Anticipating and Managing Natural Hazard Risks
Date: 30 November 2026 / 11:00 - 12:30 CET
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About this Webinar
How can islands better anticipate and manage natural risks and coordinate emergency responses? In this webinar, we will explore digital solutions to address risks such as volcanos, flooding, extreme rainfall, cliff instability, wildfires, coastal erosion, extreme heat, and water stress.
Moderator
Irini Barianaki
Development Agency of South Aegean Region (GR)
Irini works at the Region of South Aegean Development Agency (READ SA). With a solid background in economics and sustainable development, and being a true islander herself, her deep love for the sea has inspired her to continuously pursue further studies on island ecosystems. She has authored scientific publications focusing on maritime spatial planning and natural disasters, while her day-to-day work involves managing and coordinating various European projects. As the Project Manager of Digital Islands, she is absolutely thrilled to be moderating this webinar and sparking meaningful conversations about the sustainable future of our islands!
Cases & Speakers
José Caldentey Vidal
Emergency Technician, Balearic Islands Emergency Management (GEIB), Mallorca, Spain
Presenting: The ARGOs Programme in Emergency Management
José holds a degree in Technical Architecture and specialises in occupational health and safety. He began his career in construction management and health and safety coordination before moving into emergency management, where he has nearly 20 years of experience working with the Balearic Islands Emergency Management Service (112) and the Mallorca Fire Brigade.
Claire Rault
Research Scientist and Engineer, French Geological Survey (BRGM), La Réunion, France
Presenting: Digital hazard mapping during Cyclone Garance & Paré‑risk: Digital alert platform to trigger preventive evacuations
Claire is a research scientist and engineer at BRGM (French Geological Survey) in La Réunion, specializing in landslides, rockfalls and sediment transfer on steep volcanic islands exposed to cyclone. Building on a PhD on earthquake-triggered landslides, she combines field observation, remote sensing and geophysics to better understand gravitational hazards and support public authorities in risk prevention and crisis management. She will be presenting on Digital Hazard Mapping & Paré Risk. Specifically, how digital hazard maps proved effective during Cyclone Garance, guiding land‑use planning and emergency expertise on landslides and floods. We’ll also hear from her about Paré‑risk, which is a digital alert platform helping authorities trigger preventive evacuations in Salazie based on rainfall thresholds, with potential expansion across the island.
François Beauducel
Geophysicist, Volcanological Observatory of Piton de la Fournaise (OVPF-IPGP), La Réunion, France
Presenting: WebObs: an integrated open-source code dedicated to natural systems observatories
François is a Geophysicist at the Volcanological Observatory of Piton de la Fournaise (OVPF‑IPGP), specializing in volcano deformation, seismic monitoring, and geodetic analysis on one of the world’s most active volcanoes. He develops geodetic monitoring tools to better understand and forecast the volcano’s eruptive activity.
Dr Smaragda Sotiraki
Research Director, Veterinary Research Institute of Hellenic Agricultural Organisation ELGO-DIMITRA, Thessaloniki, Greece
Presenting: Grazing for Resilience: Sheep, Goats and Carob Trees
Smaragda is a Research Director and leads the Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases Research Group at the Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) of the Hellenic Agricultural Research Organization ELGO-DIMITRA. Since 2024, she has been serving as President of the European Veterinary Parasitology College (EVPC) for the 2024–2027 term. She has participated in over 60 major national and international R&D projects. Her research focuses on the prevention and treatment of parasitic diseases in animals, the protection of public health through the study of zoonotic parasites, and environmental health within the One Health framework.