Advancing resilient infrastructure with the Horizon MIRACA Project.

Ensuring critical infrastructure can withstand multi-hazard, compound, cascading, and consecutive events is essential in an era of increasing climate risks. At the heart of these efforts is Deltares, an independent, not-for-profit knowledge institute renowned for its expertise in water and soil systems. As one of the seven partners in the MIRACA project, Deltares is helping create adaptive, resilient infrastructure systems.

Addressing complex infrastructure challenges.

At MIRACA, Deltares is developing innovative tools and methodologies to improve infrastructure resilience. As different infrastructures are deeply interconnected, failure in one system can trigger cascading effects on others.

For example, increased precipitation and long-term droughts can simultaneously disrupt water supply, electricity grids, and transport networks, highlighting the need for comprehensive adaptation strategies.

One of the key approaches explored by Deltares is a systems-thinking methodology that integrates resilience into investment planning and disaster risk management. Recognizing the importance of both qualitative and quantitative approaches, the project leverages local knowledge and open-source data to fill information gaps and enhance decision-making.

Advancements in resilient infrastructure tools.

Last November, Wildfires and Climate Resilience expert Margreet van Marle represented Deltares at the Europe and Central Asia Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Budva, Montenegro. She highlighted Deltares’ ongoing efforts to enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure networks.

One of the organisation’s key innovations in this field is the RA2CE network modelling toolset, an open-source Python package designed to assess infrastructure vulnerabilities, prioritize interventions, and guide adaptation strategies.

This tool helps answer critical questions before, during, and after disasters occur:

• Before: Which areas are most likely to be affected? Who needs to be warned and evacuated? What are the safest evacuation routes?
• During and after: How can Early Warning Systems protect vulnerable communities? How can emergency responders access affected populations efficiently?

By addressing these key concerns, the RA2CE toolset supports decision-makers in developing forward-thinking strategies that enhance the resilience of infrastructure networks.

Strengthening resilience through the Horizon MIRACA Project.

Deltares is further advancing its work on resilience through the Horizon MIRACA Project, which focuses on multi-hazard, compound, cascading, and consecutive events. The project examines how multiple critical infrastructures, including energy, transport, and telecommunication networks, can adapt to these challenges and how strategic adaptation options can provide widespread benefits.

Through these efforts, Deltares continues to pioneer innovative approaches to making infrastructure more resilient against climate-related risks.

For more information about their work on infrastructure resilience, visit Deltares’ website.