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  • ARMENIA POST DRR | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects ARMENIA POST DRR Improving Post-Disaster Damage Data Collection to Inform Decision Making Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background This project, responding to a request from the World Bank for improved post-disaster damage collection, focuses on the collection of data on physical damage to assets such as buildings (residential, commercial, industrial, public), infrastructure, and crops. The aim is to evaluate the current state-of-the-art in post-disaster damage collection – in protocols, tools and systems – in order to identify a suitable protocol and toolset that could be adopted by the Government of Armenia that would be generalisable and available, allowing adoption by other national government agencies or interested parties. The GEM Foundation leads the consortium working on this project, with the GEM Risk Team undertaking the following main tasks: Review of existing protocols, tools and systems Design of a conceptual protocol and toolset Application to the context of Armenia Recommendations Duration: 2018 Objectives Collection of damage data following major disaster events is a fundamental exercise for a multitude of purposes, such as emergency management, resource allocation, fund mobilization and reconstruction planning. The processes involved, and scales of damage assessments vary by country, peril and context. Numerous sector-specific data collection activities provide an estimation of damage, loss and post-disaster needs in order to provide relief and facilitate the commencement of reconstruction and recovery efforts. The project includes identifying and reviewing tools for collecting data in the field as well as damage data aggregation and reporting tools. Of particular interest is the use case in Armenia, demonstrating the needs of a Ministry of Finance requiring national-level reporting of damage on a sub-national level in a transparent system that allows the user to store, retrieve and interrogate damage data down to the asset-level. Collaborators GEM Foundation, JBA Consulting, CIMA Foundation and Geocom Ltd Funding partner: World Bank Group Location Armenia Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • WESTERN BALKANS CCDR | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects WESTERN BALKANS CCDR Input to World Banks' Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) for Western Balkans Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background As part of the World Bank Groups' Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs), the GEM Foundation and JBA Risk Management are working together to provide current (2021) and future (2050) earthquake and flood risk assessment for 6 West Balkans countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The GEM Risk Team is providing the exposure database (property and population data) for both the flood and seismic risk assessment for six Western Balkan countries at the lowest administrative level, using both existing datasets for 2021 and socio-economic projections for forecasted exposure to 2050. Seismic hazard and risk assessment for the current and future exposure is also being undertaken with the OpenQuake engine, leading to average annual losses and losses for specific return periods for each country. Duration: 2023 Objectives The World Bank is preparing the Country Climate and Development Report for the Western Balkans. The CCDR aims to inform policy dialogue and engagement with governments. This provides an opportunity to carry out several analytical pieces, including in the area of Disaster Risk Management, bringing together existing knowledge on the economic and social impacts of disasters and climate change, and delivering new analytical insights to support policy recommendations. Collaborators JBA Risk Management, GEM Foundation Funding partner: World Bank Group Locations Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • CAREC | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects CAREC Developing a Disaster Risk Transfer Facility in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Outreach Anchor 6 Background Willis Towers Watson, a GEM Advisor Sponsor is leading the consortium of organizations to implement the project, “Developing a Disaster Risk Transfer Facility in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region” supported by the Asian Development Bank. The GEM Risk Team is responsible for the exposure and seismic vulnerability components of the project, with the Hazard Team providing support in the preparation of risk profiles for countries in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region. Objectives The project has three main components: (i) development of disaster risk assessments and modeling in all CAREC countries; (ii) design of a regional pilot disaster risk transfer facility for at least three CAREC countries; and (iii) capacity building and awareness raising activities to sensitize key public and private stakeholders in all CAREC countries about the benefits of disaster risk reduction, risk retention and risk transfer solutions. Willis Towers Watson, a GEM Advisor Sponsor is leading the consortium of organizations that will implement the project. The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation, or CAREC Program is a partnership of 11 countries (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, People's Republic of China, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan), supported by 6 multilateral institutions, working together to promote development through cooperation, leading to accelerated growth and poverty reduction. Location Central Asia Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 About the CAREC program Read more GEM has started a new project with WTW supported by the Asian Development Bank Read more ADB project overview and data sheet Read more Anchor3 Publications

  • METIS | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects METIS Methods and Tools Innovation for Seismic Risk Assessment Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Outcomes Training Outreach Photos Publications Anchor 6 Background GEM is set to start a 3-year project called METIS or Methods and Tools Innovation for Seismic Risk Assessment funded by the European Commission. The project is part of the Safety margins determination for design basis-exceeding external hazards program. Electricite De France (EDF), a GEM technical collaborator, is coordinating the project which will be implemented in collaboration with 14 other organizations. GEM will contribute to the task on seismic hazard assessment and on PSA Tools and Methodology. In the hazard task, GEM will implement into the OQ Engine methods such as vector-valued probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA), cluster-based PSHA as well as new methods to propagate epistemic uncertainties. Research will also be carried out in the context of processing earthquake catalogues to remove aftershocks and foreshocks and on testing PSHA models. GEM’s contribution to the PSA Tools and Methodology will concentrate on testing risk results. Duration: 2020 - 2025 More details: https://metis-h2020.eu/ Objectives The objective of METIS is to translate research into practice through rigorous and efficient methodologies and tools to assess seismic safety of NPP (nuclear power plants). It also aims to innovate current practice by combining simulation with experimental data. The research will develop methods to improve the ability to define safety limits for extremely rare events, which go beyond current design analyses (i.e. design extension for earthquakes). The refined seismic PSA (probabilistic safety assessment) is expected to provide meaningful support in defining regulations for safe design of NPP, as well as for assessing plant safety in real-time in case of temporary unavailability of relevant safety equipment or structures. Collaborators Edf Energy R&D UK Centre Limited - United Kingdom Limited Liability Company Energorisk - Ukraine Helmholtz Zentrum Potsdam Deutschesgeoforschungszentrum Gfz - Germany Geodynamique Et Structure - France Institut De Radioprotection Et De Surete Nucleaire - France Istituto Universitario Di Studi Superiori Di Pavia - Italy Lgi Consulting - France National Technical University of Athens – NTUA - Greece State Enterprise State Scientific and Technical Center For Nuclear And Radiation Safety - Ukraine Technische Universitat Kaiserslautern - Germany Univerza V Ljubljani - Slovenia Geo-Research Institute - Japan North Carolina State University - United States The Regents of The University Of California - United States Location Europe Horizon 2020 METIS Project fact sheet Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 EdF and GEM METIS project collaboration from 2020 to 2024. New Horizon 2020 project launched to develop an advanced approach for Seismic Risk Assessment of Nuclear Power Plants Anchor3 Publications

  • ARISTOTLE | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects ARISTOTLE Multi-Hazard Expert Advice System for ERCC Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background The All Risk Integrated System TOwards Trans-boundary hoListic Early-warning or ARISTOTLE consortium combines a number of services that enable a rapid understanding of events from various natural hazards (earthquakes and tsunami, volcanoes, severe weather and floods) and how they might unfold, thus aiding a deeper interpretation of the resulting hazards and impact. The GEM Foundation is supporting the consortium by providing an assessment of the impact of earthquakes using GEM's global exposure and vulnerability models, with a focus on metrics such as collapsed buildings and displaced people, such that it may provide an added value to existing rapid loss assessment services such as the USGS's Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER). Visit http://pilot.aristotle.ingv.it/ for more details about the project. Duration: 2022 - 2028 Objectives ARISTOTLE aims to provide Multi-Hazard Advice to the European Research Coordination Centre, either in advance of / during the activation of the EC Civil Protection Mechanism (CPM), in order to increase preparedness and response levels of the EU and to improve the ERCC’s assessment capacity. Collaborators ARISTOTLE is a multi-disciplinary partnership consisting of world-leading scientific centres in the areas of Earth and Climate sciences, providing operational and monitoring services, early warning and information systems as well as contributing to innovation and research actions. Location Global (Rome, Italy) Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • CCARA | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects CCARA Caribbean and Central America Earthquake Risk Assessment (CCARA) Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Outcomes Training Outreach Photos Publications Anchor 6 Background Earthquake risk is on the rise and earthquakes are expected to take an increasing number of lives. Hazard and risk assessments are the foundation for raising awareness among policy makers and the general public, forming the basis for decisions and actions that effectively build resilience and can reduce risk. While important work has been carried out in the Central American and Caribbean region to understand earthquake risk assessment and management there is still ample room to enhance that understanding and properly introduce it in decision- and policy-making processes. In many areas of the world, state-of-the-art information and tools to assess earthquake risk have been inaccessible for a long time. As a first step to tackle this problem, the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) has been created and spent the past 11 years collaboratively advancing open source science and technology for global state-of-the-art seismic hazard and risk modeling, data collection, and risk assessment at scales from local to national, regional, and global. Objectives The project aims to calculate hazard and risk, and to estimate the compounding social and economic factors that increase the physical damage and decrease the post-event capacities of populations to respond to and recover from damaging earthquake events in The Caribbean and Central America, by involving local experts from throughout the region. The goal of the Program in Central America and the Caribbean is to develop capacity in the region for earthquake risk assessment by leveraging GEM tools and resources, to enhance the understanding of earthquake risk, and to bridge the gap between risk assessment and disaster risk reduction. To improve the understanding of earthquake risk in the Central America and Caribbean region while developing local capacities to use open source resources for producing earthquake hazard and risk information at regional, national and local scales. To engage with decision-makers and other end-users to make the connection between advanced risk assessment by local experts and risk-reducing action and so influence DRR policy. Collaborators The CCARA project would not have been possible without the contributions of all the municipalities in particular: the Municipality of San José (Costa Rica), National Commission of Emergencies (CNE), University of Costa Rica (UCR) - Laboratorio Nacional de Materiales y Estructuras (LANAMME), INETER, ONESVIE, ODPEM, BRGM, Bureau des Mines, VT, Geologica UPR Mayaquez, UNI, SRC and UMG. Location Caribbean and Central America countries Website Caribbean and Central America Earthquake Risk Assessment (CCARA) wiki site contains an overview of the project. Anchor 1 Anchor 5 The CCARA project hosted four participants from South America to introduce seismic hazard and risk assessment using tools developed by GEM – specifically the OpenQuake engine. Anchor 4 Modelling subduction earthquakes: GEM experiences in Latin America CCARA project GEM presents the results of the USAID-funded CCARA Project in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic A hazard workshop in San José, Costa Rica from September 18th to 22nd as part of the risk assessment activities of the CCARA project. Anchor3 Publications CCAF-DB: The Caribbean and Central American Active Fault Database Disclaimer The contents of this project website such as studies, reports, audio-visual, news articles, blogs, and other information or media products including those in the external links are made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

  • MONGOLIA DRR | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects MONGOLIA DRR Strengthening capacity on disaster risk assessment, reduction and transfer instruments in Mongolia Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background This project aims to support Mongolia in developing a set of key disaster risk information and knowledge products for mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management (DRM) into development, including Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (DRFI). A hazard and risk assessment is conducted at the national and provincial levels and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is promoted for resilience within development and DRFI, and to strengthen the capacity and ability of NEMA, ministries, local government officials and communities to better understand and plan for disaster risks. The project is made up of the following four main components: Conducting multi-hazard disaster risk assessments at the national and local levels; Facilitation of Disaster Reduction planning and mainstreaming through the preparation and delivery of a DRR training program; Development of a strategy for disaster risk financing and revision of the national draft disaster risk insurance law; and Building institutional, technical, and management capacity for DRR and DRF The GEM Risk Team's main contribution to the project is the development of a significantly improved exposure model for Mongolia, based on the latest population and housing census of Mongolia, and a probabilistic seismic risk analyses, making use of GEM's global seismic hazard mosaic. Duration: 2022-2023 Objective The project is implemented in close collaboration with Mongolia’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Department of Disaster Risk Management (DRMD), who are the executing agency and the implementing agency respectively. The Ministry of Finance is also engaged in strengthening DRF and insurance options. This project advances Mongolia’s progress in addressing the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) priorities by improving the institutional capacities of key ministries and local governments; enhancing understanding of risk; strengthening disaster risk governance; and investing in DRR for resilience through promoting mechanisms for disaster risk transfer, risk-sharing, and insurance. Collaborators GEM Foundation, ICEM Asia Consulting, PwC India, Environ LLC, Willis Towers Watson (WTW), JBA Group, Overseas Development Institute Funding partner: Funded by the Japan Fund of Poverty and Reduction and administered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Location Mongolia Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • GAR 2023 | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects GAR 2023 GAR Special Report 2023: Mapping resilience for the Sustainable Development Goals Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)'s Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2023 offers a unique perspective on development progress by emphasizing risk and resilience in a changing climate. The report features maps developed in collaboration with the GEM Foundation and other agencies (United Nations Geospatial Information Section, Environmental Systems Research Institute - ESRI), displaying country-level Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators and risk drivers, and showcasing resilience deficits. These maps also present future projections of these deficits under different climate scenarios, incorporating IPCC greenhouse-gas-emission-rate scenarios and representative concentration pathways. Duration: 2023 Objectives The report serves as a comprehensive inter-agency effort to assess and address resilience gaps, aiding in informed decision-making for sustainable development. Collaborators GEM Foundation, United Nations Geospatial Information Section, Environmental Systems Research Institute - ESRI Funding partner: UNDRR Location Geneva, Swizterland Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

  • GFDRR-DFID | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects GFDRR-DFID GFDRR-DFID Challenge Funds Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and the UK Department for International Development's (DFID) competitive Challenge Fund pilots new and innovative approaches to overcoming technical and technological challenges in order to strengthen disaster and climate risk decision-making in developing countries. To this end, this project is supporting the development of data, products, and approaches to support disaster risk management decision-making and build resilience, including through better information, but also strengthening key steps in moving from information to insight and behaviour change. Each challenge is focusing on the development of a database with hazard footprints, exposure information and vulnerability models. The viability of the databases will be demonstrated using exposure data for Tanzania and another DFID priority country. Objectives The project is divided into three components. The British Geological Survey leads the development of a data schema and data for a multi-hazard database (Challenge 1) while GEM and University College London lead the development of a global exposure database (Challenge 2) and open vulnerability platform for evaluating risk (Challenge 3) respectively. GEM also contributes to Challenge Fund 1 and 3. GEM leads Challenge Fund 2 on the development of a global exposure data framework, which includes the physical vulnerability characteristics and exposure taxonomy. The aim is to identify the most important vulnerability characteristics; ways to account for uncertainties in exposure and vulnerability models; type of assets that should be supported by the vulnerability and exposure database; and the most common and useful intensity measure types. The objective of this project is to develop a Data Exploration Tool to promote the ability of a user to access, understand and use hazard, exposure and vulnerability data stored in a format that follows the data schema developed by the Challenge Fund consortia. British Geological Survey (BGS) leads the development of a data schema and data for a multi-hazard database (Challenge 1) GEM Foundation leads the development of a global exposure database (Challenge 2) University College London (UCL) leads the development of open vulnerability platform for evaluating risk (Challenge 3) Various organizations also participated and contributed to the project such as the Geological Survey of Tanzania; Ardhi University (Tanzania); Dar Es Salaam University (Tanzania); DFID Tanzania; Prime Minister's Office - Disaster Management Department (Tanzania); DoMA (Malawi); INGC (Mozambique); Ministry of Energy & Mineral Development (Uganda); ImageCat (USA); Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT Indonesia); NSET (Nepal); IDF (Switzerland); UA (Netherlands); NGI (Norway); NOC (UK); CIMA (Italy); and UCL-EPI (UK). Locations Tanzania and neighbouring countries Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 A consortium led by the GEM Foundation with partners ImageCat Inc. and the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team completed recently an open exposure database for multi-hazard risk assessment... The University College London (UCL) EPICentre and CatLin XL hosted the second workshop held on July 27 in London to collect feedback. The GFDRR-DFID Challenge Fund projects on the development of exposure, vulnerability and hazard footprints databases kicked off with a 2-day inception workshop. Anchor3 Publications GFDRR-DFID Challenge Funds Round 2 How can innovative approaches make communities more resilient to climate change and natural disasters? GFDRR-UK Aid Challenge Fund: Final Learning Report: Value of Risk Information for Decision Making May 31, 2018 Data schema and data: for multi-hazard database (BGS), for global exposure database (GEM), for a global database of vulnerability functions (UCL) Extensible Data Schemas for Multiple Hazards, Exposure and Vulnerability Data published as part of the UNDRR GAR2019 .

  • BEYOND BUTTON PUSHING | Global Earthquake Model Foundation

    Projects BEYOND BUTTON PUSHING Earthquake Risk Assessment and Sensitivity Analysis for California Versión en español English version Share Facebook LinkedIn Overview Anchor 6 Background The goal of the project was to show how important the quantification of uncertainty is in estimating and understanding California’s earthquake risk using OpenQuake - GEM Foundation’s state-of-the-art open source earthquake hazard and risk assessment software. With OpenQuake’s plug-and-play capabilities, expert users can individually select or substitute every model component, data, and assumption. This feature will help model users and decision makers to: 1) ‘ask the right questions’ when evaluating model results; 2) better interpret risk assessment results and gain trust in model results; and 3) make better risk management decisions. Duration: 2015-2017 Objectives The main objectives of this project are to: Establish representative sets of exposure: ‣ for the San Francisco Bay Area; ‣ for the Southern California region affected by the Shakeout Scenario Choose specific results (risk metrics) to use as a basis for comparison. Produce ‘baseline’ results from OpenQuake, using a ‘control’ set of assumptions. Undertake a thorough sensitivity analysis for the risk estimates for California based on the UCERF3 model by running OpenQuake multiple times, each time varying one assumption or parameter, such as: ‣ earthquake probabilities (controlled by assumptions about fault geometries, slip rates, maximum magnitudes); ‣ ground motion model selection; ‣ vulnerability functions; ‣ site conditions; and ‣ statistical treatment of uncertainty and correlation Beyond the aims stated at the outset of the project as listed above, several additional objectives were achieved during the course of the project, including the following: Implement within OpenQuake the latest seismic hazard model for California based on the recently published Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast version 3 (UCERF3), produced by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities. Calculate the average annual loss estimates for all 8,057 census tracts in California, using the seismic hazard model based on UCERF3. Establish the range (distribution) of scientifically viable results for the chosen risk metrics by accounting for the various uncertainties in the hazard model. Identify the components of the hazard model contributing most to the overall uncertainty in the risk metrics for the different exposure portfolios. Implement a model simplification (‘logic-tree trimming’) software tool to reduce the number of computer runs and greatly speed up the time required for running the risk model for California. Collaborators GEM Foundation Funding partner: Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission (SSC) Location California, United States Anchor 1 Anchor 5 Anchor 4 Anchor3 Publications

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