Europe is experiencing a surge in natural disasters, from floods to fires, to prolonged droughts and extreme heatwaves. These catastrophes not only negatively impact the environment but threaten human existence too.
Early prediction of natural hazards is vital to aid in preparation, assess risk and manage relief efforts. Data obtained on the back of these events also forms the framework for future preparedness and policy implementation. The JRC performs a vital role in providing early warning and crisis management tools and services, not only for Member States, but the world at large.
to aid in preparation, assess risk and manage relief efforts.Early prediction of natural hazards is vital
Based in Ispra, Italy, the European Crisis Management Laboratory is a science and policy advisory facility on disaster risk management issues. Scientists and IT experts use it to develop and test new products and services that integrate data, tools and methods from different sources, including national authorities and the Copernicus Emergency Management Service.
One of the lab’s most important tools is the Daily Maps or Daily Flashes. Prepared in close collaboration with the European Response and Coordination Centre, these maps give a comprehensive overview on real-time emergencies, both natural and man-made. The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System is also maintained and operated from the Lab. This system provides real-time access to web-based disaster information systems and coordination tools, helping to fill information and coordination gaps after major disasters strike.
For over a decade, the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) has been offering the global community free emergency mapping and open-source data. Managed by the JRC, it offers geospatial products based on satellite and ground measurements that forecast, monitor and analyse disasters on-the-ground. CEMS consists of three components: early warning detection, on-demand mapping and exposure mapping. These tools provide governments, humanitarian agencies and field workers with vital information in order to respond to the disaster management cycle, be it through flood, fire or conflict.
CEMS’ vital role can be appreciated in recent, catastrophic events.
In 2021, the lava flow from Cumbre Vieja Volcanic ridge on the Spanish island of La Palma lasted 85 days—the longest eruption on record.
In the lead-up, JRC-supported tracking services reported 22 000 tremors in one week, triggering an evacuation of the immediate area. The vast plumes of sulphur dioxide were tracked by the Copernicus satellite as they made their way across the oceans, and mapping tools, which integrated aerial data from planes and drones, assisted Spanish authorities in their ongoing emergency response.
In the same year, Belgium, Germany, Luxemburg and the Netherlands saw record rainfall, leading multiple rivers to burst their banks. Subsequent flooding was unprecedented in terms of timing and magnitude. Working together with CEMS, the JRC-supported European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) provided no less than 25 warnings during these tragic events.
It is estimated that early warning flood alerts can reduce economic damages by up to 33%. After the floods, a technical report on disaster response was published by JRC-EFAS. This is valuable information for assessing future flood risks and responses in similar scenarios.
Under the philosophy of ‘together we are stronger’, the JRC-run Knowledge Centre for Disaster Risk Management (DRMKC) helps governments and humanitarian and health agencies better navigate this new era of risk.
Bringing together expertise and collective knowledge from scientific and technical authorities from both inside and outside the EU, it makes available innovative tools that cover the entire Disaster Risk Management (DRM) cycle: adaptation, mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response; recovery and reconstruction.
DRMKC’s services range from technical analysis to practical assessment. They include the Data Risk Hub, a multi-hazard geo-portal that brings together scientific information with the aim of improving policymaking to INFORM GRI, a tool that measures the risk of humanitarian crises in developing countries.
