The National Risk Assessment Document is online
All the bodies and administrations involved in risk management attended the meeting at the Civil Protection Department for the data presentation
"We need that all the actors involved agree upon the strategy to adopt, and we need the involvement of political leaders and the creation of a governing body that will address risk reduction issue". This is what has been stated by the Head of Civil Protection Angelo Borrelli during the meeting of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction held today in Rome at the Civil Protection Department's headquarters. Here the National Risk Assessment document drafted together with the centers of expertise was presented. The document sent to the European Commission is online in its English version, while the Italian version will be soon available.
Continued Borrelli "During the last meeting on the Platform we framed the obligations that we had to address in compliance with the United Nations and the European Commission, and that we attempted to fulfil by respecting the deadlines set for 2018. From August 8 deadline for the risk assessment management capacity, up to October 1st when the first online data for monitoring the Sendai Protocol indicators was released, until today with the National Risk Assessment data that we are going to present".
The European Forum held in Rome last November was an important step of Italy's roadmap in addressing the disaster risk reduction issue. Agostino Miozzo, Director of Promotion and Integration Office at the National Service pointed out that “The Forum represented an occasion in which the value of the Italian Civil Protection System has been recognized by the European Union since the Italian Civil Protection efficiently responded to the critical issues that followed natural disasters. Also, they showed great competence and human value in helping the affected population.”
Consequently, Dolce introduced the National Risk Assessment Document and discussed the main activities of the department with regard to the seismic risk. He also specified that the 2004 danger map is currently being updated and showed the results of the new risk assessment in terms of both damage levels for buildings and socio-economic consequences. With regard to the tsunami risk, he recalled the recent publication on the operational indications addressed to the National Service regarding the update of the civil protection plans, in compliance with the directive established by the Seaquake Alert System (Siam).
Italo Giulivo, Director of the Technical-Scientific Activities Office for Risk Forecasting and Prevention presented the details concerning volcanic, meteo-hydro, hydraulic and forest fires risks. With regard to the volcanic risk he recalled that "the update of the emergency plans for Vesuvius and Campi Flegrei is ongoing and it is fundamental for prevention activities in territories where about 2,870,000 people are at risk".
During the presentation of the activities related to meteo-hydro and hydraulic risk it has been pointed out that is necessary to put greater attention to citizens’ early warning systems due to the increasingly violent character of the precipitations. The Civil Protection Department, "is working to set up an alert platform that, using cell broadcasting technology could reach people in risk areas via mobile phone".
Giulivo specified with regard to the forest fire risk that the system acquired a response capacity generally adequate for events. However, the simultaneous presence of unfavorable conditions can gradually saturate the AIB systems responsiveness because of the unavailability of additional land and air resources.
At the end of the works, a round table to listen contributions of representatives of institutions and administrations was organized. All the participants shared and welcomed the work of the Civil Protection Department thanking them for having carried out the summary report. Moreover, a road map has been presented, which will let the country being prepared to face international deadlines as the “Global Platform” summit that will be held at the United Nation Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) in May, 2019.
Among the participants there were representatives from the Departments for Regional Affairs and Autonomies, from Cohesion Policies Department, from Casa Italia to the Council of Ministers Presidency. Representatives from Foreign Affairs and of International Cooperation Ministry, Interior Ministry, Defense Ministry, Economic and of Finance Ministry, Economic Development Ministry, Agriculture Ministry, Food, Forestry and Tourism Policies Ministry, Environment, Land and Sea Protection Ministry, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry, Cultural Heritage Ministry, Education, University and Research Ministry, Health Ministry. Also representative from the Unified Conference of Regions, from the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI), from the National Council of voluntary work of the civil protection, from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, from the Agency for Territorial cohesion, from the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (Ispra), from the Italian Alliance for the Sustainable Development (ASviS), the National Institute of Statistics (Istat) and the National Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC).