Remote Sensing at the service of Natural Disasters Warning: the Contribution of the Supersites Concept

Professor Stuart Marsh

Co-ChairGEO Institutions & Development Implementation Boardand GEO Geohazard Community of Practice

Honorary Professor, Remote SensingGeography, Nottingham University

Senior Principal EO ScientistBritish Geological Survey

Integrated Global Observing Strategy Geohazard Theme

From implementation chapter:

“…flagship projects on... …emerging observations linked to poorly understood processes are one such area, where significant progress can be expected.”

Published by ESA in 2004

Frascati Declaration8th November 2007

We, as experts in the field of Geohazards, participating to the 3rd International Geohazards Workshop, recognizing: •the scientific and operational need of both in-situ and space geospatial data for forecasting and monitoring of Geohazards •the need to address this issue within the framework of the GEO and its Geohazards community of practice

Recommend•to promote multi-risk approaches for disaster risk management, starting with user requirements gathering, that put emphasis on the mitigation of Geohazards •to stimulate an international and intergovernmental effort to monitor and study selected reference sites by establishing open access to relevant datasets according to GEO principles to foster collaboration between all partners and end-users

© GEO Secretariat© GEO Secretariat slide 4

Global, coordinated, comprehensive & sustained systems, making observations that address 9 Societal Benefit Areas

Geohazards SubTasks

Community of Practice

Paris 2010: A Roadmap for the Geohazards Community of Practice of the

Group on Earth ObservationsStarting Point:GEOSS STRATEGIC TARGET OF THE DISASTER SBA:Enable the global coordination of observing and information systems to support all phases of the risk management cycle associated with hazards (mitigation and preparedness, early warning, response, and recovery).

Strategic Target of the GHCP:By 2020 put in place all building blocks for comprehensive monitoring of geohazards and the provision of timely information on spatio-temporal characteristics, risks, and occurrence of geohazards, in support of all phases of the risk management cycle (mitigation and preparedness, early warning, response, and recovery), and as a basis for increased resilience and disaster reduction. This will be achieved by:• developing a global network of very few carefully selected core sites•addressing all the relevant phases of the risk management cycle

Potential Supersites: Landslides (Slovenia)

Potential Supersites: Subsidence (Europe)

Potential Supersites: Floods, Fires, Spills…

Potential Supersites: Mines/Pollution (RSA)

© GEO Secretariat© GEO Secretariat slide 10

Global, coordinated, comprehensive & sustained systems, making observations that address 9 Societal Benefit Areas