CLIMap is a project conceived by gisAction in collaboration with Legambiente for the participatory mapping of extreme weather events on Italian soil.
Prolonged heat waves, droughts, extreme hailstorms, temperature anomalies, tornadoes, floods, storm surges: these are some of the extreme weather events that are increasingly affecting our country and the entire planet. In Italy, 2022, in particular, will be remembered as the year of the severe water crisis that showed its worst face by affecting water resources in the north of the country, the year of repeated heatwaves, and the year of the Marmolada glacier tragedy. In 2022, since the beginning of the summer, according to an analysis conducted by Coldiretti, an average of five fires per day have been recorded in Italy.
These issues are no longer reserved for a small circle of enthusiasts or of exclusive interest to the scientific community; they are issues that affect the daily lives of citizens. Public awareness is the only way to ensure that institutions take action to address the violent effects of climate change.
Mapping extreme atmospheric events
This is the context in which the CLIMap project by gisAction, in collaboration with Legambiente Italia, was born: a map of extreme weather events in Italy that brings together the direct experiences of citizens. A participatory mapping project aimed at shining a spotlight on the impact of climate risk and how meteorological and hydrogeological phenomena affect everyone’s lives: damaged property, depleted soil, sweltering cities, water rationing and much more.
The application is very simple and intuitive to use: to contribute to the mapping of extreme weather events in Italy, simply enter the details of the extreme event recorded and indicate the location of the event, and the system will then transfer the data to the map. The process is built using GIS (Geographic Information System) technologies and aims to highlight, among other things, the importance of technological tools in the study, monitoring and response to climate change.
Why map extreme events?
The main purpose behind CLIMap is to raise awareness among citizens and allow everyone to share their experiences. The map was created thanks to reports and was presented and discussed with experts in the field during GIS Day on 16 November 2022, the eagerly awaited annual event that brings together the community of technicians and enthusiasts of geographic information technology. Would you like to view the map and find out more about the project? Click the button below.
