REDUCING DISASTER RISK THROUGH
EFFECTIVE USE OF EARTH
OBSERVATIONS
Helen M. Wood
Chair, U.S. Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction
Helen.Wood@NOAA .gov
August 24, 2005
U.S. SUBCOMMITTEE ON
DISASTER REDUCTION
Reports to the Committee on Environment and Natural
Resources, An element of the President’s National
Science and Technology Council
Promotes coordination across U.S. Government
Supports international cooperation
Supports development of US National Plan for IEOS
Supports US participation in GEOSS
Includes 23 member agencies
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Framing the Grand Challenges
for Disaster Reduction
Objective: To enhance disaster resilience by composing a ten-
year agenda for science and technology activities that will
produce a dramatic reduction in the loss of life and property from
natural and technological disasters.
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Grand Challenges
1. Provide hazard and disaster information where and when it is
needed.
2. Understand the natural processes that produce hazards.
3. Develop hazard mitigation strategies and technologies.
4. Recognize and reduce vulnerability of interdependent critical
infrastructure.
5. Assess disaster resilience using standard methods.
6. Promote risk-wise behavior.
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The Grand Challenge #1:
Grand Challenge for Earth Observations
Provide hazard and disaster information where and when it is
needed.
To identify and anticipate the hazards that threaten communities, a mechanism for
real-time data collection and interpretation must be readily available to and usable by
scientists, emergency managers, first responders, citizens, and policy makers.
Developing and improving observation tools is essential to provide pertinent,
comprehensive, and timely information for planning and response.
Sub-Challenges:
Improve data collection to increase understanding of the ways in which hazards evolve.
Create standards for sharing, storing and analyzing data.
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The Grand Challenge #2:
Grand Challenge for Earth Observations
Understand the natural processes that produce hazards..
To improve forecasting and predictions, scientists and engineers must continue to
pursue basic research on the natural processes that produce hazards and understand
how and when natural processes become hazardous. New data must be collected and
incorporated into advanced and validated models that support an improved
understanding of underlying natural system processes and enhance assessment of the
impacts.
Sub-Challenge:
Improve models and visualization techniques.
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LINKING EARTH OBSERVATIONS TO
SOCIETAL BENEFITS
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Observations to Information: Disaster
Reduction
Key areas in disaster management cycle:
Mitigation and research
Preparedness and prediction
Assessment of hazards and damage
Response and recovery
Earth observations critical to work of disaster community:
Previous experience provides opportunity for integrated
global system
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Observations to Information: Disaster
Reduction
Statement of Need:
Disasters killed 500,000 people and caused $750 billion
in damage from 1990-1999 (UN International Strategy
for Disaster Reduction, “Living at Risk”)
The December 26, 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean
killed 150,000 people and cost over $2 billion in
international donations (preliminary statistic)
Loss of life and property, effect on key natural resources
Increased risk due to population growth and complexity
of our infrastructure
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Observations to Information: Disaster
Reduction
Challenges:
Integration of diverse data streams
Improved predictive modeling
Dissemination of timely and accurate information to
decision makers and the public
Improved understanding of the underlying natural and
human systems
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Some GEOSS Implications
• GEOSS: Global Earth
Observation System of
Systems
• International agreement on
backbone of critical
measurements
• Requirement for continuity of
critical observations
(including weather, climate,
disasters, etc.)
• Improved systems
coordination
• Smoother transition from
research to operations
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Scenarios—Earthquake
Trigger: Seismic event.
Background: Location and depth of the event; magnitude (e.g.,
Richter and Modified Mercalli Intensity); date and time of the
event; responsible relief agencies;
proximity of population centers and
structures; vulnerability assessment
(e.g., whether buildings are
earthquake resistant); and
availability of base maps for
logistics and communication.
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Scenarios—Earthquake
Current Situation: Location, nature, and extent of damage,
casualties, and secondary hazards (e.g., fires, floods, gas leaks,
chemical spills); assessment of utilities, including those of
potential use and those
posing high risk (e.g., above-
ground and underground
telephony and power lines,
nuclear power plants, dams,
and reservoirs); changes to
transportation routes (e.g.,
roads, bridges, rail lines).
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Scenarios—Earthquake
Satellite Data Requirement: ERS-1/2; ENVISAT; RADARSAT;
InSAR; PSInSAR; CRInSAR.
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Scenarios—Earthquake
Combined InSAR and SCIGN/GPS demonstrates the power of
geodetic imaging.
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The Way Forward
• Collaboration among key international organizations.
• Address in-situ and remotely sensed observations as part
of an integrated Earth observation system.
• Expand and refine a standard set of observation
requirements for specific hazards.
• Actively involve all sectors (public, private, and academia)
throughout the process.
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The Earth Observation Summit
The U.S. National Plan for
coordinated Earth
observations
Grand Challenges for Disaster Reduction.
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MORE INFORMATION
http://earthobservations.org
http://www.sdr.gov
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