It is an unfortunate reality that floods are the most frequent and destructive of all natural disasters, affecting the lives of millions of people around the world every year. Flash floods, in particular, are increasing dramatically due to shifts in precipitation patterns and intensity. Under future climate scenarios, these changes are expected to persist, significantly impacting the frequency and severity of flash floods, especially in semi-arid and low-lying regions with rapid hydrological responses.
In this context, the Interreg-MED LocAll4Flood project partnership convened in St. Paul’s Bay, Malta, for a two-day meeting on November 12th and 13th, 2024, focused on enhancing flash flood risk prevention and resilience across the Mediterranean. To achieve this, eight project partners from six Mediterranean countries (Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Spain) are working together to implement an integrated strategy. This strategy includes the development and testing of an innovative Integrated Multi-Stakeholder Governance Model (IMGM), designed to manage and reduce flood risks. The model aims to integrate prevention, adaptation, and mitigation measures across four distinct topographical zones urban, industrial, rural and natural, and coastal areas within nine pilot catchments across six Mediterranean regions particularly prone to flash floods. This approach aims to demonstrate that the Integrated Multi-Stakeholder Governance Model (IMGM) is not only effective in these regions but also vital for fostering cross-border cooperation and ensuring its transferability to other vulnerable areas.
