05. – 06.06.2014 | UN-SPIDER: Expert Meeting on Space Technologies for Flood and Drought Risk Management

The upcoming United Nations/Germany Expert Meeting on Space Technologies for Flood and Drought Risk Management will take place on 5 and 6 June 2014 in Bonn, Germany. Background This year’s United Nations/Germany Expert Meeting on the Use of Space-based Information for flood and drought risk reduction will focus on the use of space technologies to improve disaster risk reduction. Floods and droughts will serve as examples for hazard types that have recently affected countries around the globe. The main objective of the expert meeting is to promote the use of space-based applications to assess and to manage flood and drought risks. Effective disaster risk management helps preventing that natural hazards like floods and droughts turn into disasters. Space technologies, especially Earth observation and global navigation satellite systems, provide crucial information for hazard assessment, vulnerability analysis, and risk assessment. The potential contribution of space-based information to disaster risk management is not yet fully exploited – technical solutions are not tailored enough to the needs on the ground, and the information is rarely easily accessible for disaster managers. With this expert meeting, UN-SPIDER is aiming to fulfil one of its core functions: serving as a bridge between the different space and disaster risk management communities. Expected outcomes • Recommendations for the improvement of flood and drought risk management through the use of space based information; • Elements to contribute to the Post 2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (HFA2) and to sustainable development; • Elements to contribute to the upcoming World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction to take place in Sendai, Japan, in March 2015. These outcomes will feed into UN-SPIDER’s outreach activities, capacity building, Knowledge Portal, and Technical Advisory Support. Financial support to selected participants Taking into consideration the limited financial resources available for this expert meeting, a number of qualified applicants from developing countries, who have expressed the need for financial support, will be offered financial support to attend the expert meeting. This may include the provision of a round-trip air ticket between Bonn and the applicant’s international airport of departure or daily subsistence allowances to cover board and lodging for the duration of the Expert meeting. Any changes made to the air tickets must be the responsibility of the participants. Due to this limited availability of financial resources, applicants and their nominating organizations are strongly encouraged to find additional sources of sponsorship to allow them to attend the Expert meeting. Qualified participants whose nominating agency/organization agrees to fund round-trip travel and/or living expenses will be considered on a priority basis. How to apply You can apply online for participation until 22 April 2014. Only complete applications, with all requested information and signatures, will be considered. Apply here. More information Source: UN-SPIDER mailing from 17.03.2014

The upcoming United Nations/Germany Expert Meeting on Space Technologies for Flood and Drought Risk Management will take place on 5 and 6 June 2014 in Bonn, Germany. Background This year’s United Nations/Germany Expert Meeting on the Use of Space-based Information for flood and drought risk reduction will focus on the use of space technologies to improve disaster risk reduction. Floods and droughts will serve as examples for hazard types that have recently affected countries around the globe. The main objective of the expert meeting is to promote the use of space-based applications to assess and to manage flood and drought risks. Effective disaster risk management helps preventing that natural hazards like floods and droughts turn into disasters. Space technologies, especially Earth observation and global navigation satellite systems, provide crucial information for hazard assessment, vulnerability analysis, and risk assessment. The potential contribution of space-based information to disaster risk management is not yet fully exploited – technical solutions are not tailored enough to the needs on the ground, and the information is rarely easily accessible for disaster managers. With this expert meeting, UN-SPIDER is aiming to fulfil one of its core functions: serving as a bridge between the different space and disaster risk management communities. Expected outcomes • Recommendations for the improvement of flood and drought risk management through the use of space based information; • Elements to contribute to the Post 2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (HFA2) and to sustainable development; • Elements to contribute to the upcoming World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction to take place in Sendai, Japan, in March 2015. These outcomes will feed into UN-SPIDER’s outreach activities, capacity building, Knowledge Portal, and Technical Advisory Support. Financial support to selected participants Taking into consideration the limited financial resources available for this expert meeting, a number of qualified applicants from developing countries, who have expressed the need for financial support, will be offered financial support to attend the expert meeting. This may include the provision of a round-trip air ticket between Bonn and the applicant’s international airport of departure or daily subsistence allowances to cover board and lodging for the duration of the Expert meeting. Any changes made to the air tickets must be the responsibility of the participants. Due to this limited availability of financial resources, applicants and their nominating organizations are strongly encouraged to find additional sources of sponsorship to allow them to attend the Expert meeting. Qualified participants whose nominating agency/organization agrees to fund round-trip travel and/or living expenses will be considered on a priority basis. How to apply You can apply online for participation until 22 April 2014. Only complete applications, with all requested information and signatures, will be considered. Apply here. More information Source: UN-SPIDER mailing from 17.03.2014