What We Specialize In

We specialize in and practise the following areas:

We are working to find integrated solutions for boosting risk-informed decision making.

 


 

The current level of the disaster risks a country or communiy is facing is the results of decades or centuries of unplanned or risk-blind development.  Proper risk consideration in development is a key to reduce disasters and mitigate the impacts of climate change, which in turn requires policy and decision makers to have skills of making decisions under risk. However, fostering risk-informed decision making in the developing world is challenging and needs to overcome a set of  issues and challenges. In this context, we propose a roadmap towards enabling risk-informed decision making and accordingly developed an integrated solution as summarized in the diagram below.

 

  • Country Situation Analysis (CSA)

Every year, in a country, a lot of risk assessments have been done by different organizations for different purposes and using different approaches and methodologies. In the meantime, a huge amount of data have been generated. However, all these are scattered in different instititutions and maintained in different formats. Policy/decision makers of most countries are facing a tricky situation: On the one hand, they are surreounded by a sea of data and information; on the other hand, they hardly find actionable information that is readily for them to us, not mention if the quality of the risk information offered to them. In order for a country to solve this issue, we have developed a practice called "Country Situation Analysis (CSA)" based on a "Systemaric Inventory and Evaluation of Risk Assessments (SIERA)".

CSA is a diagnostic process to evaluate Country's readiness for conducting integrated risk assessment on their own. Specifically, it examines the availability and quality of existing data and risk information, institutional capabilities for risk assessment and mapping, and use of risk information in policy / decision making. SIERA is a systematic documentation of what is existing in terms of risk assessments, including the needs and requirements for hazard and risk information, data infrastructure for dynamic risk assessment, approaches and methodologies used for risk assessment, data and information management, skills and expertise, projects and programmes related to risk assessments, etc. Both CSA and SIERA contribute to the development of National Risk Assessment Framework (NRAF) - A strategic document that defines the scope and context of risk assessment activities with a country, clarifies the roles and responsibilities of relevant national stakeholders, and serves as a guidance for planning, coordinating, and governing risk assessment activties and the use of their outputs in a country.

CSA/SIERA has been practiced in more than 10 countries through UNDP Disaster Risk Management country programmes. 

  • Integrated Risk Assessment and Atlas (IRA)

Different decision makers need and require hazard and risk information for their different decision problems. Using an evidence-based approch, we have developed a set of risk assessment methdologies and practices for different users, as summarized in the diagram below.

Our methdologies and practices have applied more than countries. The National Risk Atalas of Rwanda is one of the best practices following our approach.

  • Integrated Development Risk Management (IDRM)

 At Rodel Risk Solutions, we understand that risk management is an integral part of development processes and each development intervention should consider risk management in an integrated way, not only considering all hazards and threats, but all the possible measures including hazard mitigation (wherever possible), risk control, and emergency preparedness. We have developed an Integrated Development Risk Management (IDRM) framework for risk-informed development, as shown in the diagram below. In this framework, Climate Change Mitigation (CCM), Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), and Disaster Risk Management (DRM)  are seamless integrated. 

The IDRM framework has been applied to integrate Disaster Risk Management into development interventions within the NAMAs programmes of Vanuatu and the Phillipines.

 

  • Integrated Disaster Information Management (NDOTM)

Disaster information, in particular, instant disaster information, is highly critical to effective disaster response. In order to meet the needs and demands for instand integration of disaster data from multiple sources, instant visualization and reporting of disaster situation, we, in close collaboration with the Center of Excellence for Risk Analysis and Management (CERAM Shanghai) of Shanghai Normal University and Shanghai GISINFO Technology CO. LTD., have developed National Disaster Observatory (NDOTM) - an integrated platform solution for managing and using disaster information.

NDOTM platform, featured with key functionalities, i.e. disaster registration, disaster monitoring and analysis, gamage and loss accounting, and disaster situation visualization and rapid reporting, is developed to:

    • promote cross-sectoral sharing and coordinated management of disaster information to strengthen snergy among different authories during emegencies and disasters.
    • provide timely, all-dimensional information services for real-time disaster monitoring and decision making in disaster response.
    • provide integrasted risk assessment and governance with solid data and knowledge by in-depth forensic analysis of historic disasters.

 It has the characteristics below:

    • Rapid integration of disaster data from multiple sources
    • Dynamic monitoring of disaster situation
    • In-depth analysis of disaster impact spreading mechanism via "Event Chain"
    • Flexible damage and loss accounting and thematic analysis
    • Instant visualization and reporting disaster situation
    • Tracking changes in administrative boundaries
    • High system scalability and customizability

For details on NDOTM, please refer to Brochure Page 1 and Page 2.

Hunan Disaster Observatory (HDO) is the 1st deployment of NDOTM. It has been developed by customing NDOTM  prototype and in terms of the disaster damage and loss accounting standards of China Meteorology Administration (CMA), is an integrated disaster information management platform for coordinated monitoring of meteorological disasters in the province of Hunan, China. It provides instant and coordinated information services for disaster mitigation, response and recovery planning,  with a set of key functionalities such as disaster information collection and integration, disaster situation visualization and dynamic monitoring, disaster analysis and rapid reporting, etc. HDO is featured with the following:

    • Coordinated monitoring of meteorological disasters
    • Rapid integration of disaster information from multiple sources
    • Quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) of disaster data
    • Dynamic tracking and assessment of disaster situation
    •  In-depth mining and analysis of disaster information
    •  4D visualization of disaster information
    • Automation of disaster reporting and dissemination