The Mediterranean basin is subject to plethora of natural hazards either related to geology or geomorphology (earthquakes, landslides, coastlines changes) or global changes (floods, droughts, erosion, forest fire, water resource). Environmental vulnerability is estimated to be extremely sensitive to global climate change and is emphasized by a strong human pressure and an intensive exploitation of natural resources, especially at the southern rim of the Mediterranean Sea. Facing natural hazards, the challenge is to propose a novel approach of risk by introducing humanities in natural hazard studies in order to propose integrative studies for determining vulnerability of a region.
The GEO-RISK-MOR project funded by the LABEX OT-MED (2015) intends to provide risk indicators in Morocco by analysing both components of natural risks and societal responses to these risks to assess the complex interactions that underlie the vulnerability of a region. The strategy will be to target specific study areas (urban/coastal and rural/mountainous). Within a frame of an interdisciplinary network, both geoscientist and humanities researchers will follow a common methodology: -gathering information on risks (using environmental and societal parameters); -analysing each area through interdisciplinary fieldwork; -establishing indicators of vulnerability for different spatial and temporal scales.
As a first step, the GEO-RISK-MOR focuses on the Tanger-Tetouan area, a region with identified seismic, landslides and coastal hazards. The collaborative work between partners associated with master student projects and an interdisciplinary field-trip in the study area will attest the need of this kind of approach and provide the following expected results: -critical analysis of the “used” indicators and their interactions; -risk indicators integrating « geological and societal » aspects of the risks; -a methodology for risk prevention and resilience capacity to be tested to other regions of the Mediterranean area.