Objectives:

Main objective of our group ‘risk, vulnerability, climate change’ of the Institute for Applied Remote Sensing is to develop and test improved risk and vulnerability assessments at various scales and for a range of different applications. In addition to the scientific value the results of this work represent the base for recommendations of adaptation measures and strategies in close communication with decision and policy makers. Our interdisciplinary group of scientists integrates advanced technologies such Earth observation, multi-risk assessment tools or spatial decision support systems into state-of-the-art evaluation concepts with a particular focus on the probable future alterations due to climate change. Our work includes the harmonisation of theoretical concepts, the identification and selection of indicators relevant for quantification or comparison, and the application and validation of developed approaches with a focus on mountainous areas.

One of the group’s strongest point is to best integrate engineering knowledge, natural science and social science approaches in order to scrutinise, examine and describe as complete as possible the complex reality particularly assessing the level of single and multiple risks. A great part of the work deals with the evaluation of the opportunities and drawbacks of various types of remote sensing data as a cost-effective and frequently updatable information source.

Expertise & Capacity:

• Risk/Vulnerability Assessments
• EO data integration into risk research
• Qualitative data acquisition / stakeholder involvement
• Risk reduction strategies
• Natural resource management

Projects:

• AdaptAlp - Adaptation to Climate Change in the Alpine Space (Programme Interreg IV B Alpine Space) 
• CLISP - Climate Change Adaptation by Spatial Planning in the Alpine Space Interreg IV B Alpine Space)
• LAWINA - LAndslide detection and WIndfall Assessments based on COSMO-SkyMed X-band data (funded by the Italian Space Agency)
• MOVE - Methods for the Improvement of Vulnerability Assessments in Europe (Programme FP7)
• SAFER - Services and Applications For Emergency Response (Programme FP7)
• TRUMPS - Towards a reliable inundation mapping in South Tyrol (funded by the Province of Bolzano)  

Publications:

1. Schneiderbauer, S., 2008, Risk and Vulnerability to Natural Disasters – from Broad View to Focused Perspective. Theoretical background and applied methods for the identification of the most endangered populations in two case studies at different scales. Ph.D. dissertation, Free University Berlin, Berlin, Vdm Verlag Dr. Mueller, pp 140.
2. Schneiderbauer, S. & Ehrlich , D., 2007, EO data supported population density estimation at fine resolution – test case rural Zimbabwe. In: Zeug, G. & Pesaresi, M. (Eds) Global Monitoring for Security and Stability (GMOSS). Integrated Scientific and Technological Research Supporting Security Aspects of the European Union, JRC Scientific and Technical Reports, EUR 23033, pp 194 - 209.
3. Schneiderbauer, S., A. Tamburini, M. Bianchi, C. Strada, 2009, The combination of PS InSAR techniques and ‘classical’ monitoring methods for landslide investigations within the GMES service portfolio. In: Bruzzone, L., Notarnicola, C. & Posa, F. (Eds.): SAR Image Analysis, Modeling and Techniques XI. Proceedings of SPIE vol. 7477B-61.
4. Zhang, D., 2009, Applying real options theory to value flexibilities in groundwater remediation: an economic method to identify the optimal remediation strategy. Ph.D. dissertation, Universtiy of Tübingen.
5. Schauser, I., S. Otto, S. Schneiderbauer, A. Harvey, N. Hodgson, H. Robrecht, D. Morchain, J. Schrander, M. Khovanskaia, G. Celikyilmaz-Aydemir, A. Prutsch, S. McCallum, 2011, Urban Regions: Vulnerabilities, Vulnerability Assessments by Indicators and Adaptation Options for Climate Change Impacts. ETC/ACC Technical Paper 2010/12, Released: 2011/02/15.
6. Castellarin, A., A. Pistocchi, 2011, An Analysis of change in alpine annual maximum discharges: implications for the selection of design, Hydrological Processes, submitted.