Leveraging EO for Enhanced Disaster Risk Management in Morocco
Morocco’s efforts to enhance disaster risk management amidst increasing climate change impacts involve collaboration among the FSEC, World Bank, and ESA GDA Disaster Resilience. By developing advanced flood and exposure mapping technologies, the project produces valuable Building Type Classification maps that aid in assessing vulnerabilities and rebuilding costs, improving decision-making in disaster scenarios.
Description
The country of Morocco suffers greatly from the adverse effects of climate change which leads to increased intensity and occurrence of floods in the area, both rural and urban. To improve the nation’s management of financial risks, FSEC, the Fonds de Solidarité contre les Événements Catastrophiques, the World Bank Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance DRFI programme and GDA Disaster Resilience Consortium, are developing sophisticated flood and exposure maps in order to equip the Moroccan authorities to be able to undertake informed decisions and therefore reduce the social and economic consequences that result from natural hazards. Utilising data products from the World Settlement Footprint (WSF), Building Type Classification maps were developed to identify regions particularly prone to risks like floods. These maps have already received positive reception in post disaster situations such as after the September 2023 earthquake that occurred in the Marrakesh-Safi region, showing how valuable EO data is in the expeditious management of disaster risk.
You can read more about this Case Study here: How Earth observation enhances financial risk management in Morocco