Situated in South France in the Provence-Alps-Côte-d’Azur and Languedoc-Roussillon regions, the cluster specializes in risk management -- natural, urban and industrial -- and also in Waste Recycling and Integrated Systems and country vulnerability.
The cluster members have set several major objectives, including:
- Encourage the employment creation with major national and international projects uniting regional stakeholders
- Install an information system consistent with the current European dynamic in the risk domain, notably with the GMES program (Global Monitoring For Environment and Security)
- Place innovative companies at the core of the process for decisionmaking and action
- Give preference to economic development through innovation
Advantages
The cluster has many strengths to develop and support emerging solutions appropriate for the following risk management phases:
- Study and definition of the hazard
- Prevention
- Alert
- Crisis Management
- Post-crisis management and rehabilitation
A leading cluster at a European level:
Companies and Jobs
- Over 80 companies
- 7,500 jobs and the creation of 1,000 per year in the coming years
- Global leaders, including Thales Alenia Space (Satellites)
Research
- 1,200 researchers spread over 57 research units
- Institut Fédératif de Recherche, Europôle de l’Arbois, bringing together over 15 laboratories
Education
79 training courses in environment, risks and sustainable development, 50% at Bac +5 (high school diploma plus 5 years)
Members
Over 150 members
Companies: over 80, of which three-quarters are small-and-medium-sized enterprises
French companies: Thalès Alenia Space, France Telecom, Globaware International, Société du canal de Provence, G2C Environnement, Eaux de Marseille, Véolia Propreté, Geocean etc.
International companies: Rio Tinto-Alcan (Canada), Arcelor-Mittal (Dutch-registered company) EDS Answare, subsidiary of Hewlett-Packard (USA) etc.
Research and Educational Institutions
Almost 30 centers, including the Bureau de Recherche Géologiques et Minières (BRGM), Ecole des Mines d’Alès (EMA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Ecole d’Application de Sécurité Civile (ECASC) etc.
26 are also cluster partners, including Institut National de l’Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Météo France, Sapeurs Pompiers des Bouches-du-Rhône, Regional Councils of Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur and Languedoc-Roussillon etc.
Current R&D Partnerships (refer to appendix)
35 projects have been certified and financed between 2005 and May 2008
Public support example:
- Over 12 million euros paid by the National Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Recherche or ANR) between 2005 and 2007
- Almost 2 million euros awarded by the Single Interministerial Fund (Fonds Unique Interministériel or FUI) during this same period
International Partnerships
Current:
- Centre Euro-méditerranéen pour les Risques managed with Italy
- Partnership with the AMRA Center (risks cluster), region of Campania, Italy
- Partnership agreement with the Wali (governor/prefect) of Rabat, Morocco
Future:
- Twinning with Hudco (Indian bank)
- Twinning with the Civil Protection of Sao Paolo, Brazil
- Associations and Partnerships in Tunisia
- Participation in international SME awareness programs via the Fondation Sophia-Antipolis, notably with China, Russia, India and Brazil
Appendix: Examples of Certified R&D Projects
|
Project Name and Subject |
Led by |
|
MEISOH Quantify the rupture risks of flood protection dikes due to internal erosion (growth of a pre-existing hole – via holes in the ground, roots, or water penetration) |
Institut de recherche pour l'ingénierie de l'agriculture et de l'environnement (CEMAGREF) |
|
SEDIC Tools for local authorities for real-time simulation and prediction of risks that could damage natural resources (air, soil, water, organic and inorganic materials, biodiversity) |
Meed SA |
|
REAL CRISIS Definition, implementation and validation of the early alert communication system network to warn authorities and communities in the event of major seismic risk threatening the coasts, such as tsunamis |
Thalès Alenia Space |
|
CEMER Launch of a regional platform to pool resources and facilitate the development of risk management initiatives around innovative tools in the fields of Earth observation, modelling and cartography |
Thalès Alenia Space |
|
CEMAPS Recycling of household waste incineration slag into components to produce prefabricated concrete elements |
Véolia Propreté |
|
ASTUCE&TIC Secure development planning of urbanized countryside and its environment through information and communication technologies |
G2C Environnement |
Contact
Invest in France Agency Paris
Laurent BERGEOT
Director, Territories Development
Send an e-mail
+33 1 40 74 74 11