Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperative Mechanism on Drought Monitoring and Early Warning Wu, Guoxiang Professor, Beijing Normal University Senior Advisor on GEO Affairs, NRSC, China Consultant, UN ESCAP
A Mechanism under United Nations • Promoted by Regional Space Applications Programme (RESAP) of UN ESCAP • To be an initiative under GEO • Operational provision of satellite data based monitoring services in the Asia-Pacific region – For agriculture/ herd drought related decision- making – Contributes to development issues of : food security, climate change adaptation and disaster reduction
Towards collaborative capacity • THOUGH almost all regional countries – Have built technical and institutional capacities in use of EO at different levels • Most remain far from operational, if work individually • Collaborative capacity is the solution through – External assistance in • Customizing EO products and services to suit local conditions • Operational providing interim P/ S • Operational providing customized P/ S – I nternal efforts to provide services to national user communities
Role of interim satellite data based Products Technical Partners EO satellite data resources Primary Satellite System-corrected images products data providers I nformation Application I nterim extracted models Local thematic and P/ S products methodology service providers (including Other processes technical I nformation by-less supporting team extraction by capable LSP Locally of end users) Capable LSP available information End I ncorporate with other decision- making needed information users User systems and practices Final from central to For decision making field levels P/ S
Monitoring and Early Warning • The most contributive role EO may play for disaster reduction - before natural hazards become disasters – By giving valuable leading time for actions – Examples: WMO and ESCAP established Typhoon Committee and Panel on Tropical Cyclones • Sharing EO capacities for M/ EW meteo-disasters • For rescue, relief and subsequent actions af aft er r m aj aj or r ers , many examples existing: su sudden en disa sast st er – I nternational Charter, Sentinel Asia, RESAP, … • Operational EO based M/ EW for other hazards – Has not yet in the world – Who will try? – The region has the richest resources to take lead
Drought • Occurred more frequently in recent years – A possible subsequence of global climate change • Brought serious eco-social impact to the region – Mostly agriculture based economies – I ncreasing vulnerabilities to drought • As creeping disasters – Most warning signals might be ignored – Effective disaster reduction actions could be taken • Technical maturity well demonstrated
Early warning : for actions • Through identifying on-going drought events – Affected areas and possible impacts on agriculture and herding • To enable actions possible to prevent impending hazard from becoming major disasters – Through better preparedness and prevention • Mobilizing available resources • Changing plantation of crops • Preparing food resources to prevent famine and market turmoil
An operational partnership • A distributed network – Comprising service nodes, beneficiary bodies and ad hoc secretariat – For continued monitoring of drought signals • From beginning of major crop seasons • To work as a collaborative capacity – Satellite data and technical resources contributed by Service Nodes – Operational national services by EO institutions to user communities – Coordinated by the secretariat
Three types of services • Technical Assistance services – To customerize well demonstrated methodology and models • Adapting to local conditions • For different areas of needed countries • Satellite Data Services – To provide satellite data at near-real-time • Monitoring Services – To provide interim of customerized P/ S to requested countries that lack of sufficient capability to access and process satellite data operationally
Modalities of the Mechanism (1) National consultation – when needs a pilot project - On requests with likely commitment - Participated by Service Nodes and stakeholders - To identifying project components I mplementation of pilot project - Verification and selection of monitoring indices - Development and validation of localized P/ S - Customize analysis and management systems - Building operation and reporting system Provision of satellite dada through I nternet - Most situation, timeliness is limited by bandwidth
Space I nformation Usages General Function monitoring Watching Alerting Service I dentifying Monitoring I mpact estimation, DRR planning, functions risky areas identified high early-warning risky areas Spatial 250-25m, resolution 1000 – 250m or higher when necessary Service Mechanism Service nodes & Mechanism Local service provider service nodes local ones service nodes provider Models Cross-checking Combined multi- Localized Detailed local of fundamental model analysis M/ EW models M/ EW models physical models Local profile Historical Historical Historical and in-situ information and in-situ information information crucial information expected necessary Service Automatically On request for provision by for agreed identified high On request for alerted areas Mechanism vulnerable risk areas areas Result To national focal points To governments at necessary action levels delivery by Mechanism by national focal point
Modalities of the Mechanism (2) Monitoring services by Service Nodes – General monitoring • Low-resolution satellite data based indices – Watching • Low- and mid-resolution satellite data based interim products for risky areas • Supported by timely in-si sit u observations – Alerting • Mid- and high-resolution satellite data based thematic products for alerted areas • To support actions to be taken
Modalities of the Mechanism (3) Training and advisory services – Regional and sub-regional courses for decision makers • Operation of the Mechanism, best practices on policies and institutional arrangement, decision supporting tools – Technical training courses at sub-regional and national levels and hand-on training • Operational products and services • National training for operation personnel – National advisory services on both technical and institutional aspects
Service Nodes (1) To be hosted by RESAP members – Volunteering to provide operational services • with governments’ commitments – Having capacities in: • Easy access to EO satellite data • Expertise in development and integration of multi-model methods for drought disaster identification, vulnerability analysis, impact estimation, … • Operational provision of satellite data based P/ S • Provision of advisory, joint development and training opportunities
Service Nodes (2) China and I ndia committed as Service Nodes – National Remote Sensing Center under MOST • Supported by 5 institutions – National Remote Sensing Center under I SRO • As pillars of the distributed Mechanism – Cover all types of services – Operational services to be arranged – SOP to be discussed and formulated – Portals to be established for request and delivery of data, products and services
Beneficiary Bodies • Members of RESAP, including – Space agencies • Develop and provide localized services • Provide in-situ information for production of watching and alerting products and services – National government organs responsible for drought disaster reduction • Further deliver local services to affected governments and other stakeholders • I nternational organizations dealing with drought disaster reduction in the region
Ad hoc Secretariat Hosted by Space Applications Section of UN ESCAP – Organize national consultation and advisories – Develop pilot projects for requester countries, and mobilize necessary resources – Develop standard operation procedure (SOP) – Coordinate services among Services Nodes – Maintain a portal linked with Service Nodes and sources of relevant information and practices – Experience sharing and training
Progress of the Mechanism • China and I ndia have made arrangements – China works within its GEOSS framework – Need to be further consolidated for long-term operation • Standard operation procedure – To be discussed among Service Nodes and the secretariat • Pilot activities started in Mongolia and Sri Lanka • Cambodia, Myanmar and Nepal expressed interests to have pilot projects • More financial resources should be mobilized by ESCAP to support pilot activities
Major disasters of Mongolia Drud = Drought in grassland + Heavy snow in winter Wildfire Subject to drought
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