ESCAP efforts on using EO satellite imagery for Disaster Risk Reduction

1. ESCAP efforts on using EO satellite imagery for Disaster Risk Reduction WANG Keran Chief, Space Applications section, Information and Communications technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division (IDD), UNESCAP Presentation to the 26th CEOS Plenary at Bengaluru, India 24-27 October, 2012

2. ESCAP is the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region, the largest United Nations body serving the Asia-Pacific region . • 62 Governments - from Turkey in the west to Kiribati in the east, and from the Russian Federation in the north to New Zealand in the south. • ESCAP’s regional strategy on space applications for disaster risk reduction • - focus on regional/sub-regional cooperative mechanisms • - better support disaster risk reduction as part of overall sustainable • development strategy The 26th CEOS Plenary – Bengaluru, India - 24-27 October, 2012

3. Space applications for disaster risk reduction and management is addressed by ESCAP in both sectoral and multi-sectoral approaches, through its flagship programme---The Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development for Asia the Pacific (RESAP) . • RESAP aims to promote the use of space applications for inclusive, resilient and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. • Strengthen regional cooperation and networking of the space agencies in the region. • - Disaster Risk Management • - Natural Resources Management with focus on food security, drought mitigation • -Disaster Risk Reduction • -Connectivity The 26th CEOS Plenary – Bengaluru, India - 24-27 October, 2012

4. Under RESAP, a Regional Cooperative Mechanism for Disaster Monitoring and Early Warning, Particularly Drought (the Mechanism) was establishment in 2010 . • The Mechanism consists of • - a platform designed to provide satellite information products and services for • disaster monitoring and early warning • - an information portal for accessing drought disaster management-related • information, technical resources and services • - capacity-building through various technical and non-technical advisory services, • training sessions and workshops. • The Mechanism is working to enhance the joint research on data standardization, starting from drought data. It will combine together with space-based data, ground observation data and historical data to achieve more effective drought monitoring and early warning . The 26th CEOS Plenary – Bengaluru, India - 24-27 October, 2012

5. ESCAP worked through three related strategies: coordinating and aligning United Nations’ resources; capitalizing on cooperation frameworks; collaborating and building partnerships for the access of data and long-term capacity development. • ESCAP created template providing near real-time satellite imagery for combating flood. During the peak of the Thailand floods in 2011, ESCAP arranged the collaboration of international partners to provide near real-time satellite data to improve the quality of flood monitoring in Thailand. • During the flood brought by Typhoon ‘Haikui’ in the Philippines in August 2012, ESCAP secretariat called the RESAP members, China, India, Republic of Korea and Thailand as well as UNITAR, to provide archived and near real-time satellite imagery to the disaster response agencies of the Philippines to support the disaster relief and recovery. The 26th CEOS Plenary – Bengaluru, India - 24-27 October, 2012

6. Connect the dots to fill the gaps ESCAP interventions broadened near real time satellite data access by connecting GISTDA to the global constellation of earth observation satellites Budget for access to emergency data from commercial satellites , institutional capacity for analysis & products Thailand is already a part of Sentinel Asia – it’s strengthened further Access to emergency data from more than 30 satellites of 12 major global space agencies Also enabled data through Beijing 1 (China) satellite data

7. ISRO- RISAT-1 Near real time satellite imagery supporting the Philippines in combating flood in August 2012 GISTDA-Thaichote China-Beijing-1 KARI-KOMPSAT The 26th CEOS Plenary – Bengaluru, India - 24-27 October, 2012

8. ESCAP also organized a Workshop on Developing Capacity for Resilience to Water-related Disasters in Pakistan through Space Applications and Flood Risk Management, 1-4 March 2011 in Islamabad, Pakistan in response to the flood catastrophe in Pakistan. • A national training workshop focused on enabling access and the use of satellite imageries for enhancing the countries’ capacity on disaster emergency response, risk reduction and development were held in Palau, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu and Fiji, in August and September 2011. • The ESCAP secretariat continues to support training courses related to the space based information and applications hosted by RESAP training network partners. • UN Development Account (UNDA) Project of strengthening capacity of the countries with special needs in implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action through the use of standardized statistical and geographical information tools with special consideration to the countries with special needs. The 26th CEOS Plenary – Bengaluru, India - 24-27 October, 2012

9. DRR Partnership Strategy • Economic and Social Issues of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) • DRR as entry point to Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) • Investment Tracking on DRR promoting investment • Risk Transfer and Resilient Sectoral Development • Emerging Issues related to CCA and DRR • Asia Pacific Disaster Report • Capacity building for Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA) – Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) • DaLA/PDNA for low impact & high frequency disasters –focused on highrisk LLDC, LDCs and SIDs ECLAC Joint programming for space applications Capacity development, Technical Assistance Mission UNOOSA/SPIDER Typhoon Committee, Panel on Tropical Cyclone

10. ESCAP – Key Deliverables Evidence based Analytical Study • Risk, Vulnerability, Exposure, Governance • Innovative technologies -ICTs, Space • Information/knowledge Sharing • Repository of best practices from region • - Focus on mainstreaming disaster risk reduction • - Policies, Standard Operating Procedures etc.. • Capacity development and governance • AVA Module 9 & 10 disaster risk management and • Climate change abatement • Regional Space Applications • Education and training networks

11. Upcoming events • The secretariat is working on an update of a compendium of information on space application capabilities and needs for disaster risk reduction and sustainable development of the countries. The delegates from RESAP member countries will deliberate it during the 16th ICC meeting to be held during 17-18 December 2012, Bangkok, Thailand. • The secretariat is working on setting up a regional space-based information bank and express channel for supporting member countries in disasters to effectively and efficiently access to the EO satellite products and solutions. The 26th CEOS Plenary – Bengaluru, India - 24-27 October, 2012

12. Upcoming events • Resolution 68/5 on “Asia-Pacific Years of Action for Applications of Space Technology and the Geographic Information System for Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Development, 2012-2017” was adopted during the 68th Session of ESCAP Commission, held in Bangkok from 17 to 23 May 2012. • The implementation of the Resolution 68/5 will enhance regional cooperation on the applications of space technology and the geographic information system (GIS) for improving disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management as well as environment and development for inclusive and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. • An Intergovernmental Meeting on implementation of Asia-Pacific Years of Action for Applications of Space Technology and the Geographic Information System for Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Development, 2012-2017 18-20 December 2012, United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand The 26th CEOS Plenary – Bengaluru, India - 24-27 October, 2012

13. ESCAP: Support developing countries upon request to achieve sustainable development, including through, inter alia, green economy policies in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, in particular in least developed countries. • Para 187: We further recognize the importance of comprehensive hazard and riskassessments, and knowledge- and information sharing, including reliablegeospatial information. • Para 274: We recognize the importance of space-technology-based data, in situmonitoring and reliable geospatial information for sustainable developmentpolicymaking, programming and project operations. • Para 277: We emphasize the need for enhanced capacity-building for sustainabledevelopment and, in this regard, we call for the strengthening of technicaland scientific cooperation, including North-South, South-South andtriangular cooperation. Follow Up to Rio+20 The 26th CEOS Plenary – Bengaluru, India - 24-27 October, 2012

14. Application of Space Technology for Sustainable Development in ESCAP will focus on further strengthening regional cooperation and partnership development under RESAP, through policy research and advocacy, capacity building of developing countries, particularly LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS for their timely access to space-based information including geo-referenced information for disaster risk reduction and management, and other aspects of sustainable development. • ESCAP would like to enhance the cooperation with CEOS and its members: • - Broaden information networks - bilateral / multilateral efforts integrated to • global constellation of earth observation satellites for near real time • monitoring of disasters; • - Enrich the information base for post-disaster damage and loss assessment as • well as recovery and reconstruction efforts; • - Institutionalize the process for access to the critical information during the • major disasters in the future. The 26th CEOS Plenary – Bengaluru, India - 24-27 October, 2012