Protection of Cultural Heritage from Seismic Risk

3-5 November 2011, Thessaloniki, Greece

The European Centre on prevention and forecasting of earthquakes organised a training on the protection of cultural heritage monuments and people from seismic risk. Participants tried to put together already existing information on comprehensive monument management, monument vulnerability assessment, identification of sufficient protection measures, etc.

Use and valorisation of water resources for the sustainable development of arid ecosystems

13-15 November 2011, Biskra, Algeria

How to improve knowledge on water resources and its ways of use in arid regions, how to define an approach for the participative and territorial management of agricultural water, how to set up an information system on water – these are some of the objectives of the international workshop, organised by the Scientific and Technical Research Centre on Arid Regions in Biskra, Algeria. For more information, please consult the announcement of the workshop (in French).

European Master-level course on Climate Change: impact on health, human environment and water

Strasbourg, France, 10-14 October 2011

The Ecole Nationale du Génie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement de Strasbourg (ENGEES), together with the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement of the Council of Europe, organised a European Master-level course on "Climate Change: impact on health, human environment and water ". The lessons have been held in the the amphithéâtre DAUBREE, Institut de Géologie in Strasbourg France, from 10 October to 14 October 2011.

Course on Climate Change, Cultural Heritage and Risk

Ravello, Italy, 3-7 October 2011

The European University Centre for Cultural Heritage (Centro Universitario Europeo Per I Beni Culturali) organised, with the support of the EUR-OPA Agreement of the Council of Europe, an European Course on “Climate Change, Cultural Heritage and Risk. Energy, Mobility and Access”. Addressed to young advanced students and professionals, the Course will outline the link between energy, mobility, access and policy in the area of climate change and cultural heritage, and the opportunities for managed heritage sites to be seen as exemple of sustainability for the public at large. The deadline for applications is set to 30 June 2011.

Reduction of vulnerability against flood risk in the Loire Basin

Orléans, France, 22 September 2011

The Public Establishment of the Loire district and its partners organised the 4th conference on reduction of the vulnerability against flood risk for the economic activities of the Loire basin and its affluents. It aimed at setting up the objectives and contents of the continuity of activity, to define its statutory and legal framework, but also to take account of good practices to elaborate a Plan of Continuity of Activity (PCA) presenting practical cases and the companies' experience during two round tables.

Summer School on Psychosocial Support after Disasters

Antalya, Turkey, 4-10 September 2011

The European Natural Disasters Training Center (AFEM) of Turkey organised an International Summer School for Undergraduate Students of Social Sciences on "Psychosocial Support after Disasters and Emergencies" from 4 to 10 September 2011 in Antalya, Turkey. The aim of the Summer School was to make participants familiar with the basis of individual and community-based psychosocial intervention, considering in particular the special needs of vulnerable groups such as children, elderly persons and disabled people in the aftermath of a disaster or emergency. (more ...)

EUR-OPA new Action Plan 2011-2015

The 12th Ministerial Session of the Agreement, held in September 2010 in Saint Petersburg (Russian Federation), adopted in particular the new Action Plan 2011-2015 where three major trends were highlighted: the use of information in preparedness to disasters, the contribution of knowledge to reduce vulnerability and the role of the human factor in risk prevention.
In order to efficiently implement this new Medium Term Plan, the Agreement has began examining how to better link these new trends with the work of the Specialised Centres.

Scientific meeting on the Fukushima nuclear accident

San Marino, 8 July 2011

The CEMEC, co-jointly with the Italian Association of Medical Radioprotection, organised a scientific meeting dedicated to the Fukushima nuclear accident : " The Fukushima nuclear accident: is it another Chernobyl ??". Speeches such as "External exposure and contamination", "The Public Health countermeasures" and “Information, psychological and social effects" were delivered.

Intensive Course on Coastal hazard assessment and risk management

Caen, France, 19-25 June 2011

The Post-graduate training school on "Coastal hazard assessment and risk management" was organised within the framework of the FORMOSE Training Activities of the EUR-OPA Agreement and took place in Caen, France, from 19 to 25 June 2011. The course was organised by the European Centre for Seismic and Geomorphological Hazards (CERG), the University of Caen-Basse Normandy and the CNRS and will take place at the Department of Geography of the University of Caen-Basse-Normandy.

3rd Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction

Geneva, 8-13 May 2011

The Secretariat participated in the 3rd Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction organized by the UN ISDR to follow up the implementation of the Hyogo Framework of Action 2005-2015. At the European regional meeting, the Agreement presented as joint works with UNISDR Europe both the European HFA report 2009-2011 and a study on “Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction : a review of risk governance”. It also actively participated to several side events : the fire management roundtable (organized by its specialized centre Global Fire Monitoring Centre), the event on Ecosystems role in Disaster Risk Reduction (organized by the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction) and the session on education and safe schools (promoted by UNESCO).

International Conference on “Twenty-five Years after the Chernobyl Accident. Safety for the Future"

20-22 April 2011, Kyiv, Ukraine

The Government of Ukraine has organised an International Conference on “Twenty- five Years after the Chernobyl Accident. Safety for the Future" in Kyiv (Ukraine) on 20-22 April 2011. The Council of Europe, which collaborated in its organisation through the EUR-OPA Agreement, has been represented by its Secretary General at the opening session and a presentation on “Radiological risk : the need to be informed and the right to be protected” has been delivered at the plenary session. This conference was of particular interest after the recent Nuclear Power Plant accident of Fukushima (Japan) : Chernobyl’s twenty-five years lessons can contribute to the debate on safety of nuclear energy and other dangerous technologies and on the need for technogenic safety to prevent future disasters.