The GarMultiRisk project at the MedGU2024 conference

From November 25 to 27, 2024, the 4th edition of the Mediterranean Geosciences Union (MedGU) conference was held at the University of Barcelona (UB), this year’s host institution.

Previous MedGU editions were held in Istanbul (Turkey) and Marrakech (Morocco), and in 2024, the conference moved to the northern Mediterranean, specifically to the UB’s historic building and the Faculty of Geography and History. The aim of this conference is to bring together scientists from around the world whose research focuses on the Mediterranean region and one of the Earth sciences disciplines. Geoscience encompasses various fields such as geology, geophysics, geochemistry, meteorology, oceanography, volcanology, and geomorphology, among others. Internationally, the most well-known conferences in this field are the European Geosciences Union (EGU), held annually in Vienna, and the American Geophysical Union (AGU), in the United States.

This year’s MedGU featured up to 20 thematic tracks for submitting scientific work. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the team involved in the GarMultiRisk project participated in this edition under the track of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Specifically, on Wednesday, November 27, at 9:00 a.m., Dr. Marta López Saavedra presented the project in a 15-minute oral presentation. Additionally, we submitted an extended abstract about the project for publication in the conference proceedings journal, indexed by Scopus/SCImago. To our great surprise and delight, we won the Best Paper Award in our thematic track during MedGU2024!

To provide some context, GarMultiRisk is a CST project funded by the Fundación Biodiversidad and is set to conclude in May 2025. So far, work has focused on building a standardized database compiling various variables related to natural hazards that have affected the Garrotxa region over the past 100 years. Based on this database, an algorithm will be developed using data science to establish interrelations between these hazards, enabling an analysis from a multi-hazard perspective—understanding how one hazard can trigger or facilitate the occurrence of another adverse natural phenomenon. The project’s final phase will involve producing a series of reports, maps, and interactive tools that will enable end users (environmental technicians, emergency personnel, and policymakers) to interpret the data effectively and use it as a basis for drafting risk management plans tailored to Garrotxa’s specific conditions. Additionally, the GarMultiRisk methodology is expected to be reproducible, contributing to climate change adaptation in other regions.

In addition to the in-person presentation by Dr. López Saavedra, Iris Schneider, a member of the CST team, attended other sessions during the conference as an observer, focusing especially on those addressing various natural hazards such as permafrost thaw, volcanoes, earthquakes, land movements (subsidence and landslides), wildfires and tsunamis. The conference also provided an opportunity to establish new connections and reconnect with colleagues to disseminate our work and learn about other studies.

Beyond the theoretical sessions, the conference included a three-day field trip (November 28–30) during which attendees visited geological points of interest in the volcanic area of Garrotxa, the Cerdanya region, Andorra, and Montserrat. During MedGU2024, the next conference location was revealed which will be in Athens, Greece.

Overall, these three days of conferences were productive, and we are eager to continue disseminating the GarMultiRisk project. We hope the next stop will be in Vienna, at the EGU!

The GarMultiRisk Project is supported by the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, through the Call for Grants for the implementation of projects contributing to the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (2021-2030).

Financial support by:

With the collaboration of: