While cross-border cooperation is relatively well-established in the area of emergency response, cross-border and multi-country cooperation during the prevention and preparedness phases can be further enhanced. Notwithstanding, the response phase could also benefit from streamlined communication protocols and interoperable systems that overcome language barriers in emergency situations.
Prevention is any action aimed at reducing risks or mitigating adverse consequences of a disaster for people, the environment and property, including cultural heritage. Preparedness is defined as a state of readiness and capability of human and material means, structures, communities and organisations enabling them to ensure an effective rapid response to a disaster, obtained as a result of action taken in advance.
Under this topic, four priorities have been identified, which match the Communication on Disaster Resilience Goals.
Activities funded under this topic should complement or link to European Union or previous UCPM initiatives, as well as national, sub-national, and local initiatives, particularly with challenging dimensions such as emerging disaster risks and the complexities associated with prolonged emergencies or concurrent disasters. Results should be presented in a way to support their adaptation and implementation by other stakeholders. The relevance of the activities for the UCPM and applicability of the results for stakeholders beyond those involved in the consortium should be central to the proposal.
DRM strategies will only entirely address the risks a country faces with an assessment that takes into account climate change, cross-border risks emerging risks, cascading effects, high impact low probability risks, and exposed or vulnerable areas and groups, including persons with disabilities. This priority aims at enhancing the eligible entities’ capability to identify and assess relevant disaster risks with potential transboundary/trans-European and cross-sectoral impacts and use that information to reinforce disaster prevention and preparedness activities.
This priority correlates with the Union disaster resilience goal No. 1: ‘Anticipate - Improving risk assessment, anticipation and DRM planning’.
Population plays an important role in disaster prevention and preparedness and citizens are usually the first responders to disasters. National, sub-national and local authorities should cooperate, together with the private sector and civil society organisations, to i) increase disaster risk awareness and understanding of the population, ii) fostering a culture of risk prevention and preparedness to risks, iii) create favourable conditions for individuals to actively engage in DRR/DRM activities. Evidence-based risk information and communication, as well as education activities, targeted to the public –including vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities– are effective tools to raise risk awareness, preparedness and contribute to response measures.
This priority correlates with the Union disaster resilience goal No. 2: ‘Prepare - Increasing risk awareness and preparedness of the population’.
Early warning systems are key elements for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. In the wake of the Covid-19 crisis and with the recent extreme weather events and cascading impacts across sectors, the importance of advanced multi-hazard and risk warnings has never been more widely acknowledged. Although in Europe there is considerable experience with early warning systems, especially for weather and climate-related hazards, recent disasters have shown that more effort and collaboration is necessary. This would include the use of new technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, in order to be able to process large volumes of data in a timely fashion, appropriate for emergency management.
This priority correlates with the Union disaster resilience goal No. 3: ‘Alert - Enhancing early warning’.
Ensuring a robust civil protection system plays a crucial part in efficiently meeting the demands placed on civil protection and DRM authorities, in particular during and after a disaster, when society needs them most. Increasing complexities during disasters, changing parameters as a result of climate change and the ever-growing risk of concurrent disasters or prolonged emergencies, require institutions with a role in DRM to adapt and prepare themselves accordingly. Proposals addressing this priority of the call will be able to place their focus on activities aimed at advancing preparedness, both within and between organisations, sectors and borders, especially in the context of applying lessons learnt to existing structures and processes. Activities can aim to encourage or even institutionalise cooperation between different stakeholders, including the general public, improve communication, information management and facilitate the transfer of knowledge or integrate new approaches and innovative research in the interest of increasing preparedness at an institutional level. In addition, this priority will focus on developing skills, expanding relevant knowledge, and improving capacity and performance of individual experts or functional groups. As a result, the gained knowledge and experience should be applied nationally, bilaterally or internationally in a way that benefits the UCPM in the disaster risk prevention, preparedness or response activities.
This priority correlates with the Union disaster resilience goal No. 5: ‘Secure – Ensuring a robust civil protection system’.
The information provided by the KAPP Team on UCPKN Platform pages is for general informational purposes only. All information on these pages in regards to the KAPP call is provided in good faith, however we make no representation or warranty of any kind, explicit or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information on the pages related to the KAPP call. The official call documents available on the Funding & Tenders Portal Page provide all of the official information for potential applicants.