Research Unit Leader
Mario Raffa

The REM unit develops and uses regional climate models (RCMs) to obtain detailed information on the current and future climate for different parts of the world. For years, REM has collaborated within international consortia to develop regional-scale climate models (COSMO CLM and ICON) and limited-area atmospheric models (COSMO and ICON). Thanks to its experience, REM is capable of producing high-resolution climate simulations, which allow for the evaluation of the impact of climate change on various sectors and support adaptation analyses. The unit currently focuses on the development and use of “convection-permitting” models and the definition of specific parameterizations for urban dynamics, actively collaborating with the international community to achieve these objectives. Among the most important research activities, there are studies on convective events (CPM), dynamic land use (LUCAS), and urban environments (URB-RCC) within the CORDEX program. Additionally, CMCC is involved in the EURO-CORDEX and MENA-CORDEX programs.

Research Unit Leader
Giuliana Barbato

The Climate Service Unit is dedicated to developing constantly updated climate tools and services to help study and tackle climate risks and hazards at the local level across the globe by using different type of data (satellite, observed and simulated). Additionally, the division creates statistical downscaling tools (including AI methods), which are less costly and faster than traditional dynamic models, and can be used for studying the impact of climate change and defining adaptation strategies. The Unit offers its services through the DATACLIME platform (www.dataclime.com), which has been used for several years by researchers, consulting firms, businesses, and policymakers. The Unit also engages stakeholders and policymakers through participatory processes.

Research Unit Leader
Guido Rianna

The Unit “Adaptation Engineering” has the ambition of updating and improving (in a nutshell, adapt) the analysis tools and the assessments of traditional civil engineering to deal with the challenges and, where appropriate, the opportunities associated with ongoing and expected climate change. In this regard, the Unit covers the main branches of civil engineering: hydrology and hydraulics (e.g. for pluvial/riverine/urban flooding, soil water budget, soil erosion) geotechnics (e.g. landslides), building technology (update of standards for constructions, management/adaptation of civil infrastructures).

Research Unit Leader
Alfredo Reder

The Urban Risk and Adaptation (URA) unit comprises a team of researchers with heterogeneous competencies (such as engineering, architecture, planning and social sciences), experts in urban climate risk assessment and developing climate change adaptation measures, strategies and strategies and policies. The Unit has the ambition to develop and apply qualitative and quantitative frameworks for the evaluation of climate risk and its components at the urban scale, with a particular interest in processes related to the heat island phenomenon and their consequences on different sectors, exposed assets and in particular on people (e.g. their health). URA also aims to advance knowledge on the planning, designing and managing adaptation solutions in urban settings to reduce observed and expected climate risks and promote co-design and capacity-building processes within adaptation processes at the territorial and urban scale.