At the 9th European Civil Protection Forum, taking place in Brussels on 3-4 November, CIMA Research Foundation will contribute to discussions on how to translate scientific knowledge into preventive action and operational decision-making. From extreme heat to emergency simulations and international cooperation, the focus is on the role of research in strengthening civil protection preparedness.
Forecasting an extreme event is not enough to reduce its impacts. To act in a timely manner, civil protection authorities need reliable scientific information, tools to assess potential scenarios and the capacity to translate early warnings into preventive action.
These challenges are at the heart of CIMA Research Foundation’s participation in the European Civil Protection Forum 2026, organised by the European Commission on 3-4 November in Brussels under the theme “Preparing today, ready for tomorrow”.
Through scientific partnerships, exercises and international cooperation programmes, CIMA Research Foundation will contribute to discussions on how to strengthen the capacity of civil protection systems to anticipate and manage emergencies.
Integrating scientific expertise to support decision-making: from European Partnerships to extreme heat preparedness
From a pilot initiative inspired by the European Parliament to four operational scientific partnerships providing continuous support to emergency response operations worldwide: this is the evolution of the ARISTOTLE framework, which will be at the centre of the workshop Science in action: UCPM scientific partnerships for preparedness and response on 3 November.
Through a simulation of complex emergencies involving compound hazards and cascading effects, participants will take on the role of emergency managers in an environment inspired by the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). They will engage directly with scientists, identify the information needed and assess how it can be used to support operational coordination.
The framework evolved from ARISTOTLE-ENHSP, the scientific partnership for natural hazards, of which CIMA Research Foundation is a member. Coordinated by the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), ARISTOTLE-ENHSP provides multi-hazard scientific assessments in support of the ERCC. CIMA Research Foundation contributes specifically to flood and wildfire forecasting and monitoring, providing scientific expertise to support decision-making before and during emergencies.
The role of science in anticipating impacts will also be central to Session 3, Extreme Heat Preparedness: from seasonal response to systemic resilience, taking place on 4 November, with the participation of Lauro Rossi, Programme Director at CIMA Research Foundation.
Discussions will explore how monitoring, forecasting and early warning systems can be used to trigger timely preventive measures and protect the most vulnerable populations. The session will address the need to recognise heatwaves as a recurring risk not only to human health, but also to infrastructure and essential services.
It will contribute to the European debate on extreme heat preparedness, including in the context of the forthcoming European plan dedicated to this challenge.
Testing decisions through simulation: exercises and operational scenarios for emergency management
Alongside scientific support, preparedness requires the ability to exercise operational procedures and test coordination among the actors involved, assessing the consequences of decisions in realistic scenarios and under conditions of uncertainty.
CIMA Research Foundation will participate in the Forum’s Serious Games Corner as part of the PPRD East 4 programme, showcasing simulation tools designed to support training and operational preparedness.
An AI-supported Tabletop Exercise (TTX) simulator, developed by CIMA Research Foundation, will assist exercise organisers in the design, conduct and evaluation of exercises. The tool will enable the creation and management of dynamic emergency scenarios, allowing participants to explore evolving situations, operational challenges and coordination requirements, while keeping human exercise management and decision-making at the centre.
Wildfire management will be the focus of a serious game based on the PROPAGATOR wildfire simulation model, developed by CIMA Research Foundation. Set in a fictional territory with six settlements threatened by wildfire and limited response resources, participants will have to establish operational priorities, from protecting settlements and issuing early warnings to deciding on potential evacuations. The game will allow participants to explore the consequences of different response strategies, connecting scientific modelling with risk awareness and operational decision-making.
The programme will also include a hands-on simulation using building blocks, presented by the Italian Relief Corps of the Order of Malta (CISOM), to visually represent information within an emergency scenario, develop a shared situational picture and facilitate the assessment of response priorities.
These activities will demonstrate how scientific models, interactive simulations and practical tools can contribute to training, coordination and civil protection preparedness, strengthening the skills required to plan, conduct and evaluate exercises.
Translating risk scenarios into prevention measures: wildfire risk planning and governance
The increasing occurrence of extreme and simultaneous wildfires across the Mediterranean poses new challenges for civil protection, particularly in areas where forests, settlements and tourism activities intersect. FIRE-SCENE, a European project funded under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), addresses these challenges by developing tools and methodologies to integrate risk assessment, planning and wildfire risk governance.
Coordinated by the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), the project will be presented at the Forum during Session 3 on 3 November, dedicated to integrated wildfire risk management and the role of local authorities, partnerships and communities in prevention.
CIMA Research Foundation coordinates the activities of four pilot projects implemented in Spain, Greece and Italy. In Calabria, working with the Regional Civil Protection Authority, the Foundation contributes to wildfire risk assessment in tourist areas, also considering future climate change scenarios. Activities include AI-based fuel mapping, drone-based vegetation assessments, and tools for wildfire danger forecasting and rapid assessment of potential fire spread.
The project also foresees daily bulletins for emergency operations centres, training activities and a stress test to assess the capacity of tourist accommodation facilities to protect visitors and facilitate potential evacuations.
The objective is to connect scientific information with civil protection planning and procedures, translating risk scenarios into preventive measures and operational capacities tailored to local conditions.
Strengthening civil protection cooperation: a participatory assessment of disaster risk management frameworks
Strengthening disaster risk management capacities requires a sound understanding of countries’ regulatory, institutional and operational frameworks. This provides an essential starting point for supporting cooperation strategies under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. The Multi-Country Study, led by the Italian Civil Protection Department and featured at its stand during the Forum, contributes to this objective.
The study covers 17 countries, including Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) partners and countries in the EU’s Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood. Through a participatory approach involving the relevant national institutions, the assessment of national and regional disaster risk management systems has helped identify strengths, gaps and priorities for action.
CIMA Research Foundation leads the analysis of the risk information component, in close cooperation with the Italian Civil Protection Department, helping identify areas for improvement and formulate recommendations aligned with European good practices. The Foundation has also contributed to training activities for national authorities, developed in response to the needs identified through the assessment.
The project therefore links the assessment of disaster risk management frameworks with capacity development, enabling its findings to inform cooperation strategies tailored to the needs of the countries involved.
The Forum also provides an opportunity to consolidate international partnerships and identify shared priorities for strengthening climate risk prevention and preparedness. Dialogue between institutions and the scientific community will be essential to promote integrated approaches to risk management, build on lessons learned and shape cooperation strategies that respond to the operational needs of different territories. This approach is also reflected in CIMA Research Foundation’s contribution to the European CLIMAAX project and in its strengthened cooperation with the Albanian Civil Protection authorities. Operating at different scales, both initiatives aim to integrate scientific knowledge, risk assessment tools and institutional capacities, supporting the translation of shared strategies into concrete prevention and preparedness measures.
From scientific assessments and exercises to cooperation between institutions, CIMA Research Foundation’s participation in the Forum highlights a common objective: making risk information actionable for timely decisions and more effective protection measures, ultimately contributing to reducing the impacts of emergencies on communities.