Managing natural disasters more effectively through international cooperation: Science academies publish G20 Summit recommendations
Weather stations, Earth observation satellites and seismographs collect extensive data that help predict natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. How such technologies can be used even more effectively through international cooperation is the subject of the statement published yesterday by the G20 science academies, “Enabling the Effective Use of Technology for Resilience to Natural Hazards and Disasters through International Collaboration”. Ahead of the G20 Summit on 14 and 15 December 2026 in Miami, USA, the science academies of these countries, including the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, are presenting science-based recommendations in the Science20 format. “Natural disasters cannot be prevented, but international cooperation can help us to take better precautions and save lives more quickly in an emergency,” says Bettina Rockenbach, President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. “In the course of preparing this G20 statement, the global community was confronted with serious disasters such as the earthquakes in the Philippines and Venezuela, the flash flood in Nepal and Tibet, and fires in Europe and Canada. Modern technologies help to increase resilience to such natural disasters, for example through early warning systems and data on existing infrastructure, supply networks and the needs of vulnerable groups. These technologies should be developed further jointly and deployed for the greatest possible benefit of all.” Modern technologies enable ever better data collection, linkage and analysis. In their statement, the G20 science academies emphasise that science and research can make a decisive contribution to using these data to identify and manage natural disasters at an early stage. They recommend strengthening not only data collection, but also equitable access to such data internationally. This includes not only geodata such as weather data, satellite images and ground movement data, but also vulnerability data such as local infrastructure, supply chains and socio-economic conditions. A common data standard should be established so that data can be processed and used across borders. International cooperation should also help countries learn from one another, build capacity and enable rapid assistance before, during and after disasters. To strengthen resilience to natural disasters, technologies and data should be usable locally. The science academies stress that data have their greatest impact when they can be processed locally and applied to the specific conditions on the ground. This also means ensuring that data remain accessible in the event of power and network disruptions during a disaster. Countries that cannot make the necessary investments on their own should receive international support. In addition, local training, the inclusion of all population groups and regular emergency exercises strengthen resilience on the ground. Modern technologies should not replace people, but should support them as effectively as possible in decision-making and coordination during disasters. The statement was drafted under the leadership of the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and with the participation of members of the Leopoldina. It is available for download on the Leopoldina website: www.leopoldina.org/en/s20 The Leaders’ Summit of the 20 major industrialised and emerging countries (G20) will take place on 14 and 15 December 2026 in Miami, USA. For the tenth time, the national academies of the G20 countries are presenting a joint statement in the dedicated “Science20” format. Scientific advice for G20 summits was first provided in 2017 during Germany’s G20 Presidency. The G7 summits have also been accompanied by the science academies for more than 20 years. |
No comments:
Post a Comment