The World Bank has launched the Open Data for Resilience Initiative (OpenDRI) Field Guide, which sets basic standards for open source creation and communication of disaster and climate change information.
The Guide was developed by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR).
19 March 2014: The World Bank has launched the Open Data for Resilience Initiative (OpenDRI) Field Guide, which sets basic standards for open source creation and communication of disaster and climate change information. The Guide was developed by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR).
The Guide is a central component of the GFDRR’s OpenDRI framework, which builds on the World Bank’s Open Data initiative and seeks to: improve disaster and climate change resilience; ensure streamlined data sharing and collaboration among government agencies, the private sector, academia and civil society; and encourage data collaboration with humanitarian efforts.
Noting a historical divide between development and humanitarian data, Sarah Telford, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), a collaborating partner on the Field Guide, said the Guide would allow better integration of existing datasets.
The Guide draws on a number of projects under the OpenDRI platform, including Genode, an open source tool for managing and visualizing geospatial data. Another project, InaSAFE, developed in collaboration with Australia and Indonesia, combines community-sourced mapping projects and hazard data, to create rapid disaster impact assessments. These tools empower both governments and communities to develop mitigation strategies for storms, flooding, droughts and other natural hazards.
The OpenDRI Field Guide will be shared with at least 24 World Bank partners by 2016. It will also be presented at: a World Bank workshop titled ‘Building Climate and Disaster Resilience through Open Data and Innovation,’ taking place from 20-21 March 2014; and the Understanding Risk Forum in June, a biennial event which is expected to bring together over 1,000 participants, representing organizations that are working to better comprehend and quantify disaster and climate risk.
Working with over 300 partners, the World Bank-managed GFDRR: helps high-risk, low-income developing countries better understand and reduce their vulnerabilities to natural hazards, and adapt to climate change; and provides grants, technical assistance to mainstream disaster mitigation policies into national strategies, and training and knowledge sharing activities. [Publication: Open Data for Resilience Initiative (OpenDRI) Field Guide] [OpenDRI Webpage] [GFDRR Website] [Building Climate and Disaster Resilience Workshop Webpage] [World Bank Press Release]