The EO4MULTIHA project aims to explore and exploit the huge potential of Earth observation satellite data to advance the fundamental scientific understanding of high impact multi-hazard events and enhance our capacity to better identify, characterize and assess their associated risk, vulnerability and impacts on society and ecosystems. The project has the following specific objectives:
Objective 1: Assessment of science needs;
Objective 2: Advancing our fundamental scientific understanding of multi-hazard events;
Objective 3: To advance our capacity to assess exposure, risks, and vulnerabilities;
Objective 4: Assess how the above results can effectively support timely actions;
Objective 5: Designing an Open Multi-Hazard Events database and related tools;
Objective 6: Community Roadmap;
Objective 7: Contribute to the establishment of a coordinated European research on multi-hazards;
Objective 8: Promote the project results through scientific peer-reviewed publications.

CMCC role
CMCC is co-lead of the Italian science case focusing on the Adige River catchment. The Italian case aims to evaluate the impact of hot and dry events on water quantity and quality along the river basin and their interactions across multiple sectors (e.g., human health, water management and agriculture). Within WP-100 “Scientific Framework”, CMCC is the leader of Task-160 related to the science cases definition. CMCC is also the leader of WP-400 “Advancing risk and vulnerability quantification”.

Activities
The activities in the Italian science case aim to integrate multi-source data combining Earth observation datasets, time series of in-situ measurements, event databases and local map layers with physically based and explainable data-driven models to advance the understanding, characterization, and prediction of hot and dry events, and their interactions at multiple scales and with different types of exposure and vulnerability factors.

Expected results
A set of general and tailored outcomes are expected from the Italian science case:

1. Creation of a multi-hazard event and impact database serving as a basis for subsequent quantitative analyses.
2. Development of an advanced risk conceptual framework showing the complexity and challenges of multi-hazard risk components, their interactions and exploring the added value of EO datasets to support further implementations.
3. Joint visualization of multiple risk indicators and their mutual interactions and trade-offs.
4. Development of explainable data-driven multi-hazard risk models used to analyze existing spatio-temporal dynamics and patterns between hazards, exposure and vulnerability indicators and impacts.
5. Development of different storylines of hot and dry events from the Alps to the Adriatic coast to characterize potential impacts and multifaceted consequences of complex and underexplored events under uncertain (future) scenarios.
6. Elaboration of perspectives on advantages and challenges related to the use of remote sensing products to be shared with the multi-hazard risk community to address and advance the description of multi-risk process chains.

Partners
British Geological Survey (BGS), UK
Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC), IT
EURAC Research (EURAC), IT
University of Twente (ITC), NL
University College London (UCL), UK
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), NL