The Regional Management Risk Plan. Knowledge, scenarios and prevention projects in a regional context

Abstract

This scientific paper presents the preliminary result of an interdisciplinary research on Disaster Risk Management, which derives from an agreement between the University of L'Aquila and the Abruzzo Region (It). The aim of the research is to build a methodology and experiment with an innovative Regional Management Risk Plan (RMRP) based on a Spatial/Structural approach and a broad Knowledge System describing Multi-Hazards, Multi-Vulnerabilities, Multi-Exposures and therefore Multi-Risks, the last being analysed by use of a semi-quantitative method. The interaction among these components has been interpreted with the aim of obtaining multiple Risk Scenarios, which have become the basis of Prevention and Spatial Recovery Projects within hotspots defined as High Priority Intervention Areas. These spatial projects are the tools for the implementation of prevention/mitigation and recovery actions as well as for coordination (governance) with strategies for the protection of landscape and the environment.The experimentation of the methodology on the case of the Abruzzo Region has made it possible to build a very broad knowledge system oriented towards the definition of the three components of the Multi-Risk and the related Scenarios, thereby establishing a specific analysis and interpretation model that can be replicated in other geographical locations and modified to take into account the dynamics of the Risks and the different approaches. Moreover, it has shown that the issue of Risk cannot be approached separately, but must interface with other territorial factors, including protection and development, and that its management must interface with the spatial project.