News Natural Catastrophe Risks workshops with ICRM-NTU Singapore and GEM By: Oct 7, 2019 Share Facebook LinkedIn Anirudh Rao presents the Myanmar residential exposure model. The GEM Hazard and Risk teams represented by Marco Pagani, Vitor Silva, Anirudh Rao and Robin Gee visited China and Singapore from September 26 to October 1 to participate in Nat Cat Risks Workshops co-organized by GEM and the Institute of Catastrophe Risk Management, Nanyang Technological University ( ICRM-NTU ), Singapore. The first leg of the natcat risks workshop was held in Guangzhou, China from September 26-27. Robin and Marco of Hazard Team presented the seismic hazard for the Pearl River Delta Region. They also presented the OpenQuake suite - engine, hazard library and model building toolkits, and presented fragility and vulnerability models, with a focus on the PRD. In addition, Jian Ma of Beijing Normal University (BNU) presented GEM's work on exposure modelling for the Pearl River Delta in China with assistance from GEM’s Anirudh and Robin. The Pearl River Delta also known as the Golden Delta of Guangdong, is formed by three major rivers, the Xi Jiang (West River), Bei Jiang (North River), and Dong Jiang (East River). It is considered as a megalopolis with an estimated population of 120 million people, and rapidly urbanizing.( Wiki ) The high population, rapid urbanization and other socio-economic factors underpin the interest in assessing the changing nature of earthquake and flood risk of the river delta. In the second leg of the journey, GEM Hazard and Risk teams had productive discussions on seismic risk assessment for the ASEAN countries at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore from September 30-October 1. Anirudh presented the development of exposure models for the ASEAN countries, and Vitor presented GEM’s seismic risk assessment for the same countries. Vitor and Anirudh also presented fragility and vulnerability models for the ASEAN countries with a focus on Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Colleagues from Singapore, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines participated in the two-day event. The NATCAT risks workshops aimed to share and improve on Asia’s catastrophe insurance and reinsurance through data exchange; and how the ASEAN Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance – Phase 2 (ADRFI-2) program can help equip Member States with risk management and risk transfer capabilities that will enable them to overcome financial burdens caused by disasters. ( asean.org ) No images found. GALLERY Anirudh Rao presents the Myanmar residential exposure model. Vitor Silva presents the exposure model for Southeast Asia against seimic hazard. Robin Gee presents the seismic hazard for PRD region, China. Anirudh Rao presents the Myanmar residential exposure model. 1/5 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS FACT BOX

News 11th National Conference on Earthquake Engineering By: Jul 12, 2018 Share Facebook LinkedIn From June 25 to 29, the 11th National Conference on Earthquake Engineering took place in Los Angeles, California. The theme of this year’s conference was integrating science, engineering, & policy. “11NCEE is the U.S. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering. It is hosted by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) every 4 years in conjunction with federal and local partners. This milestone conference brings together professionals from a broad range of disciplines: architecture, civil and structural engineering, seismology, geology, geophysics, geotechnical engineering, business, public policy, the social sciences, regional planning, emergency response, and regulation.” On June 28, GEM’s Vitor Silva, Seismic Risk Coordinator, was awarded the 2017 Shah Family Innovation Prize by EERI, which “rewards younger professionals and academics for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit in the field of earthquake risk mitigation and management.” No images found. GALLERY 1/0 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS FACT BOX

News OpenQuake Engine 3.25 improves performance ahead of GEM’s 2026 global model release By: Apr 24, 2026 Share Facebook LinkedIn GEM has released OpenQuake Engine 3.25, a new version of its open-source seismic hazard and risk software designed to improve performance, reduce memory use and support increasingly large and complex computations. The update marks an important step toward the 2026 release of GEM’s next global hazard and risk models, strengthening the computational foundation needed for work on a global scale. OpenQuake Engine is the software framework that underpins many of GEM’s hazard and risk calculations. In version 3.25, the focus is on making those calculations more efficient and scalable, particularly for workflows involving large stochastic event sets and global hazard modelling. One of the main changes is a new default workflow that generates ground-motion fields on the fly rather than storing large intermediate datasets, helping reduce storage demands and improve processing efficiency. The release also introduces major optimisation in rupture filtering and classical probabilistic seismic hazard analysis workflows, improving performance on multi-core systems. Other updates reduce disk usage through dataset compression, improve post-processing performance, and add new aggregated risk outputs. The new version also strengthens the handling of secondary perils, expands hazard library capabilities, and adds support for Python 3.13. For users, these changes mean that OpenQuake is better equipped to handle large and data-intensive modelling tasks while remaining flexible for research and applied risk analysis. Users prioritising long-term stability may remain on the 3.23.x long-term support branch, while version 3.25 provides the newer capabilities needed for forthcoming global model development. As GEM prepares to present updated global hazard and risk products in 2026, OpenQuake Engine 3.25 represents part of the technical groundwork behind those releases. The scientific and computational advances supporting this next phase will also form part of the wider discussion at GEM Conference 2026 – From Faults to Future Scenarios. Further details on the release and related conference information are available through the links below. Changelog: https://github.com/gem/oq-engine/blob/engine-3.25/debian/changelog Download OpenQuake 3.25: https://github.com/gem/oq-engine/#openquake-engine GEM Conference 2026 programme: https://www.globalquakemodel.org/gemevents/gem2026-conference-from-faults-to-future-scenarios No images found. GALLERY 1/0 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS FACT BOX

News GEM supports national seismic hazard and risk modelling in Morocco through OpenQuake training By: Dec 16, 2025 Oct 17, 2025 Share Facebook LinkedIn The Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation held a three-day workshop in Casablanca, Morocco, from 15 to 17 October 2025, marking the start of work on the development of a national seismic hazard and risk model for the country. The workshop brought together representatives from the Fonds de Solidarité contre les Événements Catastrophiques (FSEC), Atlantic Re and members of the Moroccan scientific community. The activity builds on the partnership announced earlier this year, which saw FSEC and Atlantic Re become the first paying Public and Private Sponsors respectively from Africa to join GEM. The collaboration aims to support the development of science-based seismic risk information to inform planning, preparedness and risk management in Morocco. Discussions during the workshop focused on the current state of seismic research in the country, including the identification of data gaps, technical priorities and opportunities for collaboration. GEM staff contributed across plenary and working sessions, including Helen Crowley, GEM Secretary General; Marco Pagani, Head of Seismic Hazards; Vitor Silva, Head of Risk Engineering; Al Mouayed Bellah Nafeh, Physical Vulnerability Lead; and Marco Baiguera, Exposure Analyst. Sessions covered key components of seismic risk assessment, including source modelling, ground motion, and exposure and vulnerability. The final day of the workshop featured hands-on training on the OpenQuake Engine, GEM’s open-source software for seismic hazard and risk modelling. Participants were introduced to modelling workflows and tools that support transparent and reproducible risk analysis, with a focus on their application in a national context. The workshop represents an initial step in a longer-term collaboration aimed at strengthening Morocco’s capacity to assess and manage seismic risk, while reinforcing GEM’s commitment to supporting public sector partners through open science and collaborative model development. Further information on the partnership is available in GEM’s July announcement on the sponsorship by FSEC and Atlantic Re. https://www.globalquakemodel.org/GEMNews/gem-fsec-atlantic-sponsorship-africa ## No images found. GALLERY Day3_OQtraining_2 (1).jpg Day3_OQtraining_1 (1).jpg Day3_OQtraining_3 (1).jpg Day3_OQtraining_2 (1).jpg 1/10 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS FACT BOX

News Analytics matters: the bedrock of resilience - open source data, risk modelling measurement as a global public good By: Dec 13, 2021 Share Facebook LinkedIn John Schneider participated in the COP26 Resilience Hub Event: Analytics matters: the bedrock of resilience - open source data, risk modelling measurement as a global public good on November 8th . John shared GEM’s insights on where the provision of open source data can make the most impact to support global resilience and how this can be best delivered to stakeholders. John reiterated that the keys to GEM success to this day is remaining true to its guiding principles of collaboration, credibility, openness and public good. He added, “We believe strongly in thinking globally with respect to the science, the methodology and the tools, but very much acting locally sharing those methodologies, standards and tools and involving local experts to tailor solutions to their situation.” The event featured subject experts from across the public and private sectors, and discussed the state of the art and future of public and private sector physical climate risk modelling and data, including practical examples of how open data sources and models were being, or could be, used to improve climate risk and resilience. The event organized by Willis aimed to promote the benefits of public and private sector collaboration in the development and augmentation of data and models towards specific end user goals, including those aligned to increasing resilience against current and future climate risks at local, subnational, national and regional scales, whether through physical, social, financial or economic mechanisms, or in combination. Global Resilience Index Initiative (GRII) launched The Global Resilience Index Initiative, with GEM as a partner, was officially launched before the main session. The launch included presentations of case studies of practical uses of global physical hazard models as well as the importance of hazard, exposure and risk metrics and standards. This approach will enable consistent approaches to the integration of data and models at different scales, to inform and guide decision makers towards effective risk reduction strategies. Rowan Douglas, who heads the Climate & Resilience Hub at Willis Towers Watson and is the Chair of IDF Operating Committee and Ex-Officio Member of IDF Steering Committee, gave the launch statement and acknowledged the role of GEM and UNDRR’s GAR (Global Assessment Report) as the building blocks in the creation of GRII, saying that the initiative is not starting from scratch, but heavily leverages what GAR and GEM have already started. Rowan further added GEM’s significant contributions to the creation of GRII, emphasizing that GEM may be focused on earthquakes, but so much of its remaining work is the same with other perils such as the data on the built environment, human systems, fragility and vulnerability, that are important to physical climate risk resilience. Website: https://www.cgfi.ac.uk/global-resilience-index-initiative/ Press release: https://www.cgfi.ac.uk/2021/11/global-resilience-index-initiative-launched/ GRII Intro Video: https://youtu.be/NdJruGmEVw4 No images found. GALLERY 1/1 Gallery VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS FACT BOX

News PartnerRe joins GEM as Private Sponsor By: Jul 2, 2018 Share Facebook LinkedIn GEM welcomes PartnerRe as a new Private sponsor and its support to promote a better understanding of earthquake risk and an improved capability to assess and manage risk through open, transparent and collaborative seismic risk assessment at global, regional and national scales. “Our organizations are bound by common values and a shared vision for a safe and earthquake-resilient world. Together, we are confident of developing better information on seismic risk, and delivering innovative tools and products for improved seismic risk assessment,” John Schneider – GEM Secretary General. GEM’s OpenQuake engine and its associated toolkits will enable PartnerRe to better evaluate the earthquake risk for their insurance clients worldwide. Like GEM, PartnerRe values open, transparent tools and models, which lead to a better understanding of the assumptions and sources of uncertainty that are essential in the evaluation and quantification of risks. Paul Della-Marta, Head of Catastrophe Research at PartnerRe said, “As a world leader in reinsurance, PartnerRe helps insurers create risk transfer solutions that provide financial protection from the devastating effects of earthquakes. By combining rich seismic data with our own deep understanding of earthquake risk, we can help our clients create more relevant and impactful reinsurance solutions that enable earthquake-hit areas to recover more quickly.” “This new partnership with GEM further strengthens our ability to fulfil that role. We are particularly impressed by GEM’s collaborative, interactive approach in working with its stakeholders, and are proud to support GEM in their goal of worldwide earthquake resilience”. GEM is set to formally welcome PartnerRe at its next Governing Board meeting in June this year. No images found. GALLERY 1/0 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS FACT BOX

News New Frontiers in Seismic Risk Modelling: Using AI and Google Street View for Detailed Exposure Models By: Jul 8, 2024 Jun 13, 2024 Share Facebook LinkedIn In a recent webinar focused on the May 2024 issue of Earthquake Spectra, Vitor Silva presented a promising solution to a longstanding frustration in seismic risk assessment: acquiring detailed building data. Traditionally, modellers have relied on limited datasets like housing census information, which lack the granularity needed for accurate risk assessments. Vitor highlighted the potential of combining artificial intelligence with Google Street View imagery to automatically generate detailed exposure models for entire cities. However, a major hurdle lies in the scarcity of open-source, labelled building image datasets for training these machine learning algorithms. To address this gap, Vitor presented his research on creating a database of geo-located building photos specifically designed for this purpose. This database allows researchers to train algorithms that can automatically assign vulnerability classes to buildings based on their visual characteristics. During the webinar, Vitor walked through the creation process of the database of building photos and explained how it was used to calibrate machine learning models for classifying the vulnerability of 3,000 buildings in Lisbon, Portugal. This research holds significant promise for enhancing the accuracy and level of detail in exposure models, leading to more robust seismic risk assessments. To learn more about Vitor’s paper “A building imagery database for the calibration of machine learning algorithms” : https://doi.org/10.1177/87552930241229103 . No images found. GALLERY 1/0 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS FACT BOX

News A UNISDR survey is underway to help develop an international framework for sharing risk information and promoting a pro-active culture of risk-informed decision-making By: Mar 20, 2019 Share Facebook LinkedIn The UNISDR is currently conducting a survey to inform the development of a Global Risk Assessment Framework (GRAF). The information will be used to develop an initial assessment and understanding of the profiles of potential users of GRAF and their needs (existing and anticipated) with the goal of establishing an international framework for developing and sharing risk information and promoting a pro-active culture of risk-informed decision-making. The survey was developed by the GRAF Mapping & Gap Analysis Working Group, co-led by John Schneider (GEM) and John Rees (BGS representative the GEM Governing Board), which is providing expert advice to the the UNISDR on the GRAF. Inasmuch as GEM itself is a part of the envisaged GRAF, GEM also aims to use the results of the survey to inform GEM’s strategic planning process. Therefore, for the benefit of the GRAF and GEM, we would very much appreciate your filling out the questionnaire. The GRAF and GEM would like to better understand: how your organisation is perceiving the barriers and opportunities for leveraging disaster risk management from different angles, including: i. Geographic scales – from global, national, sub-national, to local; ii. Risk dimensions – hazard, exposure and vulnerability; iii. Impact dimensions – human, ecological, economic, infrastructural and political. The questionnaire has nine questions and takes about 10-20 minutes to complete. We would very much appreciate your responses by 1st April. Thank you in advance for your participation. << TAKE THE SURVEY >> No images found. GALLERY 1/4 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS FACT BOX

News Development of local capacities for risk assessment and management, key to sustainable and effective risk solutions By: Aug 30, 2021 Share Facebook LinkedIn GEM’s John Schneider, Vitor Silva, Alejandro Calderon and more than 30 other experts, practitioners and authorities from around the world remotely joined the International Seminar on Risk Management & Sustainable Development held in Quito, Ecuador in June. The event, organized by the University of the Armed Forces (ESPE) - one of the top universities in Ecuador, was held to establish the Center of Excellence for Risk Assessment and Management and Climate Change for Ecuador (CERAM-Ecuador). The aim of CERAM-Ecuador is to develop sustainable and effective solutions for the development of local capacities for risk assessment and management. Carlos Villacis, former Regional Program Manager and Strategy Coordinator for GEM, is the principal driver behind the creation of CERAM. Carlos said, “I am very pleased to be working again with GEM for the generation of knowledge products and the provision of integrated support to risk assessment and management at all levels, not only in Ecuador, but globally. I am convinced that, to be truly global, GEM needs to have a stronger presence in the regions. CERAM will promote the standardization of GEM tools and methodologies through an adaptation process that makes them better aligned with the realities, needs and priorities in Ecuador as well as other regions.” [00:42:40 - 01:24:00] discussing the full spectrum of GEM’s approach to global earthquake hazard and risk modelling, while [3:33:00 - 4:24:00], providing detailed insights on GEM’s urban hazard and risk modelling approach. On June 24th, the final day of the event, John Schneider joined the round table discussion on the future of disaster risk management in Ecuador and the role of CERAM. John expressed GEM’s commitment to the regional initiative at the recently concluded international seminar in Quito, Ecuador saying, “We are looking forward to working together in capacity development and training, exposure database development for all hazards not only for today’s built-environment and population but also for future growth and future risks, and in the use of model results for input to decision making to reduce and manage risk.” GEM and CERAM-Ecuador share the same vision and principles: an open platform to share knowledge and skills in risk assessment and modelling through training, capacity development, technical and student exchange. Watch John’s full message at from 3:39:00 - 3:44:00. No images found. GALLERY 1/0 Gallery VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS FACT BOX

News GEM and NTU-ICRM renew partnership to further work on seismic risk in China and the ASEAN region By: Jun 3, 2021 Share Facebook LinkedIn GEM and Singapore Nanyang Technological University – Institute of Catastrophe Risk Management (NTU-ICRM) have renewed its partnership to further work on seismic risk in China and the ASEAN region. “The NTU-ICRM is a strategic partner for GEM - providing us an opportunity to engage at depth in earthquake hazard and risk assessment with our ASEAN stakeholders, using OpenQuake and related tools as the platform for knowledge transfer and model building. Our continued partnership can facilitate and accelerate the understanding of seismic risk at urban, national, regional and global levels.” - John Schneider, GEM Secretary General. The collaboration leverages GEM expertise and the OpenQuake platform (software, models and databases) to assist ICRM in its risk assessment activities in Southeast Asia. Previous work focused on the Natural Catastrophe Data Analytics Exchange (NatCatDAX) project, as well as the ASEAN Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (ADRFI) program. Under NatCatDAX, exposure maps were developed for three countries (Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand), with detailed, building-level exposure datasets for their respective capital cities Jakarta, Manila and Bangkok. GEM’s role in this work has been to: - Improve modelling capabilities for Nat Cat risks in SE Asia covering exposure and loss; - facilitate better understanding of Nat Cat risks faced by ASEAN member states; and - nurture ASEAN local expertise in the Nat Cat risk domain. Joint workshops for East and Southeast Asian countries were conducted in Pavia, Italy, June 2019; Guangzhou, China, September 2019; Singapore, October 2019; and Hanoi, Vietnam, February 2020. The new program will focus on multi-hazard risk assessment of the 10 ASEAN member states, addressing earthquake, flood, and typhoon hazards, and developing ex-ante risk financing solutions. The ICRM was launched in 2010 with the vision to become Asia’s leading research institute in catastrophe risk management and to help those at risk worldwide in general and Asia in particular. The ICRM is the first multi-disciplinary risk management research institute of its kind in Asia and plays a lead role in NTU's integrative research efforts and its strategic vision of Sustainable Earth. Professor Pan Tso-Chen is the ICRM founding Executive Director. “Our partnership with GEM has provided us a robust platform to connect with government agencies, academia and industry players from around the world with the aim of providing risk financing and risk reduction options as part of a comprehensive risk management strategy for the Southeast Asian region. We are looking forward to continuing our collaboration in the years ahead in order to mitigate catastrophic risk impacts on businesses and of the society as a whole.” Professor Pan Tso-Chien, NTU-ICRM. No images found. GALLERY 1/0 Gallery VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS FACT BOX