About

Photo by Fakurian Design on Unsplash

“Inclusive and Integrated Multi-Hazard Risk Management and Engagement of Volunteers to INCREASE Societal Resilience in Times of Climate Change” is a four-year project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

The main objective of the INCREASE consortium is to promote scalable, multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder, and risk-sensitive emergency and disaster risk management (DRM) of both countries. In addition to analysing and assessing hazards and risks, as well as underlying social and cultural contextual conditions, the project seeks to strengthen adaptation and transformation capabilities for urban resilience. The consortium expects that a comparative approach will intensify a long-term exchange and mutual learning on all levels between German and Iranian actors in the field of DRM. Specifically, INCREASE will contribute to Iran’s short-term disaster preparedness, long-term strategic planning, and overall resilience by bridging the gaps between theoretical knowledge, strategies, disaster management plans, capacities and actual practices related to multiple hazards. Thus, the INCREASE project focuses on the two main needs: (A) an integrated analysis and assessment approach to hazards, risks, vulnerabilities, and resilience; and (B) an integrated management approach to emergencies and disasters.

The Disaster Research Unit (DRU) at the Free University of Berlin coordinates the INCREASE consortium, which includes about 20 partner institutions from science, technology and practice in Iran and Germany.

Scenarios

In an iterative and transdisciplinary process between the German and Iranian partners (from science, administration, private sector, emergency services and other end users), the INCREASE project works on the basis of multi-hazard scenarios: contingency planning; severe earthquake; and extreme meteorological events (i.e., heavy rainfall, floods, heat and drought periods). These three scenarios serve as starting points for the assessment of risks, needs, and capacities as well as for the development of the Integrated Disaster Risk Management (IDRM) framework concept.

Integrated DRM

INCREASE is developing an Integrated Disaster Risk Management (IDRM) approach through the elaboration of different and specific frameworks, which are then integrated into an overarching framework for scalable and integrated DRM. The process is based on specific social and cultural contextual conditions, risks, vulnerabilities, and needs of Iranian society as well as its disaster risk management systems. To strengthen resilience in Iran, the framework will consider several aspects such as specific risks and hazards, emergency situations and scenarios, different geographical levels, such as local, provincial, and national, among others.