The GEM effort is unique in scope, scale and community involvement; its main features are summarized here:
A comprehensive tool
The global earthquake model will not only cover earthquake hazard and earthquake risk (exposure and vulnerability), but also allow for assessment of impacts of seismic events on society and economy, on different timescales: short term (relief), medium term (reconstruction and recovery) and long term (risk reduction and mitigation).
State-of-the-art
Leading experts in all relevant disciplines are working on development of an innovative model, incorporating the latest developments in science and technology, and develop standards that are applicable and accepted around the world.
Community-based
The model will be consensual, accepted and actually used, because a wide community is involved in designing and developing GEM’s software and tools, and in collecting the main data of this thus public-owned and trusted model.
Open access
Risk information must be broadly available in order to cater for the adoption of risk-mitigation behaviour. GEM will deliver open-source software, transparent tools and global datasets that are accessible to different users around the world.
Global Coverage
The model will feature global and regional coverage, and include where possible currently less covered/monitored areas. Technology-transfer will be an integral part of GEM, to support use of the model around the globe
Serving users
To ensure that the model will serve the needs of all possible users, from the general public to decision makers, risk will be communicated in an effective manner through intuitive interfaces. User needs assessment exercises and case studies are carried out to ensure that GEM can be effectively used to support risk mitigation.
Dynamic
GEM is producing an updatable, modular and flexible model that users can plug their own data into, that is able to communicate risk through various types of outputs (customisable maps, graphs, tables) and allows for sharing of data, output and opinions.
Public/private partnership
GEM combines the strengths and objectives of both the public and the private sectors and ensures hereby that its output will serve a variety of stakeholder groups.
Application beyond GEM
GEM’s software is built in such a way that it is expandable to other perils. Moreover, through modular construction, GEM will collaborate with other initiatives, organisations and individuals on software modules that have an application that goes beyond GEM or even risk assessment alone.
