BRIDGE-IT

The growing complexity of risk scenarios—from climate change to pandemics, from geopolitical instability to hybrid threats and systemic risks—is reshaping the context in which civil protection systems operate and calls for increasingly integrated, flexible, and coordinated preparedness and response models. Against this backdrop, the National Civil Protection Service is required to enhance its preparedness and response capacities and further align its approach with the evolving European strategic framework, which includes, among other things, the EU Preparedness Union Strategy, the Union Disaster Resilience Goals, and the ongoing reform of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism.

In this context, the BRIDGE-IT – Building Resilience to Increase Disaster Management Governance and Emergency Preparedness – Italy project was launched to support the alignment of the Italian national system with European guidelines. The project will promote stronger coordination among institutions, policymakers, and private-sector actors, capitalize on the expertise and contributions of relevant stakeholders, and support the development of evidence-based policies and practices.

To meet these objectives, BRIDGE-IT is developing a comprehensive set of activities aimed at:

• creating a structured consultation platform to ensure an ongoing exchange among policymakers, practitioners, relevant government agencies, and the private sector, which will foster policy co-creation and coordination across different governance levels;
• organizing national workshops and participating in international events to contribute to strategic dialogue and knowledge exchange at the national and European levels;
• collecting and analyzing data to identify key emerging challenges and assessing the national framework in light of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy. Evidence that is generated will inform the development of recommendations promoting greater alignment with European and international standards and enhance decision-making processes;
• promoting learning including through study visits and exchange seminars, to facilitate the sharing of experiences and lessons learned on innovative approaches, new technologies, and best practices;
• strengthening cooperation between public and private actors engaging stakeholders through a structured, cross-sectoral, and multi-level approach;
• building a shared knowledge-base by leveraging data, evidence, and national and international best practices to support decision-making and contribute to the development of more effective policies.

Developed in response to the growing complexity of today’s risk landscape, the BRIDGE-IT – Building Resilience to Increase Disaster Management Governance and Emergency Preparedness – Italy project aims to support the evolution of the Italian National Civil Protection Service. The project contributes to enhancing the governance and preparedness capacities of the national system and promoting the alignment of national policies with European and international frameworks and guidelines.

BRIDGE-IT sets out to achieve three main objectives:

• Governance and dialogue: enhance the effectiveness and coordination of decision-making processes among the multiple institutional levels and stakeholders, promote dialogue at the national and European levels, and contribute to the development and evolution of strategic and regulatory frameworks.
• Knowledge and innovation: strengthen preparedness and response capacities through evidence generation and analysis, development of recommendations, and exchange of experiences and innovative solutions.
• Cooperation: enhance stakeholder engagement and foster closer collaboration among relevant actors, ultimately reinforcing the consistency between the national and European systems.