According to a UN report1, between 1998 and 2017, the U.S. alone lost USD$944.8 billion from disasters. Between 1978 and 2017, losses from extreme weather events rose by 251 percent. It is critical to develop disaster management strategies to reduce and mitigate disaster risks. A major factor in regional risk assessment is the evaluating the vulnerability of lives and property to disasters. Environmental information about disasters, their spatial impact, and their temporal evolution can plan an important role as well.

This webinar series will focus on Earth observation (EO) data useful for disaster risk assessment. The series will cover disasters including tropical cyclones, flooding, wildfires, and heat stress. The training will also include access of socioeconomic and disaster damage data. Sessions 3 & 4 will cover case studies and operational applications of EO for disaster risk assessment.

Relevant UN Sustainable Development Goal: Target 13.1: Strength resilience & adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and disasters in all countries.

1Economic Losses, Poverty, and Disasters 1998-2017