Hazard Thematic Portal: News
Improving Data on Earthquake Exposure Subject of Team Meeting at CIESIN
Date: June 3, 2011
A team meeting of the Global Exposure Database for the Global Earthquake Model (GED4GEM) project at CIESIN offices in Palisades, New York, May 31.
The extensive death and damage caused by major earthquakes in China, Haiti, Pakistan, Chile, New Zealand, Japan, and other countries in recent years suggest a pressing need for better data concerning not only the likelihood of future large seismic events, but also the exposure of people and structures to potential earthquakes. As a component of the international Global Earthquake Model (GEM) initiative, a team led by the University of Pavia in Italy met May 31–June 3 at CIESIN’s offices in Palisades, New York to continue its efforts to develop a global exposure database incorporating data both on population distribution and on building types and fragility. A key focus of the meeting was the development and implementation of a flexible and scalable data model that can support interactions with other GEM components characterizing earthquake hazards and vulnerability. CIESIN director Robert Chen, associate directors Mark Becker and Sri Vinay, and staff members Greg Yetman and Branko Djapic participated in the team meeting, along with several experts from around the world.
Map Viewer Tutorial Now Available on YouTube Web Site
Date: January 8, 2010TerraViva! SEDAC Viewer is a map viewer and standalone software application that uses a powerful data-viewing engine and tools to enable the visualization and integration of hundreds of socioeconomic and environmental variables and layers, including a range of satellite-based data. A three-part tutorial that explains how to use TerraViva! is now available through the YouTube Web site. The tutorial was produced by senior research associate Alex de Sherbinin and senior media designer Al Pinto, under the auspices of the NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) operated by CIESIN.
ISDR Secretariat Releases Disaster Risk Reduction: 2007 Global Review Consultation Edition
Date: June 19, 2007The ISDR (UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction) released Disaster Risk Reduction: 2007 Global Review consultation draft at the Global Platform, First Session, in Geneva, Switzerland. The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Web site provides links to both the consultation draft (comments welcomed until June 30, 2007) and to session and information documents from the First Session meeting.
Disasters in 2006: A Brief Review by CRED
Date: March 8, 2007The March 2007 newsletter from CRED (Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters) provides a brief review of the natural disasters occurring in 2006, with graphs of disaster type, occurrence by continent, and more. Available in PDF format.
International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
Date: October 11, 2006This Web site provides access to UN materials on disaster reduction.
International Disaster Reduction Conference (IDRC) Adopts Declaration
Date: September 7, 2006The 2006 International Disaster Reduction Conference in Davos, Switzerland, hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) saw the adoption of a Declaration.
World Bank Publishes Natural Disaster Hotspots: Case Studies, Edited by CIESIN and CHRR
Date: June 26, 2006
The second Natural Disaster Hotspots publication presents a collection of case studies: “Drought Disaster in Asia,” “Global Landslides Risk Case Study,” “Storm Surges in Coastal Areas,” “Natural Disaster Risks in Sri Lanka: Mapping Hazards and Risk Hotspots,” “Multihazard Risks in Caracas, Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela,” and “Reducing the Impacts of Floods through Early Warning and Preparedness: A Pilot Study for Kenya.”
Natural Disaster Hotspots: A Global Risk Analysis Receives World Bank IEG Good Practice Award
Date: April 21, 2006
Natural Disaster Hotspots: A Global Risk Analysis has received the Initiative with Demonstrated Impact/Results Award from the World Bank Independent Evaluation Group (IEG). IEG deemed the study “an innovative and influential study study marked by a noteworthy partnership highlighting collaborative work among multiple stakeholders including Columbia University, an international consortium (ProVention), and the World Bank.”
World Bank IEG Conference and Release of Hazards of Nature, Risks to Development
Date: April 21, 2006
Hazards of Nature, Risks to Development is the first-ever assessment of World Bank assistance for natural disasters, and one of the most comprehensive reviews of disaster preparedness and response ever conducted. The World Bank offers the report freely as a PDF.
World Bank Publishes Natural Disaster Hotspots: A Global Risk Analysis
Date: March 29, 2005The World Bank publication Natural Disaster Hotspots: A Global Risk Analysis is now available.
