Preventive repositioning of the settled city

The frequency of meteorological impacts causing damage nowadays far exceeds the idea of exceptionality. The need for post-event recoveries is increasing in number per year and in costs. In many places, it will soon become too expensive in terms of economic, social and psychological resources to operate the recovery. Climate change calls for the need to seriously consider the option of retreating from areas with a risk that is not manageable. Nevertheless, no European country has a procedure to assess, evaluate and plan the retreat option for climate change adaptation. This chapter uses the Italian Northeast region as a test site to elaborate an easily replicable evaluation experience for assessing expected impacts and evaluating the relocation opportunity.