MOVE - Methods for the Improvement of Vulnerability Assessment in Europe
Project duration: 09/2008 to 08/2011
Both the heatwave of 2003 in Europe and Hurricane Katrina on the US Gulf coast in 2005 dramatically revealed that developed countries are far from immune from the worst effects of natural hazards. Under conditions of global environmental change it is expected that Europe will face increases in the intensity and frequency of extreme natural events. In addition to this, growing urbanisation of hazardous areas, high levels of dependency on critical infrastructure and the increasing vulnerability of particular social groups point to an urgent need to improve our knowledge on vulnerability in Europe.
Although it is widely acknowledged that the reduction and measurement of vulnerability are important tasks the concept of vulnerability remains relatively unclear and under-researched. In addition to that, there is a lack of a common ground between different disciplines and schools of thought regarding the concepts approaching vulnerability. Evident is also the lack of a common framework for the definition and measurement of vulnerability with regard to its physical, social, economic, environmental, cultural and institutional nature.
The overall objective of MOVE is to provide policy makers, public administrators, researchers, educators and other stakeholders with an improved generic framework and methodology for the measurement and assessment of vulnerability to natural hazards in Europe's regions. It will employ an integrated, comprehensive approach that will help to guide decision making in the future.