Research Unit Leader
Jeremy Pal

Description
This research unit focuses on economic and wider social effects of extreme climate and meteorological events as well as on policy instruments set to reduce societal vulnerability and increase resilience. The unit focuses on purpose-oriented analysis of the impacts of major disaster strikes in Europe and elsewhere, and develop models and model-based information services to estimate current and future economic and social damage and losses caused by extreme weather and climate related events, likely to be amplified by the human-induced climate change.

Research Unit Leader
Silvia Torresan

Description
This research unit analyses the multiple ways through which environment may be impacted as a result of exposure and vulnerability to one or more environmental stressors such as chemicals, land use and climate change. The research priorities include (i) Multi-hazards/risks and impact assessments using quantitative and qualitative methods and tools for assessing combined risks and spill-over effects of climate variability and change; (ii) Modelling climate change impacts on chemicals, ecological and human risks including how climate change influence environmental fate and transport of chemicals; and (iii) Decision support systems and ICT tools engaged in developing state-of-the-art decision support systems (DSS), and information and communication tools (ICT) set to assist decision making by improved access to, and analysis of, information on environment and society.

Research Unit Leader
Veronica Casartelli

Description
This research unit addresses national and international climate adaptation policies and set to inform decision making processes. Research priorities of this subunit include institutional relations and adaptation policies implemented by means of international and national frameworks; and support activities to national governments and European/international bodies such as DG Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection and the European Environmental Agency. Another thematic area represented include policy analysis and assessment, in the context of which we analyse international and national policies related to climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, including the post-2015 international policy framework on DRR, Loss and Damage international mechanism established under the premises of UNFCCC and multi-sectoral partnerships promoted to aid the least developed and small island developing states.