INTRODUCTION isprsarchives XL 7 W3 845 2015

WCDRR AND THE CEOS ACTIVITIES ON DISASTERS Ivan Petiteville a , Chu Ishida b , Jens Danzeglocke c , Andrew Eddy d , Francesco Gaetani e , Stuart Frye f , Bob Kuligowski g , Simona Zoffoli h , Michael Poland i , Brenda Jones j a European Space Agency ESA, ESRIN, Via G.Galilei, CP 64, 00044 Frascati, Italy – Ivan.Petitevilleesa.int b Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA, Tsukuba Space Center 2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8505 Japan - ishida.chujaxa.jp c German Aerospace Center DLR, Space Administration, Earth Observation, Bonn, Germany – jens.danzeglockedlr.de d Athena Global, La Frouste, 04150 Simiane-la-Rotonde, France - andrew.eddyathenaglobal.com e Group on Earth Observations GEO Secretariat, 7 bis, avenue de la Paix, Case postale 2300, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland- fgaetanigeosec.org f National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA, Code 474, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt Maryland 20771, United States - stuart.fryenasa.gov g National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA, NCWCP ERA2, 5830 University Research Court, 2nd Floor, Office 2828, College Park, MD 20740 USA – Bob.Kuligowskinoaa.gov h Agenzia Spaziale Italiana ASI, Osservazione della Terra, Via del Politecnico - 00133 - Rome – Italy - simona.zoffoliasi.it i U.S. Geological Survey USGS, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, 51 Crater Rim Drive Hawaii National Park, HI 96718, United States - mpolandusgs.gov j U.S. Geological Survey USGS, USGS EROS Center, 47914 252nd St, Sioux Falls, SD 57198, United States - bkjonesusgs.gov THEME: Disasters KEY WORDS: satellite, international cooperation, disaster risk reduction ABSTRACT: Agencies from CEOS Committee on Earth Observation Satellites have traditionally focused their efforts on the response phase. Rapid urbanization and increased severity of weather events has led to growing economic and human losses from disasters, requiring international organisations to act now in all disaster risk management DRM phases, especially through improved disaster risk reduction policies and programmes. As part of this effort, CEOS agencies have initiated a series of actions aimed at fostering the use of Earth observation EO data to support disaster risk reduction and at raising the awareness of policy and decision-makers and major stakeholders of the benefits of using satellite EO in all phases of DRM. CEOS is developing a long-term vision for sustainable application of satellite EO to all phases of DRM. CEOS is collaborating with regional representatives of the DRM user community, on a multi-hazard project involving three thematic pilots floods, seismic hazards and volcanoes and a Recovery Observatory that supports resilient recovery from one major disaster. These pilot activities are meant as trail blazers that demonstrate the potential offered by satellite EO for comprehensive DRM. In the framework of the 2015 3 rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction WCDRR, the CEOS space agencies intend to partner with major stakeholders, including UN organizations, the Group on Earth Observations GEO, international relief agencies, leading development banks, and leading regional DRM organisations, to define and implement a 15-year plan of actions 2015- 2030 that responds to high-level Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction priorities. This plan of action will take into account lessons learned from the CEOS pilot activities.

1. INTRODUCTION

Over the last decade, efforts from the major space agencies in the world have mostly focused on the response phase of disasters management leading for instance to the establishment of successful operational services such as the International Charter „Space and Major Disasters‟. Rapid urbanization and increased severity of weather events has led to growing economic and human losses from disasters, every year. International organisations have addressed this issue through improved disaster risk reduction DRR policies and programs. Following the same trend, space agencies are now addressing the challenges presented by the diversity and scale of satellite observations being applied to global disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness while maintaining their current efforts on emergency-related activities. Large-scale use of satellite Earth observation EO for DRM is hindered by a lack of user awareness of possible applications and the complexity of acquiring data from a wide range of providers. Satellite EO plays a complementary role to other data sources, but offers unique scope and coverage. As in-situ information can be difficult to obtain or is simply unavailable, remote sensing data may be the only reliable data source in some areas, and can be downscaled to local needs if the sensor‟s resolution allows it. As an objective and global data source, remote sensing from space offers a first layer of information for global monitoring of This contribution has been peer-reviewed. doi:10.5194isprsarchives-XL-7-W3-845-2015 845 the evolution of risk, to support implementation of post-2015 framework progress. It can provide both regularly updated hazard information and exposure data. Risk managers also require DRM tools specifically adapted to user needs that integrate data and generate risk information products. Through the CEOS, space agencies are seeking to provide coordinated satellite observations in support of risk assessment and in particular to disaster risk reduction. CEOS is developing a long-term vision for sustainable application of satellite EO to all phases of DRM that would require the active participation of practitioners capable of transforming satellite data into risk information products that can be directly used by national and local decision makers. It anticipates multi-hazard contributions that are global in scope, but defined through cooperative action at the regional level.

2. CURRENT INVOLVEMENT OF SPACE AGENCIES IN DISASTERS AND NEW PERSPECTIVES AFTER