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The Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) signed an agreement that will pave the way for both parties to work collaboratively to enhance global earthquake loss modeling efforts and to incorporate these new developments into the USGS PAGER System – a system that provides fatality and economic loss impact estimates following significant earthquakes worldwide.

The USGS will be designated as an Associate Partner of GEM to allow USGS scientists to directly participate in the GEM Governing Board meetings. The agreement also stipulates for both parties to undertake new scientific collaboration, hazard and loss model calibration, and to promote new developments, and to seek new national or international joint collaboration activities/projects to be funded internally or through external partners, e.g., USAID/OFDA, World Bank, UNDRR.

“We have been a strong supporter of GEM since GEM’s early days, and I have worked very closely with the Risk Team on various projects. With our partnership formalized, I have no doubt that this will usher in a new era of collaboration on global seismic hazard and risk assessment efforts for both organizations. ” - Kishor Jaiswal, Research Civil Engineer, USGS.

“This partnership is important not only for GEM but also for our public and private stakeholders worldwide. The expertise and experience that USGS brings will complement GEM’s programs in global earthquake hazard and risk assessment.” – John Schneider, GEM Secretary General.