Natural risks in the Mediterranean: situation and perspective

The Mediterranean countries, both in the North and South, are currently undergoing rapid demographic, social, cultural, economic, and ecological changes. Where are these changes leading? What is the future of the Mediterranean region? How should these countries act—individually and collectively—to face growing challenges? The goal of the Plan Bleu—published by Economica—is to address these questions through forward-looking "scenarios" projected to 2025, covering all economic sectors and geographic environments, while observing and evaluating the links between environment and development. Building on this research and gained experience, it became necessary to explore each sector and environment in greater depth across the Mediterranean. This is the purpose of the Plan Bleu booklets, which can be read independently from the main publication, using and updating its prospective analysis and data. This booklet focuses on a topic not previously addressed in the Plan Bleu studies but of great scientific, economic, and human importance: natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, landslides, climate change, droughts, and wildfires.