Reducing seismic vulnerability of historic areas

Enhancing territorial resilience while reducing risks is of paramount importance for communities, especially for those in historic areas where vulnerability is a significant component of risk, and where cultural heritage serves as a catalyst for collective identity. However, policies and planning tools designed to protect historic areas from natural and anthropic risks remain fragmented. The aim of this paper is to provide evidence- based guidance to help policymakers build tailored roadmaps for reducing the seismic vulnerability of historic areas. This research focuses on the Adriatic–Ionian region, with six countries identified as case studies. The methodology is structured in three phases. First, good practices for addressing seismic vulnerability are identified and codified to improve existing knowledge. Second, a replicability and scalability assessment of the good practices is performed for each case study. Finally, roadmaps are developed as ready-to-use tools to support the implementation of measures to reduce seismic vulnerability. Although the results reveal considerable variability in the readiness levels of the six case studies to act for reducing seismic vulnerability, the overall methodology effectively supports policymakers in moving from good practice selection to tailored roadmaps for enhancing resilience.