Action Team on Disaster Management

Brief mission statement:

Studying and recommending the implementation of an integrated operational global system, especially through international cooperation, to manage natural disaster mitigation, relief and prevention efforts through Earth observation, communications and other space-related services, making maximum use of existing capabilities and filling gaps in worldwide coverage.

Findings:

(a) Disasters such as floods, earthquakes, fires, oil spills, droughts and volcanic eruptions indiscriminately affect all parts of the globe; thus, coordinated international efforts are required to minimize their impact. Disaster relief requires timely and up-to-date geo-social databases or thematic maps and situational analyses through the full cycle of disaster management, namely prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery;
(b) Space technology such as for Earth observation (including meteorological satellites), communications, as well as navigation and positioning, can provide the necessary information for disaster management and the means to transmit that information to decision makers in a timely manner. Considerable investment has been made and is planned globally to build up space assets in the above areas as well as their associated ground infrastructure;
(c) However, the applicability and utilization of such assets in support of disaster management continue to lag significantly behind development efforts and remain a major challenge in almost all parts of the world. There are some notable international efforts such as the Charter on Cooperation to Achieve the Coordinated Use of Space Facilities in the Event of Natural or Technological Disasters (also known as the International Charter “Space and Major Disasters”, the Disaster Monitoring Constellation, the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security initiative, the Integrated Global Observing Strategy and the recent Group on Earth Observations process, which aim to address the development needs and use of space assets more suited to disaster management; all these ongoing initiatives need to continue and be strengthened;
(d) A considerable gap, however, exists and is likely to remain in all areas of space technology application (technical, operational, educational/training, organizational and financial) to disaster management on a global basis unless a more integrated, coordinated approach is taken. This is because of the diversity and enormity of the challenge and the lack of sustained, focused and coordinated efforts to meet the needs of the disaster management community;
(e) In virtually all countries, the responsibility for managing disasters is distributed and authorities responsible for civil protection lack understanding of the benefits that space technologies bring to them. They lack the capacities, for example tools, infrastructure and expertise, necessary for knowing or evaluating what space-derived information is required, generating the required information from space assets and transmitting, absorbing or utilizing the information in a timely manner.

Recommendations for further action:

(a) Recommendation 1. Establish an international space coordination body, nominally identified as the “disaster management international space coordination organization”, (i) to provide affordable, comprehensive and universally beneficial space-based service delivery in support of disaster management by fully utilizing the existing and planned space- and ground-based assets and infrastructures, with the full participation of existing organizations and mechanisms, including disaster management authorities; and (ii) to achieve the development, implementation and operation of an integrated global disaster management space support system that will address all phases of disaster management, including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery, and will include all stakeholders, such as space operators, value-added providers and national capabilities.
The Action Team recommends a pragmatic approach, building on the experience of existing operational initiatives such as the International Charter “Space and Major Disasters” in the response phase and expanding the role of the proposed organization to the full cycle of disaster management.
The proposed organization would support (i) the efforts of the Integrated Global Observing Strategy, the Earth Observation Summit, the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security initiative and others in developing space infrastructure more suited to the needs of the disaster management community and filling information and observational gaps; and (ii) education and training efforts of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and others to ensure progressive enhancement of disaster management;
(b) Recommendation 2. Establish a fund to provide sustainable resources that can be used to apply space technology in support of disaster management and to build the capacity of civil protection authorities to use space technology. The primary contributors to the fund should be development and relief agencies and those who would be the main beneficiaries of disaster reduction, such as insurance companies, lending institutions and end-users;
(c) Recommendation 3. Strongly encourage Member States to allocate a portion of their disaster management resources and funds to using space technology and to identify single points of contact to focus their internal disaster management efforts and provide liaison with external efforts.

Implementation already initiated:

The Action Team developed proposals for action plans to implement each recommendation as indicated below:
For recommendation 1:
(a) Secure critical support for the start-up of the proposed organization;
(b) Set up a small coordination office composed of seconded personnel from member States;
(c) Define key functions of the proposed organization (administration, policy coordination, product standardization, capacity-building for developing countries, provision of education and training for end-users and stakeholders and analysis and promotion of space benefits);
(d) Establish a web site for centralized access to Earth observation data archives;
(e) Establish a sample product catalogue;
(f) Establish a case history of benefits;
(g) Within six months, develop an implementation plan to define:
(i) Management and organizational structure;
(ii) Functionality requirements;
(iii) Resource requirements;
(h) Secure approval of the implementation plan;
(i) Achieve the goal to have a fully functioning organization within three to five years.
For recommendation 2:
(a) Secure critical support to study the concept behind the fund;
(b) Set up a working group to establish needs, develop options, propose preferred solutions and recommend an implementation plan;
(c) Achieve the goal to set up preliminary funds one year after approval and full funds in three years.
For recommendation 3:
(a) Raise awareness of issues and needs;
(b) Promote benefits, namely education efforts, pilot projects for developing countries and proof of concept for space-based response.

Indication of impediments to implementation:

In order to realize this important initiative and the recommendations of the Action Team, there should first be a commitment and willingness on the part of the space agencies that have sponsored the work of the Action Team to coordinate and utilize their various space assets for the said purpose. Secondly, they should contribute, along with other stakeholders, to start the implementation process towards the proposed disaster management structure.

Benefits to be derived from implementation:

(a) Easier access to space-derived information in all phases of disasters for all countries;
(b) Establishment of an international entity dealing with space and natural and technological disasters in a coherent, coordinated fashion;
(c) In the long term, significant reduction of the price paid by each country as a result of natural disasters, having adopted enhanced policies in the disaster prevention phase for urban planning and land use, established a more accurate and credible information base for risk prediction and early warning and built a more comprehensive capability to utilize space services fully in the emergency response phase.

Progress made by the Action Team:

The Action Team completed its final report.