"We want to be perceived as a centre of excellence"

Since July 2021, environmental scientist Peter Bebi has been the head of the CERC, the new SLF research centre for climate change, extreme events, and natural hazards in alpine regions. This centre brings together expertise, improves the interface between research and practice, and meets the needs of the mountain cantons.

Bebi describes the main areas being worked on by six research groups at the SLF: "The research unit 'Alpine Environment and Natural Hazards', which was created in the summer and is headed by Nadine Salzmann, focuses on four topics: permafrost, remote sensing, alpine mass movements, and mountain ecosystems. In the case of mountain ecosystems, we are investigating, for instance, how the protective function of forests changes under the influence of various disturbances such as windfall or forest fires. By 'alpine mass movements' we mean particularly rockfall, avalanches, soil slips, and debris flows. What is new is that together with ETH Zurich we will be establishing a new professorship for this topic in Davos."

Wide range of topics

Remote sensing is an interdisciplinary cross-sectional topic. We use drones, infrared measurements, and sensors to, for example, collect data for the early detection and monitoring of natural hazard processes. In connection with permafrost, we are particularly interested in the consequences of climate warming. The thawing of permafrost can cause the ground to become less stable, which can result in subsidence, landslides, scree or soil creep, debris flows, or rockfalls. As regards the other topics covered by the centre, two further research groups are working on the focus areas 'Weather and climate extremes in the Alpine region' and 'Risk and resilience'. A joint professorship with ETH Zurich for weather and climate extremes is also envisioned.