UN-SPIDER, UNESCAP and the Indonesian Space Agency (LAPAN) jointly organized the 4th ASEAN workshop entitled “Simulation exercise on the procedural guidelines for sharing space-based information during emergency response”. The workshop, conducted from 19 to 21 April 2016 in Bogor, Indonesia, was supported by the AHA Centre and UNOSAT. It targeted 33 participants from 10 countries, including NDMOs, space agencies, technical agencies, regional organizations and UN organizations.
This workshop was built on the outcomes of the 1st and 2nd ASEAN workshops on the “Development of mechanisms for acquisition and utilization of space-based information during emergency response”, which were conducted in April 2014 and June 2015 respectively, and the 3rd ASEAN workshop entitled “Workshop to finalize the procedural guidelines for requesting space-based information during emergency response in ASEAN”, which was conducted in December 2015.
During the workshop the participants shared their experiences in the use of Earth Observation (EO) data in disaster response, they conducted several simulation exercises to better understand existing practices, procedures and needs when utilizing space-based information during emergency response operations; they were briefed on the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters and on potential innovative technologies that can automate the request process for EO support in case of disasters.
The participants took note of the procedures to become an authorized user of the International Charter in order to benefit from the products that this mechanism provides; increased their understanding of the current practices and of the necessity of procedural guidelines as a common set of procedures to strive towards and build on.
