Integrating ethical and legal frameworks in multi-hazard disaster risk management

Contemporary disaster risk management (DRM) is increasingly challenged by the growing frequency and severity of natural hazards, exacerbated by climate change and complex societal interactions. Traditional approaches fall short in addressing interdependencies among multiple hazards and their cascading impacts. The European MEDiate project aims to develop an integrated Decision Support System (DSS) that effectively captures multi-hazard dynamics, emphasizing ethical compliance, fundamental human rights, and participatory engagement. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the legal frameworks and fundamental rights considerations underpinning the development of the MEDiate DSS. Additionally, it explores diverse case studies across European regions to illustrate practical applications, current trends, ongoing challenges, and identifies opportunities for future research and innovation. Utilizing advanced methodologies, the DSS synthesizes real-time data with socio-economic indicators to deliver actionable insights for risk mitigation and adaptive response. Validated through extensive Participatory Action Research (PAR) across diverse European testbeds, MEDiate provides a flexible and resilient framework tailored to local and regional DRM contexts.