Earth Observation and information system had advanced considerably in the last decades. They proved to be of great value for first responders and risk managers in disaster areas. GEO with the support of UNISDR and other governmental and non-governmental organizations, are trying to advertise the usage of satellite imagery and the knowledge gathered from it in order to better manage the risks of natural disasters and other hazards.
In the specific case of geologic hazards, GEO is supporting risk modeling through the implementation of the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) initiative, and is helping the scientific community better understand the causes and dynamics of geological threats through the Geohazard Supersites and Natural Laboratories (GSNL) initiative.
The Workshop hopes to bring together representatives from all sectors working on Earth Observation for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM). The main goal is to stimulate discussion and communication between sectors, providers and users, in the hope of working out better ways to implement the gathered information in the disaster management on local, regional, national and international level. Key points will be the access to this information and the technological gap between countries.
