Prevention of environmental risks
Security and safety of the maritime environment
Global climatic change, natural and biological risks and a rise in human activities endanger maritime environments and justify a more global approach to prevention.
Multiple areas of operation
Approaches taken for prevention of maritime environmental risks vary according to their origin.Risks related to human activity involve different kinds of pollution, floating devices drifting, the evolution of the coast line, and the shoreline hardening.Risks related to climate change mainly involve a rise in the water level and its impact on the coast.Natural risks concern storms, hurricanes and cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and their maritime impacts.Biological risks concern toxic proliferations and induced change for eco-systems and bio-diversity.
Technological innovation faced to challenges
The keys to innovation are based on :
- Acquisition systems, IT systems and their networks, software tools for data processing and decision-making tools
- Marker and sensor equipment, underwater, land and air measurements and means of intervention
- Modelling of the environment, equipment and missions.
Strategic challenges include :
- The integration and globalization of surveillance and intervention systems
- The implementation of concerted security and safety policies in the region
- The crisis management chain.
Emerging markets potentials
The potential in the case of risks related to human activities mainly lies in the area of the vast insurance market. In the case of natural risks and early warning systems, the potential involves institutional, local, national and even supranational markets.
Multiple options for local synergies
The PACA and Languedoc-Roussillon regions regroup various international actors in the area of management and prevention of maritime environmental risks : specialised research laboratories (Ifremer, Oceanologic Centre of Marseille, Inéris, Oceanographic Observatory of Villefranche-sur-Mer…), suppliers of measurement technologies, complex information systems (Thales, EADS) and crisis management tools (Véolia).Among end-users, Pôle Mer PACA pools together all expertise of the actors of its region of influence.
