Societies in mountain regions face a variety of risks related to natural phenomena. On the one hand, rapid onset hazardous processes such as landslides, rock falls and debris flows occur frequently in steep mountainous terrain. On the other hand, slow onset developments linked to changing climate conditions are more pronounced in mountain regions. In addition, societal processes such as urbanisation and demographic developments alter traditional settings of exposure and vulnerability of populations and their activities. All these aspects represent factors of potential direct or indirect stresses and threats for the social-ecological mountain systems.

This project focuses on the development and the testing of new approaches for (1) the analysis of gravitational mass movements as well as (2) the integrated, spatially explicit assessment of risks considering vulnerabilities and exposure factors. In 2020, our activities will mainly cover (1) the continuation of ongoing landslide monitoring activities and subsequent analyses in Corvara, (2) the continuation of our methodological development towards a risk assessment approach applicable at various scales, (3) the consolidation and dissemination of previous activities and their results and (4) the presentation at international scientific conferences and writing of project proposals.

Contact person: Marc Zebisch

marc.zebisch@eurac.edu