GGOS as basis for GeoRisk Commission (GRC) and the IUGG contributions to disaster risk reduction

The GGOS Focus Area Geohazards Monitoring focuses on GNSS Enhancement of Tsunami Early Warning Systems (GTEWS), as recommended by IUGG2015 Resolution No. 4, and further highlighted by the Voluntary Commitment to the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction Sendai, Japan, 2015 (Geodesy4Sendai), which emphasises the importance of international scientific cooperation in addressing the challenge of geohazards.

The focus on GTEWS builds on the vision of the GGOS2020 book, which calls on us to “promote the development of GNSS seismology, especially for early warning and disaster assessment”. Our colleague John LaBrecque, past Chair of this GGOS Focus Area, reports to the IUGG on the great progress that has been made on this important topic. In particular, he announces the upcoming GeTEWS Oceania 2024 Workshop to be held in Suva, Fiji, from 4-8 November 2024, where the new Chair of the GGOS Focus Area Geohazards Monitoring, Timothy Melbourne, will present progress on the GeTEWS Oceania initiative.

This activity is in line with the main objective of IAG-GGOS to promote the incubation of new concepts, technologies, products, and applications by identifying new research areas and hosting GGOS Focus Areas as cross-disciplinary entities to work towards future integrated products needed for a better understanding of our dynamic planet, including natural hazards, disaster risk reduction and many other challenges of our modern society.

More details in the item No. 8 of the IUGG Electronic Journal Volume 24 No. 5 (1 May 2024) – GRC/IAG – Implementing IUGG 2015 Resolution #4: Organisation of GNSS enhanced Tsunami Early Warning (GeTEWS) Consortium: Report: https://iugg.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IUGGej2405.pdf