제목: Multi-Hazard Early Warnings Leveraging Satellite Technology: Lessons from a Climate-Tech Startup

​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​연사: 최용상 교수 (이화여자대학교)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

장소: 과학관 B102호 

Abstract:

Early warning systems are a critical component of disaster risk management and have been shown to significantly reduce human casualties. However, many countries still lack adequate early warning systems or have systems that are poorly developed and unreliable. Recognizing this, the United Nations launched the "Early Warnings for All" initiative in 2022, aiming to ensure that everyone on Earth receives timely warnings of climate and weather hazards by 2027.

This has sparked a wave of international projects, particularly targeting developing countries in the Asia-Pacific and African regions—areas where early warning systems are often lacking or underdeveloped. While specific conditions differ across nations, a common challenge is the low public trust in national forecast data as reliable sources of emergency information. 

This trust deficit is not only due to limitations in infrastructure but also stems from the inherent difficulty of forecasting hazardous weather in tropical regions.

Satellite technology plays a pivotal role in addressing these limitations. In particular, geostationary satellites—which can continuously monitor the same area every few minutes—offer significant advantages over polar-orbiting satellites, which typically pass over a region only once or twice a day. These geostationary platforms are especially valuable for real-time and short-term(nowcasting) prediction of multiple hazards, such as heavy rainfall, wildfires, flooding, landslides, and air pollution.

Korea's GK-2A geostationary satellite, currently in operation, monitors Southeast Asia and Pacific Island countries. Its field of view covers a population of over 4 billion people, positioning it as a vital asset in achieving the UN’s early warning goals.

This presentation introduces the experience of RainbirdGEO, a climate-tech startup, in building an early warning system for tropical developing countries using the GK-2A satellite. The talk highlights practical insights from integrating satellite-based remote sensing technologies into local early warning systems, and discusses the challenges and opportunities in deploying such systems across diverse regions.​