Commissioners Kubilius and Lahbib strengthen global disaster risk management through space technologies
On the occasion of the International Day for Disaster Risk Management, the European Commission conveyed the very first cross-regional dialogue ‘From Space to Grassroots: Strengthening Community Resilience to Natural Hazards through Space Technologies’. The dialogue marked the start of a process to further strengthen international cooperation to anticipate, prepare for and respond to disasters using space technologies. Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, and Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space, participated in the discussions, together with representatives of disaster risk management organisations from Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa.
The dialogue identified opportunities for closer cooperation with partners worldwide, from improving early warning systems and sharing satellite data and expertise to strengthening national and local response capacities. The aim is to make better use of space technologies across all levels of action, to protect lives and livelihoods, particularly in vulnerable communities.
Space services support all phases of the disaster management cycle, from preparedness and prevention with forecasts and early warnings to mapping in support of emergency response and recovery assessments after the disasters. Satellite data also feeds into information systems to facilitate the work of competent authorities in Europe and worldwide.
The outcome of the discussions resulted into a Compass on Space and Disaster Risk Management. This document emphasises the need to translate data into actionable information. As disasters expand, so should our capacity to anticipate and mitigate their impact, beyond borders and in partnership with local, national and international bodies.