GIS/Remote Sensing Working Group -- UN-GDIN-Industry Partnership You build an understanding of disaster science by pulling together the best minds in the business.  Two of the best did just that by jointly fostering a discussion on the use of GIS and remote sensing in natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies.   Dr. Bouchardy of UNHCR and Dr. Côté of ESRI took time away from their valuable work to develop this conversation, one which formed a foundation for a number of products in different emergencies, as well as the Native American project.

Coordinators were:

Dr. Jean-Yves Bouchardy Chief Cartographer UNHCR, Geneva. Email: BOUCHARD@unhcr.ch Carmelle J. Côté, Ph.D. International Relations/GIS Consultant ESRI - Washington, DC 8620 Westwood Center Drive Vienna, VA 22182 USA Phone: 703-506-9515 ext. 8013 Fax: 703-506-9514 Email: ccote@esri.com Website: www.esri.com Note:   GDIN Endorses ESRI products

Goal:

To identify, stimulate or develop as appropriate standards and procedures for using GIS and remote sensing technologies in disaster management. What is the role of Remote Sensing and GIS in Disaster Management, what other initiatives are going on, how can GDIN take advantage of them and provide added value, i.e., the Open GIS?   As a result of the sterling work by the Working Group, GDIN was able to present a working plan of action to the Navajo and Pueblo indian nations, as well as the National Congress of American Indians on how to help native americans reduce risks to disasters.

Deliverables Presented at GDIN2001, Canberra, Australia:

Inventory of Existing programs related to international disaster management. (long term project) Inventory of Corporations, NGO's, Academic Centers and International Organizations involved in the subject area, as it relates to disaster management. (long term project) A paper that identified the most common problems using these technologies in technology challenged disaster-prone nations. Possible solutions will also be proposed.

Participants were:

Yaacov Bar-Lavi, Head of Control System Division in Disaster Situation, Government of Israel Dr. Einar Bjorgo, Geographic Information Unit, UNHCR Jean-Yves Bouchardy, Chief Cartographer (UNHCR) Dr. Camelle J. Cote, ESRI and ISLEM Rhonda Davis, UN/OCHA, later USAID Dr. Benouar Djillali, Eng.BSc, M.Sc, Ph.D, DIC, Maître de Conférences, Associate Member of the Third World Academy of Science Expert to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Professor Hussein Guler, Project Coordinator, General Directorate of Disaster Affairs Professor Polat Gulkan, Director of Disaster Management Research Center, Middle East Technical University, and Chairman of the Turkish GDIN Team. Dr. VI Larionov, EMERCOM Russia Carlos Mauco, UNDP Professor MA Shakhramanjyan, EMERCOM Russia Lee Tilton, USG, GDIN Transition Team

Reports and Links:

Press Release(36K Word doc.) for the "My Community, Our Earth: Geographic Learning for Sustainable Development" project (www.geography.org/sustainable/) Regional Workshops on the use of Space Technology for Disaster Management Bibliography and database on the use of remote sensing for disaster work. Symposium on Best Practices in Humanitarian Information Exchange, September 2001, Geneva, Switzerland Jalaa Abdelwahab Email. GIS for International Development and Humanitarian Relief e-newsletter archive. Upcoming Meetings and Conferences GIS for International Development and Humanitarian Relief newsletter (vol. 4) GDIN2001 Report of the GIS/Remote Sensing Working Group Report on activities at GDIN2000 in Ankara, Turkey GDIN Standards and Information Sharing Procedures: The UNHCR perspective – Dr. Jean-Yves Bouchardy, Chief Cartographer (UNHCR) Geographic Information within UNHCR: The Kosovo Example – Jean-Yves Bouchardy, Chief Cartographer (UNHCR) GISEurope - Peace and Security/Winning the Peace in Kosovo – Dr. Jean-Yves Bouchardy, Chief Cartographer (UNHCR) The Professional Contribution and Integration of Israel in Management Systems for Disaster Situations - Based on GIS – Yaakov Bar-Lavi Director of Special Projects, Survey of Israel Review of Open GIS Initiatives and Implications for GDIN OGC & The Web Mapping Testbed (WMT) – David B. Baxa GIS and Disaster Services – Carmelle J. Côté, Ph.D., ESRI, Washington, DC Open GIS Consortium – Disaster Management Special Interest Group Very High Resolution Satellites: A New Source of Information in Humanitarian Relief Operations – Dr. Einar Bjorgo, UNCHR Aiding Refugee Relief - Space Imaging Notes, November/December 1999 issue – Dr. Einar Bjorgo, UNCHR