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United Nations International Conference on
Space-based Technologies for Disaster Risk Management

“Best Practices for Risk Reduction
and Rapid Response Mapping”

Organised by the

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

and the

Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People's Republic of China

One year after the successful opening of the UN-SPIDER office in Beijing in November 2010, the first “United Nations International Conference on Space-based Technologies for Disaster Risk Management” will be hosted at the new location. The conference aims at bringing together up to 120 participants including disaster managers, policy makers, and providers of space technology solutions, tools and applications from Government, NGOs, Academia and the corporate sector. The focus of the conference will be to share and discuss “Best Practices for Risk Reduction and Rapid Response Mapping”.

The three major topics will be

• Global datasets and information for risk reduction
• Rapid response mapping: opportunities and challenges
• Networks: building upon and strengthening existing capacities

Introduction

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), through its UN-SPIDER Programme (United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response) is organising the above mentioned conference to promote the access and use of space-based technologies and solutions for disaster management and emergency response within relevant communities.

In its resolution 61/110 of 14 December 2006 the United Nations General Assembly agreed to establish the “United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response – UN-SPIDER”, as a programme of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, to provide universal access to all countries and all relevant international and regional organizations to all types of space-based information and services relevant to disaster management.

As part of the UN-SPIDER outreach activities, workshops, expert meeting and conferences are being organized in 2011 to raise awareness within the user community of the benefits of using space-based information and solutions, to assess its needs and to contribute to specific activities of the programme. They provide an opportunity to bring together decision-makers and experts from both the space technology and disaster management communities, international scientific organizations, educational institutions, as well as internationally active private companies, with the intention of sharing their best practices and to bring their knowledge, products and technologies for risk and disaster management, humanitarian aid and emergency response.

More information on the outcome of previous workshops organized by UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER and the respective presentations made during the workshops are available at http://www.un-spider.org.

Conference Topics

1. Global datasets and information for risk reduction

Topic 1.1: Global and regional datasets
This session will focus on existing datasets which can be accessed and used for disaster-risk management and emergency response efforts (Landsat imagery via the EROS Data Center, SRTM/ASTER, MODIS, LANDSCAN, etc.).

Topic 1.2: Global and regional portals and platforms providing space-based and geospatial information
The session will bring together information on web-portals of UN-SPIDER, PDC, SOPAC, FAO, WFP, PreventionWeb, ReliefWeb and many more to promote information sharing and awareness raising.

Topic 1.3: Applications and case studies (national and global level)
Case studies related to hazard mapping and risk assessment will be the topic in this session, as well as national level disaster management systems and best practices from the region.

2. Rapid response mapping: opportunities and challenges

Topic 2.1: Rapid response mapping
Types of hazards in each country are specific to each one. Least Developed Countries, landlocked countries and small island developing states may have unique requirements based on the hazards they are exposed to. The session shall bring together the experience of disaster managers and technologists and promote an understanding of the requirements of decision makers from various countries. Rapid mapping calls for standard practices to cater the exact needs of the disaster managers. This session will address the following:

• Information exchange between rapid mapping experts and end users (disaster managers)
• Enhancing the utility of rapid mapping products: prompt access to image data and rules/best practices to improve relevance of rapid mapping products
• Standardization of rapid mapping products
• Taking advantage of crowd sourced mapping support

Topic 2.2: Existing rapid mapping mechanisms
Rapid mapping mechanisms have been set up by space agencies and other institutions around the world. Among them: the International Charter Space and Major Disasters, Sentinel Asia, SERVIR, and SAFER. This session will present such mechanisms, in particular those which support Asia and the Pacific.

Topic 2.3: Case studies
Rapid mapping products of disasters in recent years and lessons learned, in particular the Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011, floods in Pakistan and Myanmar in 2010 and many other disasters in Asia and the Pacific region etc.

3. Networks: building upon and strengthening existing capacities

Topic 3.1: The SPIDER Thematic Partnership for Asia: supporting National Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction
This session will introduce the SPIDER Thematic Partnership for Asia as a network or partnership to support National Platforms for Risk Reduction which have been set up by countries as a way to reach the goals proposed in the Hyogo Framework for Action. The partnership targets earth observation satellites, satellite telecommunication and global navigation satellite systems.

Topic 3.2: Efforts at the regional level
This session will showcase examples of existing networks which are promoting the use of space-based information to support disaster risk reduction and emergency response efforts. Presentations from UN-SPIDER partners and the network of Regional Support Offices (ADRC, ADPC, ASEM, ESCAP, APSCO, UNDP-BCPR, UNESCO-IOC, and the Pacific Disaster Network, among others) are expected.

Topic 3.3: Networking to enhance national capacities
This session will showcase examples of existing regional efforts conducted by Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education affiliated to the United Nations, Centres of Excellence and Universities on the use of space-based information for disaster risk reduction and emergency response (presentations by CSSTEAP, IRSA, CNSA, AIT, ITC, ISPRS, Z_GIS, etc).

Proposed Agenda

Please find an overview of conference outline within this doc: http://www.un-spider.org/sites/default/files/UN-SPIDER Beijing Conference - Final Proposed.pdf

Target Audience

Disaster Managers, Policy Makers, Providers of space technology solutions/tools/applications from Government, NGO, Academia and Corporate Sector.

Number of expected participants: limited to 120 participants.

Outcomes

Expected outcomes of this conference are :

• An updated map of institutions and efforts focusing on the use of space-based applications for DRR and ER
• Strengthening use of space-based information for disaster risk reduction by building SPIDER Thematic Partnership to reach the goals of the Hyogo Framework for Action
• Enhancing the utility of rapid mapping products and services to serve precise needs during the emergency response
• Appraisal of the recent technology trends and programmes contributing to the space technology use in disaster risk management

How to apply

The online application form is now open. Please click here or on the buttons at the top and bottom of this page to apply!

In case you plan to make a presentation during the conference, please have your presentation topic and a short abstract ready. Please note that there is an attachment at the very end of the form ("Signature and Seal"). Filling in and uploading the signed attachment is mandatory. It includes information on funding support and insurance coverage and has to be signed by you and the Head of your nominating agency/organization/company. Please make sure you have attached it before submitting your application!

We look forward to receiving your application!

 DEADLINE FOR APPLYING - 30th SEP 2011

Please apply as soon as possible as selection of participants has already begun.

Contact

For specific contributions to the proposed themes/sessions, for proposing a topic for technical presentation and for proposing to provide sponsorship, please contact Mr. Shirish Ravan, e-mail: shirish.ravan [at] unoosa.org and/or Ms. Li Suju, e-mail: suju.li [at] unoosa.org.

Postal Address of the UN-SPIDER Beijing Office:
Zhongmin Plaza
7, Baiguang Road, Xicheng District
Beijing 100053
CHINA

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