23 European organisations – included the CMCC – met in Milan on October 25, 2023 to launch the EU-funded project MULTICLIMACT, an ambitious and innovative European project designed to revolutionize the protection of the built environment against locally relevant natural and climatic hazards. This collaborative initiative is set to advance resilience, sustainability, and safety for communities throughout the European region.

As climatic conditions have changed significantly, especially within the last few decades, and the frequency of extreme events such as floods, earthquakes and severe heat waves is increasing, there is an urgent need to plan, design, and retrofit the built environment to adapt to current and future risks.

In a rapidly changing world, where climate change and localized natural hazards pose an increasing threat to our cities and infrastructure, MULTICLIMACT stands as a beacon of progress and hope. This project, funded by the European Union and involving a consortium of leading experts and institutions across Europe, aspires to develop cutting-edge strategies and technologies as well as a toolkit with 18 reliable and easy to implement methods and digital solutions to enhance the resilience of our urban landscapes.

The toolkit will be tested at four pilot sites in Italy, Spain, Latvia and The Netherlands. The locations all have different climatic conditions and are therefore susceptible to different types of climate-related environmental disasters.

Key objectives of the MULTICLIMACT project include:

• Innovative Risk Assessment and Prediction: The project will harness the latest advancements in data analytics, modelling, and predictive technologies to better anticipate and respond to natural and climatic threats.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: MULTICLIMACT brings together experts from diverse fields such as architecture, engineering, climatology, and disaster management to ensure a holistic approach to resilience-building.
• Community Engagement and Education: The project is dedicated to fostering public awareness and engagement, empowering communities to take an active role in safeguarding their built environment.

Dr. Clemente Fuggini, the project lead and an esteemed expert in the field of infrastructure engineering, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “MULTICLIMACT is not just a project; it’s a shared vision for a safer, more resilient future for our communities. We are excited to bring together the best minds in Europe to drive innovation and make a tangible difference in the face of the growing challenges posed by climate change. Through this effort, we will create a framework and tool for assessing resilience at various scales and to enhance preparedness and responsiveness.”

The project is set to run over the next 3,5 years, during which a series of pilot programs and research initiatives will be conducted to achieve the stated objectives. The project consortium includes renowned institutions known for their expertise in resilience, sustainability, and climate adaptation:

RINA CONSULTING SPA, Genova, Italy

AGENZIA NAZIONALE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L’ENERGIA E LO SVILUPPO ECONOMICO SOSTENIBILE, Lungotevere, Italy

UNIVERSITA POLITECNICA DELLE MARCHE, Ancona, Italy

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI CAMERINO, Camerino, Italy

FONDAZIONE CENTRO EURO-MEDITERRANEO SUI CAMBIAMENTI CLIMATICI, Lecce, Italy

COMUNE DI CAMERINO, Camerino, Italy

LIVE INFORMATION SYSTEM SRL, Jesi, Italy

ICLEI EUROPEAN SECRETARIAT GMBH, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM AACHEN, Aachen, Germany

STEINBEIS INNOVATION GGMBH, Stuttgart, Germany

FIBRISTERRE SYSTEMS GMBH, Berlin, Germany

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT, Delft, The Netherlands

FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION, Derio (Bizkaia), Spain

COMSA SAU, Barcelona, Spain

CYPE SOFT SL, Alicante, Spain

BRIGAID CONNECT, Lasrozas, Spain

NATURALEA CONSERVACIO, SL, Castellar del Valles, Spain

AJUNTAMENT DE BARCELONA, Barcelona, Spain

KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLAN, Stockholm, Sweden

UPONOR OYJ, Vantaa, Finland

RIGA MUNICIPAL AGENCY “RIGA ENERGY AGENCY”, Riga, Latvia

NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH “DEMOKRITOS”, Agia Paraskevi, Greece

UNIVERSIDADE DO MINHO, Braga, Portugal