PermaNET – Permafrost Long-Term Monitoring Network
Background and Goals
Permafrost is highly sensitive to climatic changes. Permafrost degradation and related natural hazards affect traffic routes, tourism areas, settlements and infrastructures. The main problem is that a common strategy to tackle the emerging impacts of climate change in risk prevention and territorial development does not exist.
Through the joint development of a common strategy for dealing with permafrost thawing and the related hazards under the conditions of the climate change, and through the development of an alpine-wide monitoring network, the project is intended to improve the prevention of natural hazards. In particular, the project contributes to sustainable territorial development and the implementation of good governance practices.
The objective is to monitor permafrost in the entire Alpine Space. Through a monitoring network, the permafrost areas and their effects on the landscapes, infrastructures and communities in the Alps will be investigated. Further goals are to create a permafrost map for the entire Alpine Space and develop guidelines for dealing with permafrost in hydrogeological risk zone management and water resource planning. The project aims to raise the awareness of the need for a sustainable and safe development and use of the Alpine mountain areas in citizens, administrations and politicians. Interested parties will be provided with information events (public workshops, field trips and lectures) on the subject of permafrost in the Alpine regions and on strategies for dealing with permafrost thawing due to climate warming in the coming years.
The project will produce an alpine-wide permafrost monitoring network, a permafrost map for the entire Alpine Space and guidelines for the consideration of permafrost in risk and water resource management. The project wants to raise the awareness of decision-makers and responsible authorities to this topic and provide Alpine-wide decision-bases and strategies.
Content time
toResearch area/region
Country
- Germany
- France
- Italy
- Austria
- Swiss
- Slovenia
Region of implementation (all German federal states)
- Bavaria
Natural spatial classification
- Alps
Steps in the process of adaptation to climate change
Step 1: Understand and describe climate change
Approach and results
The inventory of permafrost evidence forms the basis for developing a statistical model to develop a map of potential permafrost distribution. The statistical model for permafrost distribution contains two sub-models, one for areas with rubble and a second for steep rock faces. The models were calibrated based on the inventory of permafrost proof.
Parameter (climate signals)
- Altered rainfall patterns
- Higher average temperatures
Further Parameters
potential solar radiation
Further times
2100
Step 2a: Identify and assess risks - climate effects and impact
Approach and results
The project studies climate change impacts on the permafrost and the resulting natural hazards such as rock falls or mudslides for landscapes, infrastructures and communities. Consequences of permafrost thaws are to be expected for infrastructures such as roads, lifts, cable cars and other tourist structures as well as shelters and settlements. In addition, the impact on the water resources will be examined.
The significance of the permafrost degradation in the high Alpine regions as a hazard to existing infrastructures such as roads, lifts, cable cars and other tourist structures, as well as shelters and settlements, is always most evident after these structures have been damaged or have become inaccessible due to rock falls or mudslides. That the effects of the permafrost degradation are far greater than generally assumed can be seen in the findings of other research projects. From these, it is clear that about 12 percent of the territory of South Tyrol is potential permafrost terrain. Quite a stir was caused in professional circles by a paper that demonstrated that permafrost degradation was also responsible for an unusually high heavy metal pollution level in mountain lakes and springs.
Step 3: Develop and compare measures
Measures and/or strategies
- To develop a strategy for dealing with permafrost thawing and the related hazards;
- To improve the prevention of natural hazards through the development of an alpine-wide monitoring network and a permafrost map for the entire Alpine Space.
- To support a sustainable regional development and implement good governance practices;
- To develop guidelines for the consideration of permafrost in risk and water resource management.
- To raise the awareness of decision-makers and responsible authorities to the hazards of permafrost thawing;
- To provide Alpine-wide decision-bases and strategies for dealing with the risks and hazards;
- To raise the awareness of the need for a sustainable and safe development and use of the Alpine mountain areas in citizens, administrations and politicians
Time horizon
- 2071–2100 (far future)
Step 5: Watch and evaluate adaptation (monitoring and evaluation)
Approach, objective and results of the monitoring and/or evaluation
The objective is to monitor permafrost in the entire Alpine Space. The participants in the project are all the regions in the entire range of the Alps, from Nice to Ljubljana. On the initiative of the Office for Geology of South Tyrol, 13 partners from the affected regions joined in the project to build a long-term monitoring network for the study and supervision of the permafrost in the entire region of the Alps.
Participants
Funding / Financing
INTERREG IIIB Alpine Space Programme 2000-2006
Project management
Autonomous province Bozen - South Tyrol, Office for Geology and Building Materials Testing
Cooperation/Partners
Project partners in Austria:
- Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, Vienna;
- Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG), Regional Office for Salzburg and Upper Austria, Salzburg;
- University of Graz, Institute of Geography and Regional Research, Graz, Styria;
- University of Innsbruck, Institute for Geography, Innsbruck, Tyrol
Project partners in Switzerland:
- Federal Office for the Environment BAFU, Ittigen
Project partners in Germany:
- Bavarian Environment Agency, Dept. Geological Services, Economic Geology, Soil Protection, Munich, Upper Bavaria
Project partners in France:
- Grenoble Institute of Technology, Grenoble, Rhône-Alpes;
- National Center for Scientific Research - EDYTEM Laboratory, Grenoble, Rhône-Alpes;
- University Joseph Fourier;
- Institute of Alpine Geography, Grenoble, Rhône-Alpes
Project partners in Italy:
- Aosta Valley Autonomous Region, Regional Administrations Committee for Territory, the Environment and Public Works, Department for the Territory, Environment and Water Resources, Aosta, Valle d´Aosta;
- Autonomous Province of Trento - Civil and Territory Protection Department, Geological Survey, Trento, Provincia Autonoma di Trento;
- Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Piemonte, Regional centre for geological researches, Torino, Piemonte; Region of Veneto, Geological Survey
Contact
Autonomous Province of Bolzano, South Tyrol: Office of Geology and Building Materials Testing
Eggentaler Straße 48
39053 Cardan (BZ)
Italy
