DUSTCLIM: Dust Storms Assessment for the development of user-oriented Climate Services in Northern Africa, Middle East and Europe

acronym
DUSTCLIM
description

The methodologies adopted will be will be focused on statistical analysis and remote sensing, as follow detailed: • Statistical Investigations on past fire events • Collection and analyses of scenarios on the effects of climate change on vegetation and fire occurrence • specific methods and procedures will be developed within the framework of fire and post fire risk management in Europe at climatic time scales (from seasonal to longer time scales), • specific methods and procedures will be developed for the definition of adaptation strategies and approaches to deal with future fire occurrence this will improve knowledge and information regarding the drought conditions on wildfire and post fire risks management at climatic time scales (from seasonal to longer time scales) for national and local authorities decision-making procedures and planning activities.

Fire represents one of the main disturbances for vegetation, causing profound transformations at different temporal and spatial scales which affect ecosystems, landscapes and environments. Climate change is expected to bring increased forest fire risk by altering the water cycle at seasonal time scale, by increasing the occurrence of prolonged droughts and heat waves in the Mediterranean basin, as well as in Alpine ecosystems and boreal forests, with severe environmental and economic consequences.
This project aims at creating an international collaborative community, expert in remote sensing soil and vegetation, risk management and mitigation, in order to:
• increase efficiency of decision and policy makers authorities' response, to improve the preparedness level of our societies
• strengthen the science-policy-society nexus using a participatory approach,
• increase the information regarding the drought conditions on wildfire and post fire risks management
• collect scenarios on the effects of climate change on vegetation and fire occurrence,
• investigate adaptation strategies and approaches to deal with future fire occurrence.  

Funding institution
European Commission - Horizon 2020 - ERA4CS
contact person ISAC
date inizio fine
2016-01-01 - 2021-06-30
istituz coord
CNR-IMAA