Caso Studio Montano

Valle dei Laghi, IT

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Prognosi

I rapidi impatti del cambiamento climatico stanno portando ad un aumento dei conflitti nell'utilizzo dell'acqua e del suolo; per questo motivo il progetto IMPETUS promuove approcci partecipativi nei processi decisionali per garantire una rapida transizione verso una gestione sostenibile e integrata dell'acqua, la conservazione della biodiversitĆ  e la riduzione del rischio di disastri.

La situazione

La Valle dei Laghi si trova in provincia di Trento, nelle Alpi italiane. L’area ĆØ caratterizzata da un’abbondante disponibilitĆ  idrica e una popolazione molto frammentata, con piccoli villaggi e comuni con meno di 5.000 abitanti.

Le principali attivitĆ  economiche della valle sono l‘agricoltura (ed in particolare la viticoltura), la produzione enogastronomica, la produzione di energia idroelettrica, la silvicoltura per la produzione di legna e il turismo ā€œlentoā€. Le Alpi, e aree montane in generale, sono riconosciute come hotspot per il cambiamento climatico, con temperature in aumento ben oltre la media ed eventi meteorologici estremi più frequenti.Ā 

Problemi legati al clima

Uso dell'acqua

ScarsitĆ  d'acqua e mancanza di azioni preventive per gestirla; conflitti per la gestione dell'acqua .

Uso del suolo

Perdita delle tradizioni locali in agricoltura e perdita del patrimonio culturale.

Impatti economici

Aumento della frequenza di eventi estremi e dei relativi danni economici e sociali .

Azioni chiave

Grazie alla condivisione di dati e conoscenza e alla co-creazione con gli attori locali, stiamo supportando i processi decisionali per rafforzare la resilienza del territorio e della comunitĆ  nei seguenti ambiti:Ā 

  • Gestione sostenibile e integrata della risorsa idrica regionale attraverso un sistema di supporto alle decisioni;
  • Analisi di prodotti assicurativi innovativi per l’agricoltura;
  • Valutazione degli effetti dello spostamento altitudinale delle colture sui vigneti;
  • Attivazione del patrimonio culturale per migliorare la resilienza al cambiamento climatico;
  • Applicazione dell’approccio delle ā€œCatene di Impattoā€ per comprendere e gestire meglio le vulnerabilitĆ  e i rischi legati al cambiamento climatico.Ā 

Settori rilevanti:

Istituzioni pubbliche

Cittadinanza

Agricoltura

Energia

BiodiversitĆ 

Le nostre ambizioni

Nonostante il nome, nell’area della Valle dei Laghi i rapidi impatti del cambiamento climatico stanno portando a un aumento dei conflitti nell’utilizzo dell’acqua e della suolo.

Per questo motivo, nell’ambito del progetto IMPETUS, stiamo promuovendo approcci partecipativi nel processo decisionale, coinvolgendo diversi stakeholder locali, per garantire una rapida transizione verso una gestione sostenibile e integrata dell’acqua, la conservazione della biodiversitĆ  e la riduzione del rischio di disastri.”

Valentina D’Alonzo, European Academy of Bolzano (EURAC)

Nel caso studio montano, abbiamo fissato obiettivi ambiziosi:

  • Armonizzare e sviluppare ulteriormente soluzioni e iniziative esistenti per creare un pacchetto di soluzioni innovative multisettoriale/multi-sistemiche.
  • Utilizzare servizi e prodotti climatici come dati satellitari, previsioni stagionali e proiezioni climatiche per sviluppare piani a medio e lungo termine per l’utilizzo dell’acqua e la gestione dei rischi.
  • Favorire l’appropriazione delle soluzioni di gestione del rischio da parte delle comunitĆ  locali, integrando le analisi e gli approcci di gestione del rischio con la partecipazione, la comunicazione e la co-creazione.
  • Promuovere l’adozione e il trasferimento delle soluzioni di adattamento ad altre comunitĆ  montane, coinvolgendoĀ  portatori di interesse nazionali ed internazionali.
  • Creare le basi per una rete di cittadini e stakeholder per la loro partecipazione a lungo termine ai processi decisionali.
  • Dimostrare e testare le soluzioni sviluppate per una più ampia adozione a livello provinciale come parte della Strategia Provinciale per la Mitigazione e l’Adattamento ai Cambiamenti Climatici in fase di redazione.Ā 

Questioni da affrontare

Soluzioni specifiche

Miglioramento delle conoscenze e supporto basato sui dati per le assicurazioni nel settore agricolo

I prodotti assicurativi in agricoltura forniscono misure di protezione passiva o strumenti di finanziamento sostenibili per investire in protezioni attive come le reti antigrandine, l’irrigazione a goccia o a corona superiore. Tuttavia, ĆØ necessario capire come tali prodotti possano essere migliorati e potenziati per far fronte agli effetti incerti e variabili del cambiamento climatico nel medio e lungo termine.Ā Ā 

Il nostro approccio:

  • Coinvolgere gli stakeholder e gli esperti dei consorzi assicurativi agricoli;Ā 
  • Supportare l’analisi con strumenti di valutazione del rischio climatico su misura che sfruttino le piattaforme di dati esistenti che forniscono previsioni stagionali e proiezioni climatiche (ad esempio, Copernicus, Geo Mountains), arricchite da dati a scala locale e da modelli di impatto;
  • Consentire che le valutazioni economiche si basino sulla valutazione dei futuri periodi di ritorno di eventi climatici avversi, come grandine, tempeste, inondazioni, siccitĆ , incendi boschivi, ecc.

Questa soluzione contribuirĆ  ad aumentare il know-how e la condivisione delle conoscenze per identificare i migliori indici (climatici e non) e modelli di previsione che possano supportare l’analisi e la gestione del rischio per colture selezionate.Ā 

Attivare il patrimonio culturale per migliorare la resilienza climatica

Nel contesto del cambiamento climatico globale, le montagne si trovano prevalentemente ad affrontare un aumento dei pericoli naturali giĆ  esistenti e presenti localmente, con rischi reversibili. Sebbene il loro potenziale di causare danni sia elevato, sono ben noti alle comunitĆ  residenti, che hanno affrontato tali minacce per decenni o secoli. Pertanto, a livello locale e regionale, si ĆØ sviluppata una comprensione approfondita di come affrontare questi rischi.

Il nostro approccio:

  • Attingere alla conoscenza endogena locale, rivelando come la cultura, i valori e le tradizioni influenzino la percezione del rischio e permettano od ostacolino le misure di adattamento al cambiamento climatico;
  • Identificare le pratiche culturali rilevanti nell’agricoltura, nella gestione dell’acqua e nell’edilizia, per quanto riguarda il loro potenziale di ulteriore sviluppo, di incremento e di trasferibilitĆ , mostrando le migliori pratiche culturali locali da sfruttare per la mitigazione e l’adattamento al cambiamento climatico;
  • Identificare e sfruttare le componenti intangibili e tangibili interconnesse del patrimonio culturale che sono una parte essenziale dell’identitĆ  locale e dei valori condivisi;
  • Sviluppare strumenti per promuovere la consapevolezza sociale e facilitare soluzioni vantaggiose per l’adattamento e l’attuazione di misure a basse emissioni di carbonio per gli edifici storici, analizzando il patrimonio edilizio esistente per studiare le sue prestazioni passate, presenti e future.

Questa soluzione aiuterĆ  ad individuare i fattori scatenanti del cambiamento comportamentale che possono essere applicati in percorsi innovativi di adattamento al cambiamento climatico.

Applicare le catene d'impatto in processi partecipativi

Le Catene di Impatto (CI) forniscono una narrazione grafica e concettuale strutturata delle relazioni causali tra gli impatti negativi e le componenti che li determinano e li costituiscono. L’approccio CI ĆØ stato ampiamente applicato per comprendere meglio la vulnerabilitĆ  e il rischio legati al clima, in particolare dal Gruppo Intergovernativo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, ed ĆØ stato utilizzato per la valutazione del rischio nella pianificazione dell’adattamento al cambiamento climatico a livello locale e nazionale in più di 10 paesi. Sono disponibili linee guida step-by-step su come adottare la metodologia delle CI, riconosciute a livello internazionale e regolarmente aggiornate.

Il nostro approccio:

  • Coinvolgere gli esperti locali del caso studio montano in processi partecipativi;
  • Sviluppare Catene di Impatto per il caso studio della Valle dei Laghi, con particolare attenzione ai settori dell’agricoltura e dell’edilizia;
  • Analizzare le pratiche di gestione del rischio per identificare le lacune, i punti da migliorare e le migliori pratiche;
  • Individuare i campi in cui ĆØ necessario adottare misure di adattamento;
  • Utilizzare i risultati per promuovere un cambiamento comportamentale e aumentare la consapevolezza e la capacitĆ  di adattamento delle comunitĆ ;
  • Replicare questa attivitĆ  in altre aree montane europee per favorire l’apprendimento reciproco e lo scambio di buone pratiche;
  • Sfruttare l’applicazione in IMPETUS per sviluppare linee guida pratiche per operatori e ricercatori per applicare l’approccio delle CI.

Le Catene di Impatto possono aiutare gli esperti del settore a ottenere una rappresentazione concettuale del rischio e ad identificare le lacune relative alla gestione del rischio e superarle tramite l’identificazione di misure di adattamento ai cambiamenti climatici.

Sistema di supporto alle decisioni che integra più livelli informativi per la gestione sostenibile e integrata della risorsa idrica

Le previsioni idrologiche stagionali sono un servizio climatico piuttosto nuovo, essenziale per anticipare il verificarsi di siccitĆ  e inondazioni e per gestire i conflitti nell’uso dell’acqua. Il sistema di supporto alle decisioni (DSS) sarĆ  basato su un gemello digitale che utilizza un approccio ibrido che combina modelli idrologici fisici e apprendimento automatico per creare queste previsioni.

Il nostro approccio:

  • Utilizzare le previsioni idrologiche stagionali per alimentare un sistema di supporto alle decisioniĀ  partecipativo per la gestione integrata e sostenibile degli usi idrici concomitanti;
  • Garantire che ciò avvenga nel quadro dell’approccio al nexus WEFE (Water Energy Food Ecosystems) e che tenga conto dei vincoli ambientali, economici e politici;
  • Sviluppare il DSS per consentire la creazione di: (i) strategie di gestione stagionale per affrontare meglio i periodi di siccitĆ  e la gestione dei livelli d’acqua nei bacini idroelettrici per la produzione di energia in impianti di piccole e grandi dimensioni; (ii) strategie di gestione a lungo termine riguardanti l’irrigazione intelligente, la protezione degli ecosistemi e il rinnovamento degli impianti idroelettrici.

Questo sistema di supporto alle decisioni aiuterĆ  i decisori a prendere decisioni ben informate sulla gestione dell’acqua in situazioni di carenza idrica.

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Extreme events

Reports from European Environment Agency indicate that over the past decades, Europe has been experiencing frequent and severe weather and climate-related natural hazards likeĀ droughts, forest fires, heatwaves, storms and heavy rain. Climate change will make these events even more intense and more frequent. The summer of 2024 was the hottest on record for Europe and globally. While up to recently the extreme events were not considered usual in Zemgale region, experience from few previous seasons raise precautions. In summer 2024, there were heaviest rains that Latvia has experienced since 1945.

The impact of various extreme weather events has been particularly pronounced in places with high population density, such as the city of Jelgava. The region’s flat topography and land surface elevation relative to sea level result in high groundwater levels, which place additional stress on the city’s drainage and storm water drainage systems.

Issue

In Jelgava, the main challenges from rainfall include high risk of flooding and damage to infrastructure during prolonged rainfall. The Lielupe River and its tributary floodplains, as well as low topography and high-water tables, make drainage and stormwater drainage systems difficult to operate. The extreme rainfall of July 2024 confirms that the existing sewerage system is inadequate to cope with such situations.Ā  In the region’s rural areas, the threats affect both settlements and villages and fertile agricultural land, which plays an important role in the region’s economy.

Storms are the second most pronounced weather extreme in the region and, although on average winds are not expected to change significantly over the 21st century, by the end of the century (relative to the period 1971-2000) there will be a greater number of both windless days and stormy days per year.Ā  In recent years, the Zemgale region has been severely affected by thunderstorms and storms that have brought heavy rainfall in the form of both rain and hail, destroying agricultural crops and damaging infrastructure in many places. Severe storms in summer and early autumn, when trees and shrubs are still in leaves, have caused severe damage.

Climatologists believe that the current extreme values will become the norm in the future, while extreme weather events will cause even more damage. Climate models also predict an increase in total annual precipitation over the 21st century, with an average annual precipitation in Latvia of 775.7 [±60.0] mm for minor, 806.5 [±72.8] mm for moderate and 814.2 [±79.7] mm for major climate change. Predictions foresee substantial increase in duration of heatwaves from climatic norm of 8 days to 16 [±8] days for minor, 22 [±9] days for moderate and 33 [±12] days for major climate change.

Forecasting extreme weather events is quite complicated task, as these events are characterized by short-term nature, they and spatially limited, and thus short warning times are operational. Measures for adaptation to climate change thus become essential by preparedness for more days with extreme temperatures and for more extreme precipitation events. Decision-makers and local authorities need data and information to make the necessary preparations in advance by adapting to the different scenarios and possible consequences.

Within activities of IMPETUS project, the Adaptation Pathways are elaborated for Zemgale region with particular focus on flooding occurrences from river spring floods and heavy rain events:

  • Adaptation pathways are developed to support in better management of river flood risks and heavy rain floods (flash floods).
  • Aimed to implement a set of measures for reducing the frequency and extent of flooded areas in both rural (agricultural) land and urban settlements.
  • In exchange with the stakeholders, adaptation options are identified, assessed and included in the pathways to increase adaptive capacity in Zemgale region.
  • Structural measures, e.g., upgrading of existing drainage and stormwater drainage systems, and aligning them with nature-based solutions for water retention in rural and urban areas, and cleaning of riverbeds are considered.
  • Non-structural measures for improving flood risk early warning system (EWS), increasing awareness of inhabitants and improving the efficiency of actions of competent authorities in case of floor risks are addressed.
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Flooding

Zemgale is a very flat region, located in a lowland area with a high density of rivers. The Lielupe River is characterized by its slow course, due to Zemgale’s flat topography and the low gradient of the riverbed. The height of the Lielupe floodplain does not exceed 1 m above water level. Downstream of Jelgava, the Lielupe River drops only 5-10 cm/km. The riverbed is much lower than the average level of the Baltic Sea.

Issue

Climate change in the Zemgale region by the end of the 21st century will have a major impact on the hydrological regime.Ā  One of the most significant changes will be increased precipitation: under a moderate climate change scenario, winter precipitation will increase by 24-38%, while under a significant climate change scenario, precipitation is expected to increase by as much as 35-51%. Maximum daily precipitation will increase by about 3-6 mm, in some places by as much as 10-12 mm. On a seasonal basis, the greatest increases in precipitation are expected during the winter and spring seasons, so that the risk of flash flooding increases significantly during the cool season, when evapotranspiration is not intense. Periods of high rainfall will alternate with prolonged droughts, which will have a particular impact on heavy rainfall events, increasing the frequency of flash floods. During heavy rainfall, short, localised flooding can be observed in both larger and smaller towns, as well as in flat rural areas.

One of the activities in Zemgale in the IMPETUS project is the improvement of the Flood Early Warning System using the HEC-RAS 2D model. This model simulates water flow in two dimensions, which is particularly useful for flood modelling and forecasting. The HEC-RAS 2D model uses two-dimensional Diffusion Wave Equations to calculate the water flow. The developed model performs 2D

Key Benefits of Using Such a Hydraulic Model

  1. Accuracy and Detail: The HEC-RAS 2D model provides high accuracy and detail, which is essential for flood risk assessment and management.
  2. Integration: The HEC-RAS 2D model can be integrated with other geographic information systems (GIS), facilitating data processing and visualization.
  3. Early Warning Systems: The model is crucial for the development of early warning systems, as it allows for the prediction of flood spread and impact, thereby helping to timely warn residents and take necessary measures.
  4. This solution automatically reads hydrological forecast data from the forecast system of the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre.

These model results are crucial for the operation of the Early Warning System, which uses this data to identify potential flood areas and prepare warnings at the property (cadastral unit) level.

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High temperatures

Record-breaking summertime temperatures have been recorded in the Netherlands in recent years. With global temperatures rising, such extreme weather events will occur more often, and for longer periods. Prolonged high temperatures, with warm nights as well as hot days, can cause heat stress* and related health issues, particularly among city populations.

*Heat stress occurs when the human body cannot get rid of excess heat and can impact wellbeing through conditions such as heat stroke, exhaustion, cramps and rashes.

"We want to enable municipality decision makers who are working on spatial developments to identify heat stress 'hot spots' and cool areas, analyse the future effects of climate change, and model the effect of different heat stress-reducing measures. The tool must provide them with an easy starting point to integrate heat stress risks in their projects."

Issue

Despite the cooling effect of the sea in the region of Zeeland, the growing risk of heat stress has become a concern.

Elderly and other vulnerable people are more impacted by the effects of prolonged heat, which can cause headaches, dizziness, insomnia and other health issues – even death. Excess temperatures also affect general comfort and liveability of cities. Water quality can be reduced, both for drinking and swimming, and infrastructure can be affected. Buildings and concrete surfaces trap heat, potentially leading to damage, and release it during the night, keeping temperatures warm.

During heat waves, it is important that everyone has access to a cool and comfortable place. Appropriate spatial planning can help to decrease and deal with heat stress.Ā Environmental factors like water bodies, trees, and shade have a major impact on stress caused by high temperatures. Therefore, planting trees, removing concrete surfaces, creating green roofs and cool spaces can improve our comfort and health. The IMPETUS Atlantic team is developing a digital tool to support regional decision making for city planning to address these needs.

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Flood risk

By 2050, sea-level within this region is predicted to rise by 15-40 cm, with more frequent extreme weather and more (severe) storms triggered by climate change. These changes will exacerbate the natural risk of flooding in the IMPETUS ‘Atlantic’ region, because it is surrounded by rivers and the sea, and is below sea level.

*Risk takes into account two aspects; the chance that an event will occur and the negative impact of such an event once it occurs. When there is a low chance that an event will occur, but its impacts are huge, the risk is still significant.

ā€œIn the Netherlands, an extensive system of dikes protects us against sea and river flooding. We have always put our faith in this defence and focused almost solely on flood prevention. However, pressure on our system will increase with climate change and rising sea levels. To adapt and maintain a safe living environment, we should develop other safety measures, like more robust spatial planning and contingency plans."

Issue

Rotterdam city, is located in Rijnmond – ‘mouth of the Rhine’. The Rhine river flows through this densely populated area and characterises the region. Protections such as sea dikes and storm surge barriers have been constructed to protect the region, but flooding still occurs.

People living in the city are accustomed to seeing smaller floods. The changing climate affects the interplay between rainfall, river levels and sea storms, increasing the flooding risk. Water levels could rise by a few metres, even in populated areas, with potentially massive impacts. 

Mitigation measures such as storm surge barriers reduce the chance that high water reaches the city, but to minimise the impact of floods when they do occur, adaptation strategies are also needed. A city that can adapt to be safe from floods must be carefully designed. How best to design such an adaptive city?

Critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and evacuation routes, must be accessible at all times. Planning how to best protect them, homes and lives is complex. Flood water behaves in a complex way and flood risks show strong spatial variations. The IMPETUS Atlantic team is developing a digital tool to support regional decision making for adaptive city planning. 

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Energy and waste water

To become climate-neutral by 2050, climate mitigation* efforts are crucial in our strategy for how to deal with climate change. Reducing our energy consumption is a significant mitigation step. In the Netherlands, 15% of energy is consumed in the Rijnmond area around the port of Rotterdam, in large part by a major petrochemical industry cluster.

*Climate mitigation encompasses measures such as technologies, processes, or practices that reduce carbon emissions or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.

Issue

The Rotterdam port petrochemical industry cluster is Europe’s largest. It consumes 70% of the Rijnmond region’s energy. A large part of this energy is wasted (64%, 203 petajoules). More than half of that energy is lost with wastewater. In addition, most energy processes within these industries rely on fossil fuels, which has a significant impact on the climate.

Energy use must be minimised and fossil fuels should be replaced by renewable sources if climate change is to be mitigated. Electrification of processes opens up the possibility to use more renewable energy and can greatly impact decarbonisation. Recovering wasted heat would significantly reduce energy consumption and is a first step towards a more circular industry.Ā 

Supporting industries in a transition towards climate-neutrality depends on identifying how best to reduce their carbon footprint without sacrificing production or performance. The IMPETUS Atlantic team is creating a digital tool that supports decision making about pathways towards an effective energy transition for EU industry.

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Eutrophication

Due to its fertile soils, Zemgale region in Latvia is characterised by an intensive agriculture where large-scale farming dominates. Agricultural activities are well developed and focus on the cultivation of crops.

During the last decade, the area of croplands in the region has increased along with application of high amounts of mineral fertilisers. Excessive loading of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) lead to eutrophication of water bodies e.g., causing overgrowing of rivers, and thus putting a pressure on biodiversity and natural habitats.

Issue

Municipal wastewater effluent is another source of eutrophication in the region. Quite often performance of wastewater treatment facilities is not sufficiently effective to ensure complete purification of waste waters causing water pollution with nutrients. As the result the ecological water quality of the rivers in Zemgale region is mostly moderate or bad.

According to water quality monitoring data of 88 waterbodies located within the Lielupe River basin district, there are 53 waterbodies having significant disperse pollution load and 14 water bodies where point source pollution load prevails (Source: LEGMC, 2024).

Climate change related increase of temperature catalyses eutrophication processes in water bodies. Climate models predict continuation of the increase of temperature thus intensifying the symptoms of eutrophication in freshwaters. Therefore, along with reduction of use of fertilisers, improvement of municipal wastewater treatment facilities, application of additional measures to prevent nutrient runoffs from agricultural land and urban environment to water bodies is of pivotal importance.

Together with regional and local stakeholders in Zemgale region, IMPETUS project partners in Latvia are developing Zemgale regional climate change adaptation plan, that will highlight the possibilities and intention of implementation of nature base solutions, e.g., constructed wetlands in Zemgale region to reduce the nutrient leakages/runoffs, reduce eutrophication intensity and improve the quality of surface waters.