Climate change, risk management and prevention

• Introduction
• Added value of cross-border initiatives in this field
• Possible types of initiative
• Example of projects
• Recommendations
• Legal framework

Possible types of initiative

Cross-border spaces are often specific natural spaces (mountains, rivers, coastlines, etc.). In addition, urban areas are at-risk areas, also subject to the consequences of climate change.

In a cross-border context, it is important to fund:

• Strategies and action plans aimed at adaptation to climate change at the cross-border level (on the one hand, for borders in mountainous regions, on coastlines, or in protected natural areas, and on the other hand, in urban or peri-urban areas), including the integration of these aspects into territorial planning and management systems (for example in coastal areas or maritime spaces);
  
  
• Initiatives for adaptation to climate change in cross-border territories (from practical measures to public awareness campaigns) or studies on vulnerability to climate change, so that choices for long term investments are better adapted to climate change;
  
  
• Prevention and management plans at the cross-border level for technological and natural hazards (for example, industrial installations or zones near borders), adjacent to natural areas (rivers, mountain ranges, coastlines, maritime spaces), urban areas or rural areas;
  
  
• Risk prevention and management measures at the cross-border level (for example, protection from coastal flooding in cross-border regions, protection of forests from fires and harmful insects, protection of the coastline, reducing the vulnerability of ecosystems and building up their resilience to help them adapt to climate change;
  
  
• Knowledge bases and the strengthening of data observation capabilities in the cross-border context, to ensure compatibility and comparability of information (e.g. the measurement of pollution, seismic activity, etc.);
  
  
• The mechanisms for the exchange of information on both sides of the border on topics related to climate change adaptation and risk management;
  
  
• Tools (detection and early warning systems, mapping and risk assessment) and management systems for disaster situations, in order to improve disaster resilience and risk prevention and management for natural hazards related to meteorological conditions (storms, extreme weather events, forest fires, droughts and floods) and geophysical hazards (avalanches, landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions) and support societal responses to industrial risks (early warning systems, risk mapping).

Photo : Espace Mont Blanc / Ph. Andrea ALBORNO