scholarly journals Earth Observation Actionable Information Supporting Disaster Risk Reduction Efforts in a Sustainable Development Framework

Author(s):  
Alberto Lorenzo-Alonso ◽  
Marino Palacios ◽  
Ángel Utanda

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is a high priority on the agenda of main stakeholders involved in sustainable development and Earth Observation (EO) can provide useful, timely and economical information in this context. This short communication outlines the European Space Agency’s (ESA) specific initiative to promote the use and uptake of satellite data in the global development community: ‘Earth Observation for Sustainable Development (EO4SD)’. One activity area under EO4SD is devoted to Disaster Risk Reduction: EO4SD DRR. Within this project, a team of European companies and institutions are tasked to develop EO services for supporting the implementation of DRR in International Financial Institutions’ (IFI) projects. Integration of satellite-borne data and ancillary data to generate insight and actionable information is thereby considered a key factor for improved decision making. To understand and fully account for the essential user requirements (IFI & Client States), engagement with technical leaders is crucial. Fit-for-purpose use of data and comprehensive capacity building eventually ensure scalability and long-term transferability. Future perspectives of EO4SD and DRR regarding mainstreaming are also highlighted.

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Lorenzo-Alonso ◽  
Ángel Utanda ◽  
María Aulló-Maestro ◽  
Marino Palacios

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is a high priority on the agenda of main stakeholders involved in sustainable development, and earth observation (EO) can provide useful, timely, and economical information in this context. This short communication outlines the European Space Agency’s (ESA) specific initiative to promote the use and uptake of satellite data in the global development community: Earth Observation for Sustainable Development (EO4SD). One activity area under EO4SD is devoted to disaster risk reduction (EO4SD DRR). Within this project, a team of European companies and institutions are tasked to develop EO services for supporting the implementation of DRR in International Financial Institutions’ (IFI) projects. Integration of satellite-borne data and ancillary data to generate insight and actionable information is thereby considered a key factor for improved decision-making. To understand and fully account for the essential user requirements (IFI and client states), engagement with technical leaders is crucial. Fit-for-purpose use of data and comprehensive capacity building eventually ensure scalability and long-term transferability. Future perspectives of EO4SD and DRR regarding mainstreaming are also highlighted.


2021 ◽  
pp. 209660832110173
Author(s):  
Fang Chen ◽  
Zeeshan Shirazi ◽  
Lei Wang

As climate warming intensifies, the frequency and intensity of disasters are also increasing, posing challenges to global sustainable development. The concept of disaster risk reduction (DRR) provides strong impetus for reducing disaster risk and vulnerabilities by employing the scientific and technological developments of recent decades. However, there is a need to enhance the capacities of different communities to use emerging digital infrastructure, not only in promoting DRR but also in ensuring sustainable future development. Limited access to and availability of data are restricting comprehensive understanding of these challenges. In many countries, the key areas for capacity development include collecting information from alternative and emerging data sources and meaningfully integrating it with data from traditional sources. Software and data analysis are becoming widely accessible due to open-source initiatives, while cloud computing technologies and programmes such as CASEarth provide valuable resources for multisource data integration, contributing to information-driven policy and decision-support systems for DRR.


Author(s):  
Srinath Perera ◽  
Onaopepo Adeniyi ◽  
Solomon Olusola Babatunde ◽  
Kanchana Ginige

Purpose Disaster risk reduction is prominent in the international policy agenda, and the year 2015 brought together three international policy frameworks that contribute to disaster risk reduction (i.e. the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Climate Change Agreement – COP21). However, there is a dearth of effort at identifying and aligning the specific educational needs of built environment professionals with the three policy frameworks. This is needed to facilitate the incorporation of the contents of the policy frameworks into built environment professionals’ training. Therefore, this study aims to map the educational needs of built environment professionals with the core areas of the three international policy frameworks. Design/methodology/approach This study utilized CADRE (Collaborative Action towards Disaster Resilience Education) research project outcomes alongside the earlier mentioned three international policy frameworks. A comprehensive desk review was done to map the educational needs identified in the CADRE project with the core priority areas of the three policy frameworks. Findings The study revealed the educational needs that are significant towards an effective implementation of the core priority areas of the three international policy frameworks. Practical implications This study would be beneficial to the built environment professionals involved in disaster risk reduction. They will be aware of the specific knowledge areas that would aid the successful implementation of the aforementioned three international policy frameworks. Originality/value The outcomes of the study would be beneficial to higher education providers in disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. It has identified the knowledge and competency gaps needed to be bridged in the curricula to meet the demands created by the international policy frameworks.


Author(s):  
Valentina Vlado Lisauskaite

The subject of this research is the international relations on accomplishment of sustainable development goals, taking into account the risks of disasters and remedy against them. The object of this research is several documents: United Nations General Assembly Resolutions “Our Changing World: Agenda on Sustainable Development until 2030”, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015, Paris Agreement on Climate Change 2015. Detailed analysis is conducted on the provisions of the indicated documents in the context of their interrelation for effective implementation. Special attention is dedicated the impact of disaster risk upon sustainable development goals, namely their accomplishment. The following conclusions were formulated: sustainable development goals represents basic trends for development of each country and global community as  a whole; they are directly related to less significant problems that trying to be resolved by joint efforts of the global community (protection from disasters and climate change). These three block represent the equilateral sides of a triangle of international relations, realized for the purpose of harmonious development of modern civilization. The author’s special contribution lies in correlation of the particular provisions of aforementioned documents, and in schematic interpretation of such correlation. The novelty lies in the fact that the science of international law usually reviews these documents separately from each other, just mentioning their interrelation. The author reflect the approach that is being currently implemented by specific practitioners on elaboration of indicators of interrelation between sustainable development goals and disaster risk reduction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akanksha Pandey

Land-use planning, disasters and development are clearly related. Risk-sensitive development practices and responsible land use planning can contribute to resilience building. At the same time, poorly planned development can intensify social, economic, physical and environmental vulnerabilities of the population and can trigger devastating extreme events. Therefore, the process of disaster risk reduction has to be weaved into the developmental framework and India has given its commitment at national and international forums to ensure the same. However, since there is no specific policy on integrating DRR into development planning in India, this paper discusses the extent to which such integration is seen through one of the major projects- the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) in the planning and approval process, especially in the contexts of environmental vulnerabilities. The study suggests that there are serious gaps between the policy proclamations that seek to ensure sustainable development through DRR integration into development projects and its implementation. Thus, much more work is needed to enforce the idea of mainstreaming DRR in to foster risk aware or risk sensitive development. Data for this qualitative study was obtained from both primary as well as secondary sources.


2021 ◽  
pp. 45-64
Author(s):  
Dug Cubie ◽  
Tommaso Natoli

AbstractInternational law can play an important role in promoting national, regional and international actions to tackle the human impacts of climate change and disasters. Of note, 2015 saw the adoption of three interconnected normative frameworks: the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the Paris Agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One may therefore be tempted to view this body of international norms, rules and standards as a comprehensive and unified system. Yet the increasing complexity and specialisation of different international legal regimes has led to concerns regarding a confusing fragmentation of international law. This chapter will therefore examine the relationship between the three topics of sustainable development, climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) from a legal perspective. The chapter will commence with a discussion of the legal status of different international instruments, before providing a textual analysis of the language used by states, the UN, NGOs and other actors in the relevant documents. We then propose an ‘hourglass’ model of the legal relationships between these three different international frameworks based on: systemic coherence at the international level; vertical alignment between the international, regional and national levels; and horizontal integration of international norms at the domestic level. To support this proposal, examples will be provided from the Pacific Island Countries (PICs), drawing on research undertaken through the IRC-MSCA CAROLINE project ‘Leave No One Behind: Developing Climate-Smart/Disaster Risk Management Laws that Protect People in Vulnerable Situations for a Comprehensive Implementation of the UN Agenda 2030.’


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