The climate crisis is increasing the frequency and intensity of risks such as floods, droughts, wildfires, and heatwaves. Adopting management and adaptation strategies to strengthen the resilience of territories and communities is becoming increasingly central to the protection of people and the environment. However, an effective response does not rely solely on knowledge of natural sciences: it is essential to synergize with social sciences, studies on participation, and risk communication. In this context, another fundamental element is community involvement, now recognized as an essential component for effective civil protection planning.
The program is based on this awareness, confirmed by the experience gained by CIMA Research Foundation over the years. The primary objective of the program is to enhance risk governance by defining innovative risk management and communication policies that engage communities and key stakeholders. In this regard, the program places particular emphasis on comprehensive and people-centered Early Warning Systems.
By strengthening interdisciplinary study on climate risks, the program aims to deepen social research and experiment with innovative forms of governance for the protection of primary goods, also considering the evolution of the regulatory context.
Since in-depth knowledge of the territory, risks, and available resources are also fundamental for effective and coherent risk management, civil protection planning is integrated with urban and territorial planning.
All this must be combined with an evolution of civil protection systems so that they can adapt to emerging climate risks. The program is dedicated to studying the strategies necessary for this evolution, including analyzing the impacts of climate change on various non-structural civil protection prevention activities (such as information, communication to the population, and, more generally, planning).