian Civil Protection System for hydrometeorological and wildfire risks and the legal responsibilities of civil protection operators. With Legislative Decree 1/2018, the foundation became an operational structure of the National Civil Protection Service, further consolidating its mission. In 2020, with the establishment of ItaliaMeteo, it was included in the list of Italian meteorological bodies.
Professor Siccardi passed away in 2024, leaving a lasting legacy in civil protection and scientific research, where he uniquely combined an interdisciplinary vision that connects art and science. His vision and dedication continue to guide the work of CIMA Research Foundation, which now advances his legacy on a global scale, participating in projects funded by institutions like the European Union, the World Bank, and the United Nations, continuously expanding its impact on natural risk mitigation.