Anagrafe della ricerca

Current global warming is associated with changes at the regional scale in the frequency of occurrence and in the amplitude of weather and climate extremes, with a growing toll in terms of damages and impact on our society. Administrators at the local scale are faced with the difficulties associated with the occurrence of extreme events, and with uncertainties in their future projections, making the development of strategies for adaptation challenging, yet extremely necessary. In the Italian context, these climate change related risks are associated in particular with urban and mountain areas. At the same time, the scientific understanding of the role played by urbanisation and elevation processes for the intensity and frequency of extreme events, and their possible changes in a warming climate, are still under investigation, also due to the limited availability of relevant climate information at small scales and in complex terrains. This project will use recent high-resolution observational and climate modelling data to investigate the role of local surface boundary conditions and mechanisms controlling extreme events, providing practical tools (in the form of maps, data and software) to help their detection, assessment and the evaluation of associated risk.