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General Info
The conference INTERPRAEVENT is the professional congress in the field of preventive protection against natural disasters. The first conference took place in 1967 in Austria. Since 2000, the conference has been held every two years, alternating between Europe and the Pacific region. Thanks to its interdisciplinary approach, the congress has always connected research and practice. It provides a platform for an intensive professional discussion on the latest developments and scientific work on prevention of natural hazards. The oral presentations also include a students award. Furthermore, the conference offers a poster exhibition and field trips to various topics in natural hazard and risk management in the surrounding of Vienna. The exchange of ideas, knowledge and experience is a key value of the INTERPRAEVENT.
2024 the international conference will be held for the ninth time in Austria and for the first time in Vienna. The INTERPRAEVENT 2024 takes place from 10 - 13 June 2024 at the Conference Center Hofburg Vienna.
Global warming and its massive impact on extreme natural disasters is one of the main challenges of our era. Traditional concepts of hazard prevention or disaster management are no longer sufficient in the present, global climatic change requires sustainable social adaptation processes for the protective system. The conference INTERPRAEVENT 2024 is addressing this issue under the overall theme: “Natural hazards in a changing climate – How to manage risks under global warming?”.
Interpraevent
INTERPRAEVENT is an International Research Society based in Klagenfurt (Austria). It is considered to be “the expert network for the protection from natural hazards”. The organisation was founded in Austria after the extreme flood disasters of 1968 and provides a framework for experts from science, practice and administration. The members of INTERPRAEVENT include public authorities, regions, communities, research institutions and private organisations.
The research society INTERPRAEVENT ensures a constant international exchange of information and contributes actively to the further development of the preventive protection against natural disasters. The international conference INTERPRAEVENT is an important part of the research association to strengthen the international cooperation, connect scientists and practitioners, discuss the latest developments and exchange knowledge and experience.
Voices of Experts
Experts highlight the importance of the INTERPRAEVENT conference for the international science and engineering community in the field of preventive protection against natural disasters:
"INTERPRAEVENT is not just another conference. What makes this biannual convention of scientists and engineers so special is the unique mixture of informal exchange of knowledge, intensive and open-minded discourse and professional friendship. INTERPRAEVENT 2024 will add traditional Viennese hospitality and the imperial atmosphere of the Hofburg ."
RUDOLF-MIKLAU, Florian
Chair of Organising Team
Austrian Service for Torrent and Avalanche Control
UCHIDA, Taro
Associate Professor
University of Tsukuba
"Unfortunately, we will have to deal with climate change, at least for the next few decades. Climate change is a global issue, but the problems caused by climate change differ from region to region. So, let us all bring our experiences and think together about how to pass on a safe environment where the next and subsequent generations can live with peace of mind."
"Doing research in the field of natural hazards provides scientists the opportunity to improve human societies. However, strong connections among scientists, land/water managers and private consultants are absolutely needed to make new ideas and solutions become real and beneficial for communities. Interpraevent has the great merit of carrying on such a vital mission, and as a scientist I hope more colleagues will see the extreme value of mixing up with practitioners during the Interpraevent conference.""
COMITI, Francesco
Associate Professor
Faculty of Science and Technology
Free University of Bozen-Bolzano
MARGRETH, Stefan
Senior Scientist
WSL-Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
"At the start of my professional career as an avalanche researcher, the 1992 Interpraevent Conference in Bern was a good opportunity to build up my professional network. Some contacts have now existed for more than 30 years and have deepened over time. Especially the always very interesting excursions are a good opportunity to meet new colleagues and to have professional discussions."
"I appreciate that Interpraevent connects researchers, engineers, practitioners and the authorities. This interdisiplinary dialogue is valuable in order to effectively manage natural hazards and risks in a changing climate."
HILLER, Priska H.
Senior Engineer
Norwegian Water Resources and Engery Directorate
RICHARD, Didier
Department of Support for Public Policy,
in charge of risks
INRAE - French national research institute for agriculture, food and environment
"From my point of view, organizations such as Interpraevent are fundamental, for the role they play in allowing the meeting and the dialogue between the community of researchers and the community of other actors in the prevention of natural hazards in mountains (practitioners, managers, elected people...). I am happy to contribute to the representation of the French community in this network. It was an honor to be invited to organize the Interpraevent congress in 2012."
"The research results of the individual phases of disaster management (mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery) are presented to a broad public at the international Interpraevent congresses that take place every 4 years and the findings are discussed extensively there. I am always happy when I can take part in a congress and get the latest findings from natural hazard research there."
SCHNEIDER, Josef
Chair of INTERPRAEVENT Scientific Advisory Board
Graz University of Technology
RIMBÖCK, Andreas
Head of Department 6
Bavarian Environment Agency
" Research and practice only complement each other, if there is a broad and serious communication and common understanding between both sides. This is the most important task of INTERPRAEVENT: bringing together researchers, engineers, planners, administration staff and other important stakeholders and exchange knowledge as well as experience. Therefore I'm really looking forward to the Congress in 2024."
"Man-made climate change and its consequences on natural and human systems is the biggest and most urgent global challenge of our times. It is thus key to illuminate important links regarding natural hazards. Interpraevent conference contributes to this aim by connecting researchers and other actors in the prevention of natural hazards in an interdisciplinary, professional and open-minded way."
OLEFS, Marc
Head of climate research department
GeoSphere Austria
Organisation & Committees
The INTERPRAEVENT 2024 is jointly organized by the Austrian Service for Torrent and Avalanche Control, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management and the Environment Agency Austria, which play a key role for sustainable protection of settlement areas and the natural environment in Austria, in cooperation with the research society INTERPRAEVENT.
Programme committee
Responsible for the programme is the Scientific and technical advisory board of INTERPRAEVENT, the members are:
- BEYER PORTNER Niki, Switzerland
- COMITI Francesco, Italy
- FISCHER Jan Thomas, Austria
- HILLER Helene Priska, Norway
- HÜBL Johannes, Austria
- KOBOLTSCHNIG Gernot, Austria
- LAIGLE Dominique, France
- MARGRETH Stefan, Switzerland
- MAYER Karl, Germany
- MIKOŠ Matjaž, Slovenia
- OLEFS Marc, Austria
- RICHARD Didier, France
- RUDOLF-MIKLAU Florian, Austria
- SCHNEIDER Josef, Austria
- SIMONINI Paolo, Italy
- STOFFEL Markus, Switzerland
- UCHIDA Taro, Japan
The board is also responsible for the reviewing process. Details and instructions for the reviewers of INTERPRAEVENT 2024 are available in the following document - as PDF Download:
Organising Committee
The national organising committee is responsible for preparing and running the conference. The members are nominated by the partner organisations. The following people are part of the core team:
- RUDOLF-MIKLAU Florian (Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management), Chair of Conference Organisation
- RIEDER Katharina (Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management), Conference Organiser
- KURZWEIL Agnes (Environment Agency Austria), Conference Co-Organiser
- HIEKE Helena (Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW)), Coference Co-Organiser
- HEIL Kilian (Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management), Liaison Officer
- OFFENZELLER Martina (Environment Agency Austria), Adaptation Expert and Excursion Programme
- SCHAUPPENLEHNER Theresa (Columbus Congress & Events), Professional Conference Organiser
- SCHERZER-ZWINZ Petra (Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management), Chief Executive Department | Central Services Unit 7a | Head of Event Management)
- TEICH Michaela (Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW)), Women’s Programme
- STILC Valentin (Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management), Student’s Programme
- PICHLER Andreas (Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management), Summit
- NEUHOLD Clemens (Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management), Technical Advisor
- LEITNER Markus (Environment Agency Austria), Adaptation Expert and Technical Advisor
- GLADE Thomas (University of Vienna), Technical and Scientific Advisor)
- RESCH Christian (Disaster Competence Network Austria), Technical Advisor
- KOBOLTSCHNIG Gernot (International Research Society INTERPRAEVENT), Business Manager
Find the members of the extended organising committee here:
Previous Conferences
The first international conference INTERPRAEVENT took place in 1967 in Klagenfurt, where the research society was founded. During the first 33 years, the conference took place every four years in Europe. Since 2000, due to the expansion of the research society and increased international cooperation with the Pacific Region, the conference has been held every two years alternating between Europe and the Pacific Region. The conference INTERPRAEVENT 2024 will be the first in Vienna.
Previous conferences took place in:
- Interpraevent 1967, Klagenfurt, Austria
- Interpraevent 1971, Villach, Austria
- Interpraevent 1975, Innsbruck, Austria
- Interpraevent 1980, Bad Ischl, Austria
- Interpraevent 1984, Villach, Austria
- Interpraevent 1988, Graz, Austria
- Interpraevent 1992, Bern, Switzerland
- Interpraevent 1996, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
- Interpraevent 2000, Villach, Austria
- Interpraevent 2002, Matsumoto/Nagano, Japan
- Interpraevent 2004, Riva del Garda, Italy
- Interpraevent 2006, Niigata, Japan
- Interpraevent 2008, Dornbirn, Austria
- Interpraevent 2010, Taipeh, Taiwan
- Interpraevent 2012, Grenoble, France
- Interpraevent 2014, Nara, Japan
- Interpraevent 2016, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Interpraevent 2018, Toyama, Japan
- Interpraevent 2021, virtual (due to COVID19), Norway
- Interpraevent 2023, Taichung, Taiwan
Subcategories
Cross-Cutting Issues Article Count: 6
Teaser for the overarching topics in the sessions at the conference
