CA23126 - AlertHub: Warning Communication Knowledge Network (AlertHub)

Societies worldwide are faced with extreme weather events at an increasing scale, with climate change as a key driver of this development. Against this backdrop, the COST Action aims to establish a European interdisciplinary network to facilitate international collaboration and knowledge transfer among scholars and practitioners whose work involves warning communication and disaster management. The Action uses a risk and crisis communication lense to advance knowledge, promote cooperation, and contribute to reducing risks and harm posed to the public by climate change-related disasters. The Action seeks to enhance the overall effectiveness of disaster response efforts and promote cross-border cooperation among scholars and practitioners in this key field.

To achieve this, the COST Action will (1) develop an open-access knowledge platform focused on warning systems, relevant legal and political frameworks, challenges in effective warning communication, (2) identify best practices and governance recommendations for effective warning communication, and (3) create new formats for knowledge exchange and networking between key stakeholders in Europe.

The interdisciplinary approach and the focus on warning communication is what sets the Action apart from previous initiatives, knowledge resources and research projects. At the same time, as climate change-related disasters are typically cross-border phenomena, it is crucial to exchange expertise and best practices internationally. This way, the Action seeks to create lasting impact in research and practice and to contribute to reducing harm caused by increasingly challenging environmental conditions.