Dossier
MiaVita Project
MiaVita is the EU-funded project that is part of the seventh framework programme (2007-2013) for mitigation and management of volcanic risk in developing countries. The initiative was started up in October 2008 and will last 48 months. Fifteen entities are taking part, including the Civil Protection Department.
The project includes a series of activities regarding five volcanoes chosen as test sites in Cameroon, Indonesia, the Philippines and Cape Verde. The main objectives of this initiative are:
- development of a prevention system based on assessment of the volcano hazard and drawing up of damage scenarios;
- implementation of management capacities for volcanic crises, through study of monitoring at sustainable costs suitable for developing countries and based on the combination of satellite and other data, a rapid alert system and an effective secure communication system;
- a reduction in vulnerability and development of after-event recovery.
The project is divided into eight Work Packages (WP). The Department is leader for WP8, which includes validation and distribution of products, plus drawing up of a handbook, or guidelines, in English, French and Spanish for final training. These guidelines will be distributed in developing countries, to provide a tool for knowledge and steering civil protection activity and will act as an interaction tool in management of volcanic crises between operational and the scientific parties.
The Department is also participating in WP7 – needs of end users and emergency management – led by the French Civil Defence Department and, to a lesser extent, in WP3 and WP5, concerning monitoring and socio-economic problems respectively.
RSS