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Workshop on risk analysis and assessment

On 8-9 September, the LACER team and the AHA Centre conducted a workshop on risk analysis and assessment combined with a virtual visit to the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Commission’s science and knowledge service that supports EU policies with independent scientific evidence. The two-day activity assembled experts from JRC, DG ECHO, MSB, ERB and ASEAN, with a focus on mutual exchange of experiences, tools and methods.

“Risks actually change over time. If we don´t institutionalise the way we review our risk assessments or this process, then that means that our response plans are basically based on scenarios that have already changed significantly.” Lawrence Anthony Dimailig Assistant Director for Disaster Monitoring & Analysis at the AHA Centre.

 

Day 1 kicked off with presentations by DG ECHO and JRC on the role of national risk assessment for disaster risk assessment in the EU, followed by presentations on the Swedish and Estonian national processes for risk assessment, looking then at how these feed into the regional perspective.

During activities on Day 2, the JRC Disaster Risk Management unit shared insights on the development of the Global Disaster Alerts and Coordination System (GDACS), the Global Flood Information System, and JRC support to DG ECHO. The AHA Centre presented on its own risk assessment process, while JRC gave a demo on practical application of the GDACS tool, using the example of two major incidents (an earthquake and tropical cyclone).

One point of reflection from the two-day event is the realisation that ASEAN and the EU share many common challenges in disaster risk management, not least the growing number and intensity of natural hazards in both regions. In their respective endeavours to prepare for and manage recurring crises, both ASEAN and the EU strive to maximise the use of innovative technical approaches – flash updates and other information products, flood awareness systems, regional incident databases, satellite imagery in real time – with the intention to improve monitoring and assessment, facilitate information exchange among all actors, and support decision-making and coordination.

A further key reflection is the importance of connecting disaster management practitioners and policy makers with scientists and researchers, building on the collective knowledge of DRM expertise worldwide and aligning the joint capacity of relevant disaster information systems that can mutually benefit one another and their users.

Relevant links:

https://ahacentre.org/flash-updates/

https://adinet.ahacentre.org/

https://gdacs.org/

https://www.copernicus.eu/en

https://www.efas.eu/en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=zSSfZhKqT3c