Mediterranean Autumn Floods: A Call for Proactive Resilience in the Face of Climate Change
As we enter the "Mediterranean autumn," a season historically prone to flooding along Mediterranean coasts in France and Italy, it's crucial to reflect on the changing patterns we're witnessing. Eastern Liguria, in particular, has seen an alarming increase in flood frequency and severity since the '60s, especially during autumn months.
Climate change has intensified this phenomenon, extending flood risks into winter and early spring. However, it's not the sole responsible. Poor urban planning and land use changes have also played significant roles. Are these truly "natural" disasters, or are they exacerbated by human actions?
Italy has taken steps to address these challenges, allocating 1.52 billion euros through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to manage flood and hydrogeological risks by 2026. While we all hope for tangible results from these investments, there's a pressing need for regional cooperation.
In 2023, the Union for the Mediterranean launched the "Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural and Man-made Disasters" (PPRD) program to boost resilience in Southern countries and the Mediterranean region.
To create a sustainable future, we must take a two-pronged approach:
- Rectify past mistakes that have increased our vulnerability
- Implement long-term policies to reduce exposure in high-risk areas and protect vulnerable populations
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Our role as Operational Resilience professionals
It's time we acknowledge our role in these "natural" disasters and take proactive steps towards a more resilient Mediterranean region. I believe that as Operational Resilience professionals we can play a vital role in influencing flood-risk reduction strategies, for instance by
- influencing policymakers,
- adopting more reliable methodologies for risk assessment,
- fostering the public-private collaboration in our daily business,
- promoting innovation by advocating for new technologies for flood monitoring and warning systems,
- engaging with communities to raise public awareness.
How you are helping in changing the way public and private sectors are considering and acting against this risk and supporting the adoption of tangible actions?