Ferrol, 22nd of March 2024. Strengthen European cooperation on civil protection and disaster prevention by promoting the implementation of a governance system based on scientific evidence. This is the aim of the European project Comumunity of Valued Experts in Hydrometeorological and Technological Multi-Hazards (COVALEX), The project was created under the auspices of the Chair of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, attached to the Faculty of Labour Sciences of the Industrial Campus of Ferrol of the University of A Coruña, and led by the professor and researcher of the UDC, Sonia Zaragoza.
Establish a broad and common community of experts on the experience, geographic coverage and the various sectoral networks on hydro-meteorological and multi-hazard phenomena. This is the main line of work being developed by the research staff of the University of A Coruña, the institution coordinating the European project. COVALEX, together with experts from NALAS – Réseau des Associations Nationales de Pouvoirs Locaux de l’Europe du Sud-Est of France, the Disaster Competence Network of Austria, the General Secretariat of Civil Protection of Greece, as well as the Fondazione CIMA and the Associazione della Croce Rossa of Italy.
Over the last year, numerous multidisciplinary cooperation activities have been carried out between researchers, professionals and decision-makers to apply scientific knowledge to disaster risk management. Before the end of the project, scheduled for December 2024, the consortium will focus much of its efforts on disseminating its actions and conclusions to decision-makers, rescue and humanitarian actors on the evidence-based approach to interoperability communications and risk governance.
The European project Comumunity of Valued Experts in Hydrometeorological and Technological Multi-Hazards (COVALEX) is funded by the Directorate-General for Civil Protection and European Humanitarian Aid Operations (DC ECHO), a department of the European Commission responsible for civil protection management in the European Union and humanitarian aid abroad. Counting with a total budget of 774,359 euros distributed among the five partners that make up the consortium. The University of A Coruña has 220,741 euros to lead and coordinate this project.
