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The European Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (E-STAG) was established by the UNDRR Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia in 2018. Its purpose is to strengthen the inclusion of the science and technology communities in disaster risk reduction (DRR) efforts, as called by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. Scientists dedicated to different thematic threads are nominated by European governments to compose the group, with the aim to help 55 countries across Europe and Central Asia tackling emerging challenges and risks.
In 2018-2019, the E-STAG was composed of experts nominated by Member States (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Russian Federation, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), with scientists selected for their dedication to significant thematic issues (fire risk, space-based information, data interoperability, and disaster risk management), and space to embrace young scientists’ skills.
The work of the E-STAG is devoted to improve risk knowledge in the various countries it represents, and to support national as well as local authorities, policy and decision-makers, but also private investors and other relevant DRR stakeholders, by contributing to research-informed and evidence-based implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, especially assessing gaps and challenges for formulating recommendations.
National Experts
Armenia: Dr. Lilit Gevorgyan, Researcher at the Institute of Geological Sciences at the Armenian National AcademyAustria: Mr. Christian Resch, Managing Director Disaster Competence Network Austria
Azerbaijan: Dr. Rashad Gasimzada, Head of the Intl Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Emergency SituationsBelgium: Prof. Debarati Guha-Sapir, Professor at University of Louvain, School of Public Health.
Croatia: Dr. Zvonko Sigmund, Assistant Professor, University of Zagreb
France: Prof. Myriam Merad, National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), France
Germany: Prof. Reimund Schwarze, Head of Climate Change and Extreme Events RG, Leipzig
Israel: Dr. Alexander Altshuler, Head of the Research and Development Department at the Israel National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA)
Italy: Prof. Mauro Dolce, Director General - Scientific Advisor to the Head of the Department of Civil ProtectionMontenegro: Ms. Jadranka Mihaljevic, Seismological expert at the Ministry of Interior
The Netherlands: Mr. Leendert Gooijer, General secretary of the National Network of Safety and Security Analysts - RIVM, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Russian Federation: Dr. Elena Arefyeva, Chief researcher of the All-Russian Research Institute for Civil Defense Slovenia: Dr. Blaz Komac, Head of Department of Natural Hazards at the Anton Melik Geographical Institute
Spain: Dr. Urbano Fra Paleo, Professor in Human Geography at the University of Extremadura
Sweden: Dr. Jorgen Sparf, Department of Social Sciences of the Mid Sweden University
United Kingdom: Prof. Mark Pelling, Professor in Geography at the King’s College of London
Thematic experts
Disaster Risk Management: Prof. Dilanthi Amaratunga, Global Disaster Resilience Center, University of Huddersfield, UK
Risk modelling, wild fires: Dr. Jean Louis Rossi, Professor and coordinator of the risk modeling research group part of the project “Fire” of the University of Corte, France
Digital Data Management: Mr. Massimo Migliorini, senior researcher at LINKS Foundation, Italy
Earth Observation & GIS: Prof. Alexander Siegmund, Professor of Physical Geography and its Didactics at the Heidelberg University of Education and Honorary Professor of Geography at the University of Heidelberg
Young scientists: Ms. Sara Alonso Vicario and Ms. Jenny Sjastad Hagen, Young Scientist Platform for DRR
The Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments (SFVC) online platform allows stakeholders to inform the public about their work on DRR. The SFVC online platform is a useful toolto know who is doing what and where for the implementation of the Sendai Framework, which could foster potential collaboration among stakeholders. All stakeholders (private sector, civil society organizations, academia, media, local governments, etc.) working on DRR can submit their commitments and report on their progress and deliverables.