KAPP ‘Prevention and Preparedness’ call enhances collaboration and cooperation on these phases of the DRM cycle among Member States and between the UCPM and third countries. These projects should seek to strengthen efforts in preventing disasters while improving the overall preparedness of the UCPM, its stakeholders, and the wider population.
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.
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.
Given the strong competition, we encourage you, before putting forward any proposal, to be critical in its design and drafting, making sure that its standards of relevance, quality and impact are very high, and that they actually contribute to strengthening cooperation among Member States on disaster prevention and preparedness, considering the three priorities defined for this year.
Priority 1: Increasing risk awareness and preparedness of the population
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) foster a culture of risk prevention and preparedness to risks, iii) create favourable conditions for individuals to actively engage in disaster risk reduction/DRM activities, iv) communicate appropriately during emergencies, v) fighting disinformation and information manipulation in the DRM domain.
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. A good understanding of everyone’s role in case of emergency will improve adherence to public warnings and instructions.
Priority 2: Enhancing from early warning to early action
Early warning systems are key elements for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in view of the recent extreme weather events and cascading impacts across sectors. Taking into account climate scenarios, and other new risks, 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 to bring the alert to the right decision level and up to the individual citizens. This call will support proposals that aim to strengthen the understanding between forecasting institutions and public authorities at various levels (national, regional, local) in order to enable a more rapid action through public warning mechanisms and arrangements, before or after a disaster strikes.
Priority 3: Ensuring a robust civil protection system by strengthening institutional capacity
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. Challenges related to emerging risks, 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.
Activities should focus on advancing preparedness, within and between organisations, sectors and borders, especially in the context of applying lessons identified in previous emergencies to existing structures and processes. A “whole of society” approach should be applied by further developing cooperation between public bodies, private sector, communities and other stakeholders. In addition, ‘preparedness by design’ should be embedded in across policies and investments. Proposals should also facilitate the transfer of knowledge or integration of science and innovation, including AI based tools, in the work of civil protection and other relevant authorities. In addition, this priority will focus on developing skills, expanding relevant knowledge, and improving capacity and performance of organisations 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.
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.