Climate change is to a large extent constituted by increasing temperatures and changed precipitation patterns. Any change of these critical factors has implications on the frequency & extent of natural hazards. The uncertainties and the increase of natural hazards due to the impacts of CC requires concerted management in the Alpine Space. It must be managed on a transnational, national, regional & local scale to effectively save human life, settlements & infrastructure.

Nevertheless, there is still a lack of precise data taking CC into account. Harmonized cross-sectoral hazard assessment, hazard mapping or harmonized risk management must be balanced on a transnational level. Knowledge concerning flood events & droughts must be assessed in consideration of climate change, intersectoral hazard assessment, risk prevention & communication can only be efficient & effective if a common transnat. understanding on those topics is present. AdaptAlp focuses exactly the harmonization of the various national approaches & methods. Beside harmonization of terminology,an important issue tackled by AdaptAlp is the provision of reliable data and design events for the Alpine Space (i.e. knowledge concerning flood events and droughts taking CC - precipitation - into account).There is a great need for a common & homogenous terminology, for innovative methods enabling better & especially faster modelling (e.g. design events), forecast (e.g. floods) and thus prevention of impacts in consideration of CC. The more reliable the information basis, the more efficiently adaptation strategies on local & regional level can be implemented. Within AdaptAlp pilot adaptation actions will be initiated, based on the new knowledge & improved prognosis precision developed in the Work Packages 4-6. The dialogue between scientists, experts, politicians & local stakeholders will be brought forward & efficient methods identified in the vertically and horizontally integrated transnational approach of AdaptAlp.

Objectives of the project

• 1 - EU/National
  Enhancing transnational exchange and cooperation regarding risk prevention and risk management methods; provision of input to the European Floods directive and the European INSPIRE directive.


• 2 - EU/Programme Area/National/Regional/Local
  Reducing uncertainities by provision of precise data, design events and innovative methods considering climate change for improved modeling and prediction of natural hazards and its impacts in the alpine space.


• 3 - EU/Programme Area/National
  Improving efficiency of transnational risk management by elaboration of a common transnat. understanding (i.e. glossary) concerning the assessment of risks and harmonization of different approaches of geological hazard mapping and other natural hazards -> Development of a basis for intersectoral hazard maps (multi-process hazard maps) .Setting uptransnational guidelines for (cross-sectoral) hazard mapping taking into account climate change.


• 4 - Programme Area
  Raising awareness and supporting adaptation actions on local, regional, national and transnational level by implementation of transnationally concerted and regionally coordinated campaigns on risk management and communication.


• 5 - Regional/Local
  Elaboration of a sound decision basis for adaptation measures, improvement of knowledge to facilitate decision-making and implementation of pilot activities taking climate change into account. Initiating long-term communication process and kick-off for individual adaptation strategies.