PERE MALGRAT ON THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PROJECT: WE ARE FINALLY ON THE SAME PAGE

The RESCCUE project has recently celebrated its first anniversary. Pere Malgrat, project coordinator from Aquatec – SUEZ Advanced Solutions shares his thoughts on the initial phase of the project. 

Aira Buskute: Pere, how would you sum up the first year of the project in just one phrase?

Pere Malgrat: Towards a global vision to tackle the urban crisis.

AB: How was the very beginning of the project? Was it easy to align all the project partners toward the one common goal?

PM: The beginning was quite difficult. The RESCCUE goals, scope and methodology are rather complex and it was complicated to ensure that all the people involved was understanding them in the same way. In addition, the fact of having such a large consortium made of different kinds of actors also made it more difficult. However, now, after the first year full of meetings, conversations and explanations, and as we could see during the last Project Committee Meeting in Bristol, I am certain that everyone is on the same page and we finally managed to focus on a common goal.

AB: In your opinion, what are the main objectives achieved during the first year and what are the biggest challenges that the RESCCUE consortium has faced?

PM: The main goal was to establish the bases of each of six technical Work Packages, which refers to the setting-up of the framework and the definition of the scope. Since we have finally achieved it, the next step and the biggest challenge at the same time is to ensure that the results of the RESCCUE project are fully implemented in our research sites: Barcelona, Bristol and Lisbon. In other words, we do not want the project to remain in a drawer. This is why having on board the three municipalities and UN-Habitat will help us implement the RESCCUE approach in the three research sites and then in many others in a near future.

AB: During the first year, the project was presented in various conferences and workshops, why is it important and what benefits does it bring to the project?

PM: Yes, great dissemination efforts were paid during the first year. Different partners presented the RESCCUE project in various events on both national and international levels. As we do not yet have significant results, at this initial stage we are aiming to introduce the RESCCUE concept, to explain our methodology and expected outputs. Communication and dissemination activities help raise expectations, engage potential stakeholders and open the possibility of networking.

AB: What are the key goals for the second year of the project?

PM: To stay as motivated as we are now, to keep advancing at a good pace, to meet the deadlines and at last but not least, to work in a holistic way. At the technical level, during this second year we will complete the development of climate change scenarios (considering also extreme events); the several sectorial models will be set-up and results for the current scenarios will be obtained; the impact models will be updated and the methodology for modelling cascading effects will be prepared; the Hazur assessment in the three cities will be completed and new functionalities will be included to the software; the resilience strategies database will be completed; and the validation process will begin comparing the outputs of the previous results to the previously existent information.

AB: Finally, what is the main strength of the RESCCUE project?

PM: The greatest strength of the project is its unique consortium.  We have partners representing different points of view and disciplines, from universities and research institutes to SMEs, urban utilities and finally city councils and UN-Habitat, the United Nations agency. Each of them enriches the project with their knowledge and background and it makes RESCCUE a comprehensive project responding to real needs and providing practical measures and solutions.

AB: Thank you.