Vulnerability and disaster risk assessment has been evaluated from different perspectives with focus on global or national scale. There is a lack of methodologies on city scale, which are able to capture inner-city disparities with regard to socioeconomic aspects. Therefore, the main objective was to develop a transparent and comprehensive indicator-based approach which is flexible in terms of data availability and is not tied to a specific case study side. This research proposes two flexible methodological approaches on how to perform socioeconomic vulnerability assessment. Susceptibility, Coping and Adaptation are the main elements of a modular hierarchical structure to capture the societal sphere of vulnerability. The first method is completely based on official census data at block scale. The second method is an expansion and includes data derived from a field survey to add components of risk perception. The proposed methodologies were developed and applied in the city of Genoa (Italy). The results are displayed spatially explicit on maps. Furthermore statistical analysis, to reveal the driving forces which influence vulnerability, was performed. The census-based approach revealed that vulnerability is forced along the river by the inherent susceptibility, as well as the lack of adaptation. The two approaches can be used effectively in gaining different insights. The flexibility of the framework proved to be suitable to the objective of the research. However, the values computed in this research do not claim completeness, and the aim was to provide useful information for stakeholders in decision making process to reduce vulnerability and risk.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are usually defined as complementary or alternative solutions to “grey infrastructures” (traditionally made with cement) aimed at conserving and regenerating the functionality of natural and semi-natural ecosystems. The research to date shows a considerable potential of NBS to address the current challenges related to climate change and geo-hydrological risks. Despite significant interest in NBS by researchers and practitioners, knowledge concerning their practical implementation, monitoring, and evaluation is still lacking. This is particularly true for large-scale NBS. The present paper discusses how such solutions can be implemented in the context of hydro-meteorological risk reduction in small Mediterranean catchments with a strong tourist vocation. The work presented here is situated within the RECONECT Project (Regenerating ECOsystems with Nature-based solutions for hydro-meteorological risk rEduCTion), which aims to contribute to a European reference framework on NBS by demonstrating, upscaling, and replicating large-scale NBS in rural and natural areas. The Italian case study of RECONECT is the Portofino Natural Regional Park, which represents a unique natural landscape element with high ecologic, social, and economic (touristic) value, which is threatened by a range of geo-hydrological hazards, such as flash floods, hyper-concentrated floods, shallow landslides, rockfalls, and storm surges. This paper also presents details of NBS interventions in two pilot catchments (San Fruttuoso and Paraggi) visited by thousands of tourists throughout the year. It addresses some of the key aspects related to monitoring meteorological and hydrological processes, as well as remote sensing activities (i.e., LiDAR surveys), which are necessary for the identification of critical-instability areas along waterways and the reconstruction of dry stone walls. Lastly, a discussion of relevant mitigation and adaptation strategies that are potentially replicable at national and international levels is also provided.

Hydrogeological mapping is a key tool for groundwater resource management. Generally, hydrogeological maps focus mainly on porous or karst aquifer at large scale. In a fracturedrock aquifer, the groundwater flow path is not immediately deductible due to the intrinsic complexity of fracture systems. Then, it is of crucial importance collecting a complete dataset describing the site of interest: fault and strata patterns, geomorphological features, occurrence of springs. Here we present the hydrogeological map at 1:10,000 scale of the fractured rock aquifer of Conglomerate of Portofino (Italy). The graphical information contained in this map is based on the authors' field survey and the revision of papers written for academic purposes and technical reports. The aim of the research is to achieve a useful tool for land planning, conservation of groundwater resource and geo-hydrological risk reduction in the unique area of the Natural Park of Portofino.

The research focuses on the assessment of the potential geomorphological hazards affecting the stability of the Promontory of Portofino (Regional Natural Park of Portofino, Northern Italy), mainly on the bays of San Fruttuoso and Paraggi. The study area constitutes one of the most representative and most populated environments, both by locals and tourists, of the entire Liguria area. For this reason, there is a growing need for investigation on the natural dynamics of these landscapes, based on detailed topographic information. The research starts from a regional geological and geomorphological analysis specific to the study area, combined with a multi-model comparison algorithm (M3C2), which allows comparing two LiDAR datasets acquired in 2008 and 2020, respectively, to assess the overall dynamics of the promontory development. Then, a detailed study of San Fruttuoso and Paraggi bays, two key points for visitors and therefore for management, is performed. Three-dimensional modeling of rockfalls is carried out, which allows the development of a specific management oriented to the use of nature-based solutions (NBSs) strategies, respecting the environment and increasing safety against instability processes in these areas.

<p>The European Horizon RECONECT Project (Regenerating ECOsystems with Nature-based solutions for hydro-meteorological risk rEduCTion) aims to contribute to a European reference framework on NBS by demonstrating, upscaling and spreading large-scale NBS in rural and natural areas.</p><p>The Italian RECONECT demonstrator is set in the Portofino Natural Park, which represents a unique natural landscape element with high ecologic, social, and economic (touristic) value and severely endangered by hydro-meteorological hazards.</p><p>The Portofino Promontory is historically affected by geo-hydrological events. They can produce natural instability processes related to the interaction between meteorological phenomena and the geological environment, which can potentially cause loss of the exposed elements at risk, as happened in the past. The more frequent processes are: shallow landslides and flash floods, sea-storm surges, rockfalls and mud-debris flows. Often, different processes can occur simultaneously during an intense meteorological event, interacting each other and causing an avalanche effect.</p><p>This research introduces the NBS interventions proposed in the RECONECT case study of Portofino over two pilot catchments (San Fruttuoso and Paraggi basins), visited by thousands of tourists all over the year. The project envisages the setting up of meteorological-hydrological stations for studying and monitoring geomorphological processes.</p><p>In particular, RECONECT project foresees the selection, installation and operation of hydro-meteorological instruments that include three weather stations, two hydrometers and two cameras to monitor small and very steep catchments.</p><p>Monitoring activity include the use of remote sensing survey LIDAR data, orthophotography and infrared aerial photography, whose acquisition has been carried out in January 2020.</p><p>Remote sensing and monitoring data are used to quantitatively assess the morphological features and processes, allowing to: a) evaluate the critical-instability areas along the slope and channels and to support the reconstruction of dry stone walls of the widespread terraced areas; b) evaluate the potentially more susceptible source areas of mud-debris flows and the identification of thresholds in meteorological conditions.</p><p>In relation to future projections of natural, social and economic impacts of climate change, NBS represent a relevant mitigation and adaptation strategy for the Portofino case study, which may be upscaled at national and international level.</p>