DENATEH

Project title:

Mitigation of vulnerability and consequences of natural and technological disasters, in order to support local communities

General description:

APELL-RO, the first component of the DENATEH project, is focused on managing and mitigating natural and technological risks and hazards. The integrated approach of the measures provided by the priority directions of the APELL program helps to reduce the chain effects generated by the manifestation of any type of risk that can impact the environmental security. The diversity of the directions of action of the APELL program assures us that once the implementation of the APELL framework is implemented in Romania, a solid basis of action will be developed in different hazard and risk situations, by involving and preparing the communities for immediate response in case of disasters. The stated purpose of this program is to introduce the APELL concept in Romania and to form the specific basis of each direction of action, so that the environmental problems are managed and mitigated with higher efficiency. The activities included in this project support the emphasis of the role of local communities and of all the local stakeholders in the emergency intervention, thus supporting one of the most important national responsibilities - reducing the risks of natural disasters and major industrial accidents. The expected results will provide the beneficiaries:

  • advanced methods and solutions for risk assessment in environmental science and engineering,
  • risk minimization framework plans,
  • disaster emergency management plans.

GISAR, the second component of the DENATEH project, aims to ensure a balance between fundamental and applied research, through the software technologies used in data processing. In order to support local communities, GISAR proposes the following:

  • identifying and analyzing the main risks to which the city population is exposed to;
  • determining the main risk areas;
  • elaborating "Maps of risk areas" that can be used as a planning tool in urban planning policies;
  • establishing the correlations between the current distribution of the functional areas of the localities and the spatial distribution of the risk areas in order to highlight the situation existing at the present time;
  • Means of integrating the results obtained in urban planning policies.

Project duration:

  • 2006-2008

Funding:

  • CEEX project, module I, nr. 303/2006,CNCSIS 150/2006, Ministry of Education and Research

Partners:

  • Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca
  • Institute of Geography of the Romanian Academy Bucharest
  • Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation Cluj-Napoca
  • Regional Center for the Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Cluj-Napoca
  • Polytechnic University of Bucharest

Results:

The objectives will be achieved through research and technology transfer activities in the consortium composed of higher education institutions, research and development institutes, government authorities and industrial operators.

The development of the DENATEH project leads both to the development of the national capacity to achieve efficient crisis management systems and interventions in case of disasters, and to the consolidation of a competitive position of the Romanian science on an international level. The existence of viable systems for ensuring efficient management of crisis situations and disaster interventions is a major problem for many local communities in Romania. In the current conditions, we mention as potential beneficiaries and users:

  • The Ministry of Environment and Water Management (MMGA) and the National Agency for Environmental Protection (ANPM); 
  • Ministry of Administration and Interior (MIA);
  • National Environmental Guard (GNM);
  • National Red Cross Society (SNCR);
  • local authorities;
  • local communities.

As it is about the implementation of an international program sponsored by UNEP, this organization expressed its support for the APELL-RO team for the implementation of the APELL program.