EU-CIRCLE methodological approach for assessing the resilience of the interconnected critical infrastructures of the virtual city scenario to climate change

Abstract

This paper introduces a methodological approach for identifying the resilience of interconnected EU critical infrastructures to climate change. The proposed approach tries to establish a consequence-based modelling framework for assessing climate-dependent causal relationships between CI operation and response to climate impacts with an aim to minimise disruptions to service flows under diverse conditions. The proposed study provides a description of the virtual city's forest fire and smoke reference scenario with their optional damages to the electricity transmission and distribution network.

Improving Climate Resilience of Critical Assets: The ICARIA Project

“…For such, the results of the detailed modeling tools, along with the data on governance, socio-economic aspects, spatial planning, and service management, will contribute to a holistic and critical infrastructure resilience assessment. The ICARIA holistic resilience assessment tool will build on existing frameworks (from the RESCCUE project RAF and RAF App [27], to the EU-CIRCLE and the RAT tool [28]) and will be complemented with a regional scope and complementary assets (e.g., housing or natural areas).…”

An approach for analysis of critical infrastructure vulnerability to climate hazards

“…These studies point out that the climate hazards can even lead to a redefinition of the criteria in government programs for critical infrastructure resilience [7,8]. Nowadays, many scientific teams carry out integrated research in the following three interrelated areas: the role of critical infrastructure in the functioning of society, vulnerability of the critical infrastructure and the long-term impacts of climate change [9,10]. In this regard, it is important to emphasize that only critical infrastructure, which is climate-resilient, can be persuasively seen as a foundation for the development of modern society and economy.…”

“…According to this definition, "critical infrastructure means an asset, system or part thereof located in Member States which is essential for the maintenance of vital societal functions, health, safety, security, economic or social well-being of people, and the disruption or destruction of which would have a significant impact in a Member State as a result of the failure to maintain those functions" [12]. Critical infrastructures are heterogeneous and distributed in different economic sectors as Еnergy: еlectricity and energy provision, heating systems, renewable and non-renewable energy generation plants; Тransport: road / railway /air /water transport and related infrastructures; Information and communication technologies and systems; Water: water supply networks, drainage and sewerage systems; Urban, Health, Agriculture, and so on [10,13].…”