New European Congress For Alpine Natural Hazards Opens In Innsbruck
The opening of the Inter-Alpine Natural Hazards Conference (INAC) on Monday at Congress Innsbruck marked the start of the first European specialist congress dedicated to the growing challenges of alpine natural hazards such as avalanches, mudflows, floods and rockfall. Under the motto ‘Industry Meets Science’, the congress brings together international players from science, research, industry, infrastructure and the public sector. The congress is organised by the Austrian Federal Research Centre for Forests (BFW), the Torrent and Avalanche Control Tyrol (WLV) and the Congress Messe Innsbruck (CMI).
Three days of intensive dialogue kick off today at Congress Innsbruck with innovative approaches and a joint look at the future of risk management and the prevention of natural hazards in the Alps. It is an honour for the organisers that the conference was personally opened by the Governor of Tyrol, Anton Mattle, which also underlines the importance of the topic of natural hazards in the Alpine region.
Inter-Alpine Natural Hazards Conference INAC: Networking theory and practice
"With the INAC, we are creating a new platform that promotes the structured exchange of knowledge and experience between practice, infrastructure, science and research. This is because the management of alpine natural hazards requires close cooperation across specialist and sector boundaries,” explains Jan-Thomas Fischer, Head of the Institute for Natural Hazards at the Federal Research Centre for Forests (BFW). Gebhard Walter, Head of the Forest Engineering Service for Torrent and Avalanche Control Tyrol (WLV), emphasises: “The INAC offers the opportunity to transfer scientific findings into application in a targeted manner. We are looking forward to intensive discussions, new impulses and a strong network.” Christian Mayerhofer, Managing Director of Congress Messe Innsbruck (CMI), emphasises the opportunities for networking science, infrastructure and research by linking INAC with INTERALPIN, the world's leading trade fair for alpine technologies: “The connection with INTERALPIN enables a unique bridge to be built between scientific discourse and technical innovation. The INAC thus takes on a role as a driving force and hub in the international network of Alpine technologies and protection concepts for Alpine natural hazards.“
New approaches for the protection of alpine habitats
The three-day INAC 2025 programme is divided into five thematic sessions, which will deal with gravitational and hydrological processes, sustainable protection measures, complex cascading event chains and innovative industry approaches, among other things. One of the highlights will be the Industry Sessions: During guided tours at the INTERALPIN trade fair, congress participants will be able to learn about technological innovations directly from relevant exhibitors and enter into dialogue with experts from the industry. On Wednesday, 7 May, the congress will conclude with a focus on alpine natural hazards as part of the INTERALPIN INSPIRATION DAYS conference series, spanning the gap between science and industrial application with specialist presentations and panel discussions.
Interdisciplinary dialogue as the key to risk prevention
As extreme weather events such as heavy rain, storms and forest fires become more frequent, protective measures for alpine regions are becoming increasingly important. The INAC therefore sees itself not only as a platform for knowledge transfer, but also as a place for application-related exchange and practice-orientated solution finding. For three days, the focus will be on interdisciplinary contacts and discussions - with the aim of strengthening the resilience of Alpine habitats in a future-oriented and joint manner.
Further information on the congress and congress programme can be found at www.inac-conference.com
