Natural risk and cohesion policy

The paper considers cohesion as a political and territorial basis for natural risk management and for their reduction. Starting from analysis of the literature review and the results obtained from the measurement of territorial cohesion in the Italy at NUTS 3 level (2008, 2012), the search observes if and how the territorial’s vulnerability is related to the cohesion (about territorial/economic/social/environmental aspects) applying the same action policies. For this purpose is achieved an efficient system of indicators collected and organized according a scientific methodology (Sustainable Territorial environmental / economic Management Approach, Prezioso 2003) able to assess the cohesion ex ante and ex post of the policies action. The analysis highlights both the natural hazards to which the territories examined are more exposed, and the actions they have undertaken to be in line with the EU programming 2014-2020. Comparing the results of ex ante territorial cohesion with the effects produced by political choices (ex post territorial cohesion), the results is that increasing of the cohesion can reduce the negative effect of natural risk.