News Insurance for Natural Perils – A Solution for Nepal? By: Jul 12, 2018 Share Facebook LinkedIn The government of Nepal recently conducted its annual RISK2RESILIENCE conference with the theme: International Conference on Experience of Earthquake Risk Management, Preparedness and Reconstruction in Nepal. The event, held from 18-20 June in Kathmandu, was jointly organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and National Society for Earthquake Technology - Nepal (NSET). The conference gathered some 240 people comprised of 40 international professionals from 13 different countries and about 200 individuals composed of government officials, DRR experts, practitioners and academia who participated and shared their ideas and views as speakers, presenters and panelists. The event aimed to critically look back at what has been collectively done on Earthquake Risk Reduction and Preparedness in Nepal in the past decades in light of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake; to critically examine the experience as well as the progress of Earthquake Reconstruction to date; and to help set the Way Forward in the Long Journey of Disaster Risk Management in Nepal. Anselm Smolka, GEM Special Advisor and former Secretary General, participated in the event presenting his insights on how insurance can help Nepal cope with natural perils in the future under the ‘Setting the Future’ keynote session. He also emphasized GEM’s work in promoting earthquake resilience worldwide through high quality open tools and open data. Anselm believes that given the large insurance gap demonstrated by the Gorkha earthquake and Terai Floods, Nepal presents a typical case for non-traditional insurance products. He recommended several options such as microinsurance for rural areas and insurance pool for urban regions. Microinsurance would cover poor or moderately poor people, while insurance pool would cover those residing in the cities and urbanized areas. Anselm added that the end goal of these non-traditional insurance products is disaster relief and recovery. On the last day, Mr. Prem Kumar Rai, Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs remarked that, "This 3-day International Conference has come up with important conclusions and way forward for the country to lessen the adverse impacts of disasters in Nepal based on lessons from the past. I assure you all that the Nepal Government highly acknowledges all these recommendations." (source: NSET) The Risk2Resilience Conference culminated with the approval of the Conference Resolution recommendations endorsed by the participants on how to move forward with Earthquake Risk Management, Preparedness and Reconstruction in Nepal. The resolution can be downloaded here. No images found. GALLERY 1/0 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

News GEM - Safehub collaboration to monitor earthquake risk of buildings By: Mar 18, 2019 Share Facebook LinkedIn John Schneider with Safehub staff (L to R): John Daniello, Alex Mead, Alessio Vallero, Andy Thompson (Safehub CEO) John Schneider, Doug Frazier (Safehub Co-Founder/Chairman) and Clement Barthes. On February 7th in San Francisco, GEM Secretary General John Schneider and Andy Thompson, Safehub CEO and Co-Founder signed an agreement to model the vulnerability of buildings directly from motion sensors installed in buildings. Safehub is developing and implementing low-cost sensors to monitor building vibrations and the response of buildings to earthquake shaking. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate how the inclusion of sensor data at building and portfolio levels can be used to reduce the uncertainty in estimating building vulnerability, and to use this information to improve model predictions of damage from earthquakes. In turn, the information from sensors and improved vulnerability estimates will be useful to building owners and risk managers for risk transfer and planning purposes (e.g., insurance) or post-earthquake response, including evacuation. The project, which will run to the end of 2019, will be led for GEM by Vitor Silva, GEM Risk Team Leader. Andy Thompson, a former member of the GEM Governing Board (representing Arup), and who was a panelist representing future GEM directions at the release of the global maps last December 2018, said “GEM is an ideal partner for Safehub, not just because of the science-based, flexible and open way in which it operates, but also because it has brought together a community of people that think across a broad spectrum of risk.” He added that Safehub’s technology, a physics-based approach to risk analysis is completely compatible with GEM’s OpenQuake Engine. Safehub provides structural health monitoring for all buildings, connecting real-time building-specific data to portfolio risk analysis. For more information on Safehub, visit their website at https://www.safehub.io . No images found. GALLERY Safehub's building shaking sensor Under the hood: building shaking sensor Safehub's building shaking sensor 1/4 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

News From shaking to consequences: GEM to unveil new global earthquake risk products By: Jun 15, 2026 Jun 16, 2026 Share Facebook LinkedIn First fully global hazard coverage, including oceans 16 June 2026. Pavia, Italy. At GEM Conference 2026 in Zagreb next week, the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation will unveil a new generation of global seismic hazard and risk products, marking a major step forward from its first global release in 2018. The 2018 release gave the world one of its first open, globally consistent views of earthquake hazard and risk. The 2026 release goes further. It updates GEM’s core global hazard and risk models while widening the lens of earthquake risk analysis: from ground shaking and building losses to infrastructure disruption, future exposure and the carbon emissions associated with earthquake damage and reconstruction. “Since GEM’s first global release in 2018, both the science and the scope of earthquake risk analysis have advanced,” said Helen Crowley, Secretary General of the GEM Foundation . “The 2026 products are not simply updated maps. They show that earthquake risk is dynamic and multidimensional — affecting the buildings we live in, the roads we rely on, the emissions generated through reconstruction, and the decisions we make today that shape tomorrow’s risk.” The June 2026 release will include updated global seismic hazard and risk products, together with new global analyses of road network exposure to liquefaction, the carbon cost of earthquake damage, and future seismic risk through to 2065. Together, the products address a central question: how is the global picture of earthquake risk changing, and what does this mean for disaster risk reduction, planning and resilience? Fully global hazard coverage, including oceans First global assessment of the carbon cost of earthquakes For advanced coverage , journalists are invited to contact GEM at communication@globalquakemodel.org for approved preview material ahead of the 23 June public release. A broader view of earthquake risk The 2026 release expands global earthquake risk assessment beyond where the ground may shake to show how earthquakes can affect buildings, roads, recovery, emissions and future development. A planetary-scale hazard map - GEM’s 2026 hazard product extends, for the first time, probabilistic seismic hazard coverage across the oceans, providing a more complete global foundation for impact and risk analysis. Earthquakes and infrastructure disruption - The first global analysis of road exposure to liquefaction highlights where earthquake-induced ground failure could disrupt transport corridors, emergency access, logistics and recovery. The carbon cost of earthquakes - GEM’s new embodied-carbon risk model estimates the emissions associated with earthquake damage, repair and reconstruction, adding an environmental dimension to seismic risk assessment. Forward-looking risk scenarios to 2045 and 2065 - exploring how seismic risk may evolve as population, settlements, building stock and construction practices change. A fully global view of seismic hazard A key milestone in the 2026 release is GEM’s new Global Seismic Hazard Map, which extends probabilistic seismic hazard coverage across the oceans. The product builds on GEM’s global hazard mosaic, combining national, regional and GEM-developed models into a consistent global framework for estimating earthquake shaking. “Any credible assessment of earthquake impacts begins with robust earthquake and hazard science,” said Marco Pagani, Head of Seismic Hazard at GEM . “Since 2018, GEM and its partners have continued to improve the global hazard mosaic, integrate new data and models, and move toward a more complete framework that now extends across the oceans.” The 2026 hazard product provides the scientific basis for updated global seismic risk calculations and for new applications that depend on a consistent view of earthquake hazard across land, coastal regions and offshore areas. From building losses to wider consequences Alongside the hazard update, GEM will release updated global seismic risk maps covering exposure, vulnerability, economic losses, fatalities, buildings destroyed, built-up area destroyed, population rendered homeless and embodied-carbon loss. The updated global risk model reflects changes in population, building stock, construction costs, exposure data, vulnerability modelling and the underlying seismic hazard models. It also provides a more detailed understanding of which types of buildings contribute most to different risk metrics, helping users move from identifying where risk is concentrated to understanding why it is concentrated there. The release also introduces a new global analysis of road network exposure to liquefaction. Liquefaction occurs when strong shaking causes saturated soils to lose strength, potentially damaging roads, bridges, buried lifelines and other infrastructure. By identifying where roads are exposed to both high shaking and severe liquefaction hazard, the new product highlights how earthquakes can disrupt transport links, emergency response, logistics and recovery. The carbon cost of earthquakes Another major innovation in the 2026 release is GEM’s Global Seismic Embodied-Carbon Risk Map, which adds an environmental dimension to earthquake impact assessment. Earthquake damage can trigger large-scale repair, demolition, debris management and reconstruction. These processes require materials, transport and construction activities that generate greenhouse gas emissions. GEM’s new global embodied-carbon risk model estimates the carbon footprint of earthquake damage and reconstruction, allowing users to consider seismic risk not only as a human and economic issue, but also as a long-term environmental burden. This work can support more integrated decisions on seismic safety, retrofitting, sustainable construction, post-earthquake recovery and life-cycle carbon assessment. Looking ahead to 2045 and 2065 The 2026 release also points to the next horizon of earthquake risk analysis: how risk may evolve in the decades ahead. Using future socioeconomic pathways, GEM’s forward-looking risk work explores how changes in population, settlements, building stock and construction practices may affect seismic risk through 2045 and 2065. Rather than predicting a single future, the products provide transparent scenarios that can help governments, planners, humanitarian organisations, insurers, researchers and risk analysts explore how today’s choices may influence tomorrow’s earthquake losses. “Uncertainty is inherent in any assessment of future earthquake risk, and also in comparing risk across time,” said Vitor Silva, Head of Risk Engineering at GEM . “What matters is that uncertainty is treated transparently, using the best available science and clearly stated assumptions, so that users can interpret the results responsibly.” GEM emphasises that the products are decision-support tools, not predictions of individual future earthquakes. Built through open and collaborative scientific frameworks using GEM’s OpenQuake Engine, they combine hazard, exposure, vulnerability and related datasets to support more informed decisions on risk reduction, planning and resilience. How to watch the release and access the products GEM Conference 2026 will take place from 23 to 25 June in Zagreb, hosted by the Croatian Centre for Earthquake Engineering at the University of Zagreb. Day 1 will feature the public release of the new products and will be livestreamed. The viewing link will be made available on 23 June 2026 on the conference event page and the GEM homepage. After the release, the products will be available for download from the GEM website’s Products page. Event streaming URL: https://www.globalquakemodel.org/gemevents/gem2026-conference-from-faults-to-future-scenarios Products URL: https://www.globalquakemodel.org/products Media contact: communication@globalquakemodel.org No images found. GALLERY 1/0 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

Publications GEM IT Review 2010 Share Facebook LinkedIn Download 2013 | Report The primary (IT) goal of GEM is to extend the scope, but not necessarily the state-of-the-art, of risk and hazard calculation, as related to earthquakes. In order to achieve this, we expect our IT architecture to be: • Open (Data, Source, Protocols, Standards, etc.) • Pluggable (Modular, Loosely-Coupled) • Dynamic (Fault-tolerant, Distributed, Constantly Updated)

News Uganda becomes first Public Governor appointed through GEM’s merit-based partnership pathway By: Dec 16, 2025 Dec 5, 2025 Share Facebook LinkedIn The National Building Review Board (NBRB) of Uganda has been appointed by the GEM Governing Board as a Public Governor, marking the first time a country has joined the Board through GEM’s merit-based public sector partnership pathway. Uganda is also the second African country to join the Governing Board. The decision was confirmed on 5 December during the governance session of the GEM Governing Board meeting, marking the start of a three-year engagement. NBRB Uganda was selected following a competitive process under GEM’s merit-based Public Sector Partnership Opportunity, launched earlier this year. The partnership opportunity forms part of a broader public sponsorship scheme approved by the GEM Governing Board in December 2024 and publicly announced in March 2025. The scheme introduced a new pathway for public institutions to join GEM’s governance based on strategic alignment and in-kind contributions to earthquake risk reduction, alongside two sponsorship tiers involving financial contributions. The merit-based pathway was designed in particular to engage a wider range of countries, including those in the Global South. “This appointment reflects GEM’s commitment to balanced governance and broader public sector participation,” said Helen Crowley, GEM Secretary General. “We are pleased to welcome Uganda’s National Building Review Board and to begin a collaboration focused on strengthening seismic risk knowledge and its application in national policy and regulation.” Ahead of the formal signing, Flavia G. Bwire, Executive Secretary of NBRB Uganda, presented the rationale for collaboration to the Board. She outlined how the partnership would support evidence-based building regulation in Uganda, including the revision of the country’s seismic design code and the strengthening of national capacity in earthquake hazard, exposure and risk analysis. “This partnership will support the review of Uganda’s seismic design standards and help strengthen the technical basis for building control and regulatory enforcement,” said Flavia. “It also provides an opportunity to build national capacity in seismic hazard and risk modelling, in line with Uganda’s development priorities.” Planned outputs of the collaboration include national hazard maps aligned with global standards, updated exposure and vulnerability datasets, and a modern seismic risk model to inform regulation, planning and disaster preparedness. The partnership also aims to update seismic design parameters used for code enforcement and to improve guidance for local governments, building committees and construction practitioners. Additionally, the collaboration is expected to strengthen coordination across government agencies, improve public and institutional awareness of seismic risk, and support Uganda’s long-term development priorities, including Uganda Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan. ## No images found. GALLERY uganda signing.jpg WhatsApp Image 2025-12-17 at 18.18.13_0a9e8685.jpg WhatsApp Image 2025-12-17 at 18.18.12_c877ef63.jpg uganda signing.jpg 1/5 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

News OpenQuake in the Shaky Isles By: Jul 2, 2018 Share Facebook LinkedIn New Zealand, often referred to colloquially as the “shaky isles” due to its position on the boundary between the Pacific and Australian plates, has been involved in a long-term partnership with GEM through GNS Science representatives on the Governing and Science Boards, leading the development of the GEM Faulted Earth Database and collaborating on regional initiatives. It will now be the first country to run an end-to-end calculation using the OpenQuake-Engine. The researcher’s team led by Nick Horspool and Andrew King converted the existing national hazard model (dated back 2012) in a format compatible with the Engine, while adding new specific NZ Ground Motion Prediction Equations and Fault Scaling Laws to the OpenQuake repository. Initial results of the hazard comparison are promising (Figure 1) and if all goes well the team will soon be keen to share the model on the OpenQuake platform.In addition to at the hazard level, GNS Science has also converted all of its vulnerability and exposure models from the RiskScape project into OpenQuake formats, in order to enable risk calculations using the Engine. This will provide a continuous and uniform pathway from seismic hazard to risk modeling for New Zealand (Figure 2). As part of the risk work, GNS has also shared the consequence data on physical damage and losses to the building stock of Christchurch in the GEM Consequences Database, for use by the whole community. No images found. GALLERY 1/0 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

News Seismic Risk Models in Focus at MASE Symposium By: Oct 6, 2025 Sep 27, 2025 Share Facebook LinkedIn The Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation took part in the 21st International Symposium of the Macedonian Association of Structural Engineers (MASE), held on 24-27 September 2025 in Ohrid, North Macedonia. Helen Crowley, GEM’s Secretary General, delivered a keynote lecture titled “Engineering the Future: How Seismic Risk Models Can Build More Resilient Societies.” With the theme “Structural Engineering – Limitless”, this year’s MASE Symposium explored how emerging technologies are reshaping the design, construction, and maintenance of structures. Sessions addressed advances in data-driven concepts, sensor technology, and sustainability in construction materials, alongside developments in smart buildings, digital twins, and artificial intelligence in the AEC sector. The event brought together experts to discuss how these innovations are opening new avenues for collaboration, problem-solving, and growth. Distinguished invited speakers and exhibitors demonstrated how structural engineering is moving beyond traditional boundaries to embrace more efficient, sustainable, and intelligent practices. GEM’s Contribution In her keynote address, Helen outlined how seismic risk models can support both engineers and policymakers in making informed decisions about the built environment. Drawing on more than 15 years of GEM’s collaborative work, she highlighted the OpenQuake Engine and its applications in advancing scientific knowledge and translating it into tools that benefit society. Looking Ahead The Symposium provided GEM with an opportunity to connect with structural engineers from across the region and beyond, strengthening ties between research, practice, and policy. By sharing its global experience, GEM contributed to discussions on how engineering can meet the challenges of seismic risk while supporting broader goals of sustainability and innovation. For more information on the 21st MASE Symposium, visit the official event page. http://mase.gf.ukim.edu.mk/symposium-MAIN.html No images found. GALLERY 64e9924d-b1fc-4d19-9d48-a567e5a74d43.jpg 31bd8c48-d92d-459d-aa3b-85e7d968136f.jpg b6106c2e-2baa-4c06-9ba0-8240c606d07b.jpg 64e9924d-b1fc-4d19-9d48-a567e5a74d43.jpg 1/6 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

From Fear to Resilience GEM Impact Story Series Fascination with Puzzles and Numbers at an Early Age From a young age, I was captivated by puzzles and numbers. I’d spend hours piecing puzzles together, unknowingly honing focus and patience. Numbers fascinated me too - I saw them as something fun and infinite. Even a simple abacus felt exciting. Looking back, these early passions quietly laid the groundwork for the skills I rely on every day in my professional life. Growth and Change: Brotherhood, Memory and the Shape Of Time Riding bikes with my older brother was our childhood adventure - climbing hills, meeting friends, and watching the sky shift at sunset. Those moments taught me to notice time passing, a feeling of wonder that still lingers. We shared everything, just 1.5548 years apart - a number I proudly calculated as a kid. Our bond gave us a mix of sensitivity and resilience, shaped by growing up in a world before and during the tech boom. Looking back helps me stay connected to what’s always been there, quietly guiding who I’ve become. Epicentre of a Calling: the Day Buildings Fell and Fear Found a Voice I was 13 when the earth showed me its power. On 13 January 2001, a 7.7-magnitude quake struck while I was in a four-storey building with my brother. The shaking felt endless. I learned that buildings can fall, and fear has a sound: screams, cracking walls, and a pounding heart. Aftershocks followed, along with damage to our home. But the worst was the landslide that claimed friends and family. That day left a lasting scar - and unknowingly, it became the starting point of everything that would shape me. Between Beams and Blueprints: Discovering a Duty to Protect My parents - an architect and a civil engineer - taught me that engineering is more than a job; it’s service and hope. Visiting construction sites as a child, I found my calling. I pursued Civil Engineering, drawn to equations and problem-solving. But even then, I felt it had to mean more than exams - it had to protect lives. I began to see that good design isn’t just technical; it’s a tool for resilience and safety. From Fault Lines to Frontlines: Teamwork and the Quiet Power of Leadership In 2010, I joined the Ministry of Environment, where I realised that understanding risk was only the beginning - you had to communicate it, monitor it, and act on it. I started as a seismic and geological monitoring technician, working long shifts with limited equipment but strong determination. I automated processes, built tools, and steadily moved closer to my goal: protecting people through meaningful, data-informed action. While working full-time, I pursued an MBA to better understand how to manage, plan, and lead. It was challenging - juggling night classes and monitoring shifts - but it taught me discipline, teamwork, and leadership. Blanchard’s Situational Leadership model still guides me today. A Door in a Wall: Discovering GEM and Openquake In 2014, I discovered GEM and its OpenQuake tools - it made science feel clear and accessible. I tested El Salvador data and joined a global community through forums. In 2017, while studying in Japan, I used GEM for my thesis on school buildings’ seismic vulnerability. That moment changed everything: I realised science, local context, and human purpose could work together to reduce risk and build resilience. Open Tools, Shared Goals: Strengthening Risk Assessment Across Borders In 2019, I returned to El Salvador and proposed using OpenQuake and local data to update outdated hazard models. I shared my knowledge, and soon these methods were used in World Bank and IDB projects. Though abroad during the CCARA project, I contributed essential strong-motion classifications. Later, I was invited to Costa Rica - proof that a shared regional vision for seismic risk was finally taking shape. The FORCE Project – A Turning Point in Risk and Policy The FORCE project marked a turning point - we built El Salvador’s first open national seismic risk model. For the first time, we included future risk projections, linking urban growth and socioeconomic trends. It was eye-opening: how we build today shapes tomorrow’s risk. This tool helped influence policy, support our new seismic code, and show that risk reduction is not just technical - it’s political, economic, and deeply human. A Beacon in the Chaos: The Interactive Seismic Risk Dashboard A major milestone was creating an interactive seismic risk dashboard to estimate losses and guide emergency response - essential in a country where every minute matters. FORCE also updated our exposure model and fostered collaboration. I built an ArcGIS Survey app using GEM’s taxonomy, enabling institutions to collect data. These practical, replicable tools are what we need for effective earthquake preparedness and response. As the Earth Moves, So Must We I’ve grown, studied, and travelled - but I’m still that boy who learned the earth moves, and we must move with it: wisely and with purpose. Now, as a father, every model, code, or training I work on carries deeper meaning. One day, I hope my daughter sees that science is about people - and that perseverance and kindness can shape a safer, more hopeful world. What We Remember, We Prepare For Finally, I hope this story serves as a reminder that we live on seismic land, and that memory must stay alive. Earthquake preparedness shouldn’t begin only after a disaster; it must be woven into our daily decisions, into our building codes, and into the way we imagine the future. If this story can inspire other professionals, young people, or decision-makers to take action, then it has already fulfilled its purpose. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” Grazie Mille! About the GEM Impact Stories Earthquake risk remains abstract and highly technical, and there are significant risks that due to poor or limited understanding of it, policymakers and the public at large may not be able to fully take advantage of existing and future information that can either help create better or enhance existing earthquake risk reduction and management strategies, especially at the local and national level. Specifically, the GEM Impact Stories project aims to: Collect and document stories where GEM or its partners have contributed to positive change; Encourage policy and decision makers to use science- and evidence- based information to formulate earthquake DRR strategy at the national level through positive stories of change; and Increase awareness of the public at large on earthquake risk and preparedness. A Q&A with Luis Ernesto Mixco Durán Luis Ernesto Mixco Durán obtained his Civil Engineering degree from the Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas (UCA) in El Salvador. He holds a Master’s degree in Natural Disaster Management, with a specialisation in Seismic Engineering, from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo, Japan, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from UCA. His expertise includes geological hazard monitoring, seismological research, seismic hazard and risk modelling, calibration of instrumental intensity maps, generation of structural fragility curves, and characterisation of strong ground motion. He currently serves as a seismologist at the Natural Hazards and Resources Observatory within the Ministry of Environment, where he contributes to advancing seismic risk assessment and updating seismic design provisions. Acknowledgement This story was made possible through the collaboration between the GEM Foundation (Pavia, Italy) and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) of El Salvador. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the MARN team for their invaluable support in preparing this GEM Impact Story, and to Luis for providing all the photos and for trusting GEM with his inspiring story. Related Contents From Fear to Resilience Luis's story in PDF brochure format. Title : From Fear to Resilience Video: Luis Mixco's interview Duration: 06:14 mins.

News Aon Joins the Global Earthquake Model Foundation as Governor Sponsor to Advance Collaborative Risk Analysis By: Dec 6, 2022 Share Facebook LinkedIn LONDON, 8 December 2022 - Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, today announced that it has joined the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation – a non-profit public-private partnership that develops and distributes models and data for a transparent assessment of earthquake risk worldwide - as Governor Sponsor. Comprising public, private, academic and non-government organizations, GEM delivers state-of-the-art earthquake risk reduction solutions through relevant data, tools and information as well as hazard and risk assessments that are designed to improve understanding of earthquake hazard and risk globally. Economic losses from catastrophic events are projected to increase exponentially by 2030 due to the increasing global population, rapid urbanisation and extreme weather events. Earthquakes, which made up only 8 percent of all disasters in the past 20 years, are the deadliest of all sudden disaster events. The peril constitutes one of the top causes of economic disruption and of disaster deaths, due to building collapse. In its new role as Governor Sponsor, Aon and its Impact Forecasting catastrophe model development team will lead the firm’s collaboration with GEM scientific teams in developing advanced tools to analyze the financial impacts of earthquakes for effective reinsurance, underwriting and exposure management strategies. Furthermore, Aon will work with GEM to bring together a range of collaborations to enhance earthquake risk understanding globally, further drive the usage and adoption of earthquake models and expand the domain of potential scientific collaborators to assist and inform model development. The collaboration will assist Aon’s clients and the wider re/insurance industry and stakeholders to make better risk decisions while navigating volatility and building operational resilience. In addition , GEM’s own earthquake modelling platform, the OpenQuake Engine , provides an opportunity for the development of standardized approaches in seismic hazard analyses, and to share the same technology within the rapidly growing society of users from across the re/insurance industry. John Schneider, GEM secretary general, said: “We welcome Aon to the GEM Governing Board as a voting member. GEM and Aon, through its Impact Forecasting team, have been collaborating for several years now on the development of earthquake loss models, and Aon’s new three-year sponsorship of GEM will allow us to work together across a broader range of topics and to share high-quality open risk information for improving risk reduction strategies worldwide.” Adam Podlaha, head of Impact Forecasting at Aon, said: “We are excited to continue our close collaboration in developing new Impact Forecasting earthquake models, as well as enabling users to access GEM-developed models in our ELEMENTS platform. Our recently released Canada Earthquake model shows the collaborative power of our community – combining the sixth-generation seismic hazard model for Canada implemented by Natural Resources Canada natively in GEM’s OpenQuake platform, with Impact Forecasting enhancements for secondary perils, including liquefaction landslides, tsunami and fire.” GEM’s collaborative efforts have been an important contributor to Impact Forecasting’s own earthquake model development, helping the firm to assist clients in their understanding and analysis of the peril and navigate associated volatility. The GEM collaboration has helped the team improve its model development processes, strengthening the local and global credibility of Impact Forecasting models and increasing the domain of potential scientific collaborators for client-based projects. For more information about Aon’s Impact Forecasting models, visit https://www.aon.com/reinsurance/impact-forecasting/default . ----- About Aon Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Our colleagues provide our clients in over 120 countries with advice and solutions that give them the clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their business. Follow Aon on Twitter and LinkedIn . Visit the Aon Newsroom and sign up for News Alerts . ----- About GEM GEM was formed in 2009 as a non-profit foundation in Pavia, Italy, funded through a public-private sponsorship with the vision to create a world that is resilient to earthquakes. GEM is funded by public and private institutions globally, and is advised by many international organizations ( https://www.globalquakemodel.org/partners ). GEM is also recognized by the UN as an NGO, operating under UN guidelines for a humanitarian organization. GEM’s mission is to become one of the world’s most complete sources of risk resources and a globally accepted standard for earthquake risk assessment. Further, GEM aims to ensure that its products are applied broadly in disaster risk management/reduction and its services are available and accessible to public, private and academic institutions worldwide. ----- Media Contact Andrew Wragg +44 07595 217168 andrew.wragg@aon.com Aon UK Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for the provision of regulated products and services in the UK. Aon GEM Governor Sponsor - media advisory final 071222 .pdf Download PDF • 75KB No images found. GALLERY 1/0 Gallery VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

Publications Global historical earthquake archive and catalogue (1000-1903) Share Facebook LinkedIn Download 2013 | Report In one sense, all seismology is the study of historical earthquakes. Earthquakes are short-lived phenomena; over within a couple of minutes at most, well before the seismologist can arrive on the scene. Every earthquake is history, albeit recent history, by the time it can be studied. This inability to observe an earthquake in real time has coloured the development of seismology as a science. In lieu of direct observation, scientists have been obliged to rely on secondary phenomena, or to put it another way, on traces left by the earthquake. These can be grouped into three: permanent marks left on the landscape, written descriptions of the effects of an earthquake, and the recordings made by instruments specifically designed to register the movement of the ground during an earthquake. These three different types of data are the three pillars on which seismological knowledge rests.