Application of a Participatory Process for the Selection of Adaptation Actions in the Context of Rural and Forest Fires: Preliminary Results from the Experience Conducted within the Italy–France Maritime MED-Star Project ^†

Over the next few decades, a generalized increase in fire danger and burned area is expected over Southern Europe. This growing risk has led the Italy–France Maritime MED-Star project to improve the involved public institutions’ capacity to jointly prevent and manage fire, also through appropriate adaptation actions. The process of adaptation to climate change entails a number of adjustments of human and natural systems to future climate, in order to minimize the risk and/or maximize benefit. The definition of adaptation objectives and actions is made more complex due to the impact assessment uncertainty. To address this issue, the literature identifies the use of iterative, participatory and inclusive decision-making processes that implies the involvement and cooperation of different actors and sectors.

This work aims to present the participatory process conducted in the regions of the Italy–France Maritime cooperation area (Sardinia, Corsica, Tuscany, Liguria and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) to define specific adaptation objectives and actions in the context of rural and forest fires.

In each region, the process was articulated in the following phases: development of a draft adaptation matrix, mapping national and regional laws, plans, and programmes dealing—explicitly or implicitly—with adaptation; climate change analysis and impacts on fire danger and behaviour presentation at the regional level; application of a bottom-up approach through an online and offline survey involving regional authorities, stakeholders, and civil society towards the definition of adaptation objectives and actions (through analysis of the draft adaptation matrix).

The results from the participatory process consist of about seven objectives and 25 actions for each region, which represents a relevant and tangible value in the process of Regional Adaptation Strategy and Plan development that each region is undertaking to make the territory more climate proof.