Addressing the disaster risk reduction needs of end users in emerging countries using Earth Observation (EO) data and innovative risk products as a part of the "Modelling Exposure through Earth Observation Routines (METEOR)" project.
Abstract
Through data fusion, EO data, and in situ or remote observation one can yield estimates of building exposure suitable for modelling potential, impending, or actual losses from natural disasters. Project METEOR is a UK Space Agency funded project that will deliver EO-based national level building exposure databases for 45 Official Development Assistance (ODA) countries. Additional pilots in Nepal and Tanzania will provide more detailed building exposure data and in-country end user training workshops to strengthen the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) capacity. End users involved in DRM and DRR activities were divided into four broad categories. These are government agencies and policy makers, Non Governmental Organizations (NGO), academic and research organizations, and insurance companies (including reinsurance). As part of the METEOR sustainability plan, potential end users were interviewed to identify and discuss their needs for exposure products produced by the METEOR project. The interview process spanned over 8 months and included responses from over 30 people from 20 organisations.
This presentation focuses on the use of EO-based exposure data, by providing a summary of a needs assessment of these four stakeholder groups who are driving the demand of risk management products. Users indicated that one of the priority areas of the risk market is working to reduce the impact of disasters on the most vulnerable population who require financial cover, but often have limited household income to afford high costs of natural catastrophe insurance. Through quantifying exposure, users hope to offer new low-cost risk products to such vulnerable populations. Reinsurance companies indicated that parametric insurance, which offers payouts that are tied to pre-determined environmental conditions or events that are easily measured or assessed, may encourage uptake of catastrophe risk covers. Government agencies and policy makers are interested in new exposure data products to establish benefits of new policies such as building code changes and justification for investments. NGOs and academic institutions indicated raising awareness and capacity of organizations for using exposure data in decision-making will significantly advance their DRR and DRM goals.- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMIN43B..05G
- Keywords:
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- 1630 Impacts of global change;
- GLOBAL CHANGE;
- 1926 Geospatial;
- INFORMATICS;
- 4326 Exposure;
- NATURAL HAZARDS;
- 4328 Risk;
- NATURAL HAZARDS