Right at the heart of the CIMA Research Foundation scientific mission are our strategic programmes, which trace out our directions in research and innovation. Eight intertwining routes guide us in tackling the challenges posed by climate change, risk management and technological development, all with the same goal of building a more resilient and sustainable future. Eight programmes and a single uniting theme: the will to place science at the service of society, to tackle the challenges of the future together.
The Intelligent Data Use in a Changing Climate programme explores the potential of advanced data
analysis and high-resolution climate modelling. Ranging from real-time forecasts to long-term
climate models with an information-sharing approach, this programme connects research and application, integrating data and knowledge of the territory to improve risk forecasts and adaptation strategies.
In the research world, technological innovation is not only a goal but also a bridge between theory and
practice. Technological Development in the Digital Twins Era is our most technological programme,
and focuses on closing the gap between research and operations. Automation and environmental
monitoring are deployed and paired with the ACRONET control units, so that we can convert this science into real tools for managing risk and protecting the relative local areas.
Climate change can threaten ecosystems and communities, while biodiversity can be a key for
resilience. The Emergent Nexus: Risk resilience, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning focuses
on this connection, exploring strategies to protect ecosystem services and to provide support for the
ecological transition. By drawing on a new risk assessment approach, we take into account the adaptation capacity of sustainable businesses, so that a balance between development and conservation can be built.
Adaptation to climate change requires knowledge and readiness. Capacity Development for Resilience & Climate Adaptation has emerged from the experience accrued in emergency management centres, with the strengthening of prevention capacity and response to disaster. This programme stands among the aims of the United Nations initiative Early Warning for All, ensuring that the know-how acquired through our projects can be translated into long-lasting results serving the most vulnerable communities.
Risk forecasting is not only a question of data but also the real impact on people and the environment. Impact-based Early Warning Systems of Climate Threats aims to improve alert systems through increasingly detailed forecast modelling capable of precisely estimating the effects of extreme natural events such as floods, drought and forest fires. The goal? To go from mere weather forecasts to full-blown decision-making support tools for civil protection and communities.
Policy-making needs to be based on reliable and up-to-date knowledge. Multi-Risk Assessment
and Data-Informed Policies provides tools for tackling climate risks with an integrated approach,
analysing not only the single hazards but also their interactions. From a local to an international scale, this programme endeavours to ensure consistency between risk analysis and policy, contributing to a more effective approach based on solid data.
Risk management is not just a question of operations but also of regulations. Governance & Responsibility in Civil Protection Systems deals with the issue of legal responsibility in civil protection action, and works on the defining of regulatory tools for adaptation to climate change in Italy. From the national through to the local scale, the programme explores the administrative and legal challenges, aiming to foster more effective and responsible governance.
Risk management requires a broad vision, one capable of integrating the so-called 'hard ' sciences with communication, while also involving communities. Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation: a Multidisciplinary Approach is our most cross-sector and holistic programme, and it brings together scientific and social competencies so as to strengthen adaptation strategies. We study how civil protection systems can evolve to tackle the new climate scenarios, transforming emergency planning into a prevention and resilience tool.