Risk Communication as part of European civil protection mechanism. Roadmap basis from a national to a European Union Civil Protection communication and awareness.

Risks know no borders, as climate change taught us in the last years,. Also, risks increased in frequency and intensity. Europe is experiencing multiple types of disasters that affect communities in different countries and it requires a coordinated, cross-country, inclusive, and international response. Consequently, communication and awareness campaigns have been increasing proportionally. However, it is difficult to know what different countries are carrying on, there is no database aimed to systematically collect and categorize practices implemented across Europe.  

To increase preparedness and improve the cooperation inter-states and inter European citizens, it is essential to assess communication initiatives across Europe and to build a common culture of risk preparedness. Obviously, it is necessary to maintain the differences and specificities of different communities and cultural contexts.  

The challenge is indeed to communicate something that could happen to anybody, but in a completely different context from a social, linguistic, economic and cultural point of view.  

 This research study, realised as part of preparEU European flagship initiative, has the aim to collect the risk communication good practices already existent in Europe, finding gaps, needs and challenges. It’s a preliminary study essential to find an effective and participatory way to enhance the culture of risk prevention amongst the EU, putting in common knowledge and experiences across different territories.  

 The study involved 25 EU Civil Protection Mechanism participant states through desk research, high level interviews and a questionnaire directed to the Institutions and experts committed to risk preparedness and communication. Useful data and patterns have been collected until now but also questions and challenges about the main concepts and tools that should be put in place to raise a common European preparedness culture, that focuses on a community response and solidarity, respecting at the same time differences and specificities.