A new project using satellite imagery to help countries in South-East Asia better predict and cope with floods and other natural disasters and increase resilience to the negative effects of climate change was launched yesterday.
The project, named SERVIR-Mekong, is funded by USAID and NASA and will be implemented by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center and its partners, will help governments and other decision-makers in Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam take advantage of publicly available satellite imagery, geospatial data and maps to make more informed decisions on critical issues such as water management, land use planning, disaster risk reduction, infrastructure development and natural resources management.
The project will promote collaboration between technical institutions in the region and develop analytical tools. SERVIR-Mekong and its partners are also developing a mapping tool which will be made available online via the SERVIR-Mekong portal. The tool will show the extent of flooding in any Lower Mekong country in real-time.
“Under SERVIR-Mekong, we are tapping into the best available science and technology to help protect this region’s vital ecosystems and the benefits they provide to society,” said Beth Paige, director of USAID’s Regional Development Mission for Asia. “Already, Asian scientists, NASA scientists and others are beginning to develop tools to build resilience and contribute to tackling some of the region’s most pressing challenges.”
Together with leading regional organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America, SERVIR has developed 43 climate change adaptation and mitigation products to provide information, tools and training to more than 2,000 people in 30 countries.
