International Training Workshop on Big Earth Data for Disaster Risk Reduction

Digital Belt and Road Program (DBAR) – Disaster Theme

(30th October– 5th November, 2018) 

I．Background and Objectives

The rapid unchecked development during the industrial age and the current technological age has created diverse range of issues, negatively effecting the environment and climate. Climate change and environmental degradation have been linked to exacerbating disasters both in terms of their frequency and intensity. In this context the Sustainable Development (SD) concept has become an attractive proposition for future development. Inherently, sustainable development requires well designed environmental management and as a consequence, incorporates a well designed disaster risk reduction (DRR) approach. Both SD and DRR are an important component of Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). Even though these three may be approached individually but eventually they contribute to support development in one another. Adoption of three major international frameworks, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement in the year 2015 highlights the realization of the international community to the importance of these concept, making 2015 an important milestone year for international cooperation.

There has always been a component of science and technology in disaster risk reduction to a varying degree from country to country and region to region. Current technological age has augmented our ability not only to collect and store large amount of data but also improved our ability to translate it into usable information in a shorter amount of time. Science and technology has also improved our ability to gather data about the Earth from a wide variety of sources and techniques, giving rise to the concept of Big Earth Data. DRR efforts have greatly benefited from these technological developments, especially in terms of early warning system, and through improvements in data acquisition both at spatial and temporal scales. In order to accelerate and improve the use of vast amount of data being generated for DRR there is a need for proper synergy of new innovation in terms of science and technology, knowledge development and business opportunity. This need defines one if the aspects that gave rise to the development of the Digital Belt and Road Program (DBAR).

DBAR is an international research program for promoting cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road route to advocate and demonstrate the smart use and application of “Big Earth Data” in support of the sustainable development of people and economies at the local, national and regional levels. “Disaster management” is one of the key pillars of sustainable development in the DBAR, along with coastal zone management, agriculture and food security, environmental changes, urban development and heritage conservation.

In response to the needs of developing countries along Belt and Road in disaster risk reduction to tackle the natural and human-induced environmental disaster, “Digital Belt and Road” Program (DBAR), jointly with Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) International Programme Office (IPO), IRDR China National Committee (IRDR CHINA), Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (RADI),Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS) and CAS-TWAS Centre of Excellence on Space Technology for Disaster Mitigation (SDIM) conducted an international research program (DBAR-Disaster) to strengthen science capacities for sustainable development and disaster risk reduction. In 2018, we will organize the International Training Workshop on Big Earth Data for Disaster Risk Reduction. With the objective of strengthening the experience of Big Earth Data applications for DRR, and enhancing the use of various data in DRR application platform. The workshop will provide a scientific and practical guide on DRR to the participants from developing countries along Belt and Road.

II．Co-organizers

•               “Digital Belt and Road” Initiative (DBAR)
•               Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) International Programme Office (IPO)
•               IRDR China National Committee (IRDR CHINA)
•               Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (RADI)
•               CAS-TWAS Centre of Excellence on Space Technology for Disaster Mitigation (SDIM)
•               Big Earth Data Science Engineering Project (CASEarth)

This workshop is also supported by: Digital Silk Road Alliance of the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE), International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) under the auspices of UNESCO.

III.  Date & Place

Date: 30 October-5 November, 2018

Place: Beijing, China

IV.  Participants

-               Young academicians and researchers in the field of disaster risk reduction

-               Young practitioners from national/ local governments and civil society organizations

As the number is limited to 20 people, only those who are qualified can be selected as formal participants. Female applicants will be given priority.

V.  Application:

(1) Applicants fill in the attached application forms and submit them to the SDIM Secretariat at sdim@radi.ac.cn  or by fax +86-10-8217-8959. Application deadline is 24th August, 2018.

(2) The selection group will routinely examine the applications and notify the applicants of the decisions. Invitations will be sent to the selected applicants for visa formalities at the same time.

VI.  Financial Assistance

Those applicants who have been selected will be provided round-trip international airfares between their home countries and Beijing (economy class), and the local expenses such as board and lodging, field tour, local transportation, etc. during the workshop.

VII.  Language

The language of the workshop is English. Knowing or speaking some Chinese will be an advantage.

VIII.  Workshop Awards

We will track the performance of participants and ensure that the training is accomplishing its goals. The best workshop participants will have an opportunity to be provided travel grants for attending or presenting research at future seminars or conferences to be organized by DBAR.

Note

As is customary, all the participants are advised to take adequate insurance towards health, medical, accident or any other health related incidences/cases during their stay in China. We shall not be responsible for such expenses.

For more information please contact:

Ms Ni Qingrong

E-Mail: sdim@radi.ac.cn

Tel. +86-10-82178104

Fax: +86-10-82178959

Address: No. 9 Dengzhuang South Road, Haidian District, Beijing 10094, China

Attachment

Announcement PDF version and Application Form