The number and severity of disasters is increasing. Annual global economic losses from geophysical, hydro-meteorological, and climatological events could almost double from their 2005 levels by 2030 to exceed US$300 billion if the past decade’s trend continues. The figures may worsen as climate change, globalization, technological change, urbanization, and political and economic instability put more people and assets at risk.

Improved disaster-risk management and resilience are essential for sustainable societies. However, the science of natural hazards is too fragmented to influence policy effectively. Seismologists, for example, had long warned in specialist journals that Turkey’s South-East region was due a large earthquake and it caused a death toll of more than 50.000 people deaths. Local politicians did not strengthen construction codes, reinforce old buildings, or inform the population about potential risks. Had such measures been implemented — as they have in Japan, California, and Chile — the death toll would have been lower (see ‘Three lessons yet to be learned’).  Similarly, floods cause considerable damage, and in the longer term, the inexorable rise in sea levels and extreme weather events threaten major coastal cities. Structures in flood-prone areas can be elevated; those in cyclone zones wind-proofed; and the public educated about such possibilities.

Given the potential of geographic information and remote sensing to help manage disasters, from prevention to relief organization, the GI4DM workshop will bring together geo-specialists and disaster managers, to discuss recent innovations and make recommendations for future research. The Gi4DM workshop is intended to target political and administrative decision-makers as well as administrative emergency practitioners, but also technical experts from different disciplines including computer science, information technology, engineering, and disaster management.

Gi4DM is organized by ISPRS with the support of the ISC GeoUnions Standing Committee on Disaster and Risk Reduction, continuing the series of workshops organized annually since 2005 (https://gi4dm.net/).

Gi4DM will take place in Belém, Brazil, on November 2-3, 2024, alongside the ISPRS Technical Commission III mid-term symposium. 

Save the date! Let’s build a safer and more resilient world together. 

For registration and more information, visit our conference website: Gi4DM Conference.