Michael H. Glantz CCB (Consortium for Capacity Building) INSTAAR, University of Colorado

1. GEOSS Capacity Building WorkdayGeneva, Switzerland4 May 2015Capacity Building for Earth “Observing” Systems: Enhancing Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the near, short, medium and long term Michael H. Glantz CCB (Consortium for Capacity Building) INSTAAR, University of Colorado

2. We held a “Forum on Lessons Learned About Lessons Learned about DRR in a Changing Climate” Why Lessons? The Lessons Learned about Lessons Learned Forum was organized to discuss why “lessons,” identified after a hydromet disaster often remain unused in future responses to similar hazard events. Does the lessons learned process need to be fixed? …………………………. Why Now? The need for improved awareness and understanding of the “lessons learning process” for DRR in a changing climate is at a critical point, as disasters increase and response funding flatlines. …………………………. The Concern? We are not learning from the past. Scientists are projecting an increase in the intensity, frequency, magnitude and location of extreme hazard events as global climates continue to warm, setting the stage for even greater social and economic losses into the future.

3. Antalya Expert Forum Statement:(a lesson identified is not a lesson learned) • 1. “Lessons Learning" Process: The Need for a “Lessons Identified” Portal • 2. Incentives Needed For DRR Learning for Capacity Building (and Pilot Projects) • 3. Blend and Integrate DRR & CCA (Climate Change Adaptation): Fund “Orange” • 4. Role for the Next Generation (Youth & Young Professionals) • 5. Hydromet Warning Systems • 6. Governments, Banks, and Donors need to Improve Coordination (Turkey 2015)

4. Identify potential consequences, if the lessons identified are not considered • There is a difference between “ignorance” and “ignore-ance”. The former can be reduced with education and training. The latter is a willful disregard for information that does not fit pre-conceived ideas.

5. 1. The Need for a “Lessons Identified, Lessons Learned” Portal • A user-friendly, innovative DRR knowledge portal should be established • to focus specifically on collecting, verifying, cataloguing, archiving, transferring and sharing both positive and negative DRR-related lessons identified during previous DRR-related interventions. • These lessons can then serve as the bases for more efficient and effective future DRR and development interventions

6. Earth Observation Goals(DRR goals as well) • Fosterthe sustained availabilityof satellite and ground observations • Find and enhance ways to apply new EO technology/techniques • Support countries use of EO for the development and public policies relevant to DRR • Educate users by providing visibility to EO DRR solutions • Address the most important needs of the user community • Compile, archive and exchange of the lessons learned processregarding the use of EO and technologies

7. Promoting GEO for DRR:Awareness, Use, Value • The use of GEO-based products for DRR (End to End) • The ‘how’ of GEO • The value of GEO-based products for DRR (E to E to E) • The ‘why’ of GEO Feedback from users to EO Consider the 3 “O’s”: Outreach, Outputs, Outcomes

8. Different Users, Different Uses, Different Incentives:Wholesaling vs. Retailing EO • For individuals • For institutions • For national governments • For donors • For EO providers • Others (such as Youth & Young Professionals) • The public Window Seat: Reading the Landscape from the Air

9. Capacity Building and Capacity Development:Where to focus? Global (aka. earth, planet) For journalism and most other things Supranational regional (trans-boundary) Sub-national (communities) institutions individuals For capacity building, what is GEOSS’s “hierarchy of user needs”?

10. Same Same but Different? The letter and the spirit of DRR declarations: Yokohama Declaration (1994) Hyogo Framework (2005) – HFA1 Sendai Statement (2015) - SFDRR • Is “Out-of-the-box” thinking needed?

11. 1. Making Invisible Boundaries Visible: H2O [Highlands to Oceans Initiative] Drawing by Alejandra Acosta-Reyes, Northridge, Colorado www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/files/norock/research/glacier_animation.gif

12. 2. EWSs are more important than some governments might realize How early is early? How late is still early? Who is warned; governments and/or communities? What is the System: End2End or End2End2End? Question: Should there be a Late Warning System (LWS)?

13. 3. Environmental Hotspots Pyramid: When to intervene? And where? Focus should be here Too costly, too late. Move on. The proverbial 11th hour; little time to act This level captures attention Changes become critical Human induced; not all changes are bad Natural changes; different timescales What one generation leaves for the next generation

14. 4. Ecosystems good & services for human well being • “Some scientists have advocated a stricter definition of ecosystem services as only the components of nature that are directly enjoyed, consumed, or used in order to maintain or enhance human well-being.”http://uknea.unep-wcmc.org/ • Yet, societies need ecosystems more than ecosystems need societies. • It must also be: • Human goods & services for ecosystems well being

15. 5. DMUU vs. DMUF Glass ½ empty Glass ½ full Glass is 2/3 full What we don’t know What we know Decision maker’s view: 2/3 full. Must decide now. Rely on “foreseeability.” Scientific view of glass: 2/3rd full, 1/3 still missing. why not full? Cartoon, After David Coverly. from “Speedbump.com”

16. 6. Pay attention to people on the street copenhagen cop 15 photo:Piotr Wawrzyniuk / Shutterstock.com No place on the planet to hide from change. Global observations are a necessity.