Recently the IAP Ambassador Platform for the Central and Eastern European region (APCEE) was invited to present on the "Use of Satellite Applications to enhance Civil Protection Operational Effectiveness", at a Warsaw workshop organized in the framework of the EU Polish Presidency 19/20 July.
The EU Council Presidency workshop on .An integrated approach to more effective crisis communication. was attended by more than 15 European Member States, the European Commission and UNOCHA (United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs). It aimed to discuss the current status of crisis communication and next steps to improve the overall operational effectiveness in disaster response.
Balancing technological and social aspects of crisis management the workshop was divided into two panels. While the technological panel addressed the use of satellite applications and mobile services by Civil Protection Agencies, the social panel discussed the exploitation of new information channels powered by interactive media.
ESPI Resident Fellows Erich Klock, Manager of the APCEE, and Mildred Trögeler contributed a presentation on "The use of satellite applications to enhance Civil Protection operational effectiveness". Based on the results of the ESPI/BMI/ALR/ESA workshop on "Space for Civil Protection" held in May, it underlined the need of space-based applications and services for the Civil Protection Community. Complementary, the need for a common legal and liability framework was highlighted. Such framework would also address the issue guaranteed and cost effective satellite capacities in the event of major disaster. In this context, a joint European and User-Driven approach dedicated to the development of a set of tools and services, and federated procurement of space capacity was proposed to be an effective means to overcome the current bottlenecks.
Chaired by Pierluigi Mancini, Head of the Awareness and Feasibility Studies Division of the Integrated and Telecommunications related Applications Department in ESA, a working session on the implementation steps of the workshop on .Space on Civil Protection. concluded the session. The results of the workshop will serve as an input to draft the Council Conclusions, which the Working Party for Civil Protection (PROCIV) will discuss in further detail.
For further information please contact:
Erich Klock
Manager of the IAP Ambassador Platform for the CEE region
European Space Policy Institute (ESPI)
Email: erich.klock@espi.or.at