EU innovation in action – a safer and more resilient world

The European Commission proposes to have an exhibition booth at the 2019 Global Platform to present outcomes and best practices of the EU disaster risk reduction policy and actions implemented within and outiside the European Union.

We want to showcase innovation in DRR developed and supported by the EU in the framework of several policy areas and under specifically defined topics:

• Civil Protection: EU solidarity with responsibility

• Humanitarian Aid: anticipating disasters and acting early

• Development Cooperation: addressing the risk to support sustainable development

• Research and Science: knowing better and losing less

The Commission exhibition space will present innovative elements of the EU's work in the field of disaster risk reduction. We will showcase, for example, relevant physical tools and visual material that demonstrate innovations developed with support of the EU Development Cooperation, European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid and various Scientific and Research Programmes. Virtual reality technology will provide an important element to this. For example, we intend to use the Blippar application and virtual reality headsets to showcase 360-degree virtual reality films emerging from EU funded DRR projects in disaster-stricken areas of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Region.

The booth would also include a live demonstration of innovative technologies and tools supporting the disaster risk management agenda and Sendai Framework implementation of countries and partners. These, for example, include the tsunami monitoring technology, knowledge and data platforms, such as the Risk Data Hub and Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre, and the satellite-based Earth Observation Copernicus Emergency Management Service.