This report presents the results of the survey on the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS), conducted in May 2023, and of the targeted interviews carried out in March 2024. 730 replies were collected from the survey, and ten interviews conducted with representative GDACS users. In addition, a short section is dedicated to the messages from users received since 2022 through the GDACS contact form.
The survey covered all three components of GDACS, and yielded very positive feedback from respondents, for both timeliness and/or relevance of GDACS scope and products. While the Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) emerged as the most utilized component, a significant number of users access all three components in conjunction, and in fact these are complementary to each other. SMCS showed a stark increase in user uptake since 2018, and VOSOCC confirmed its highly informative value.
According to the survey, the majority of respondents expressed interest in multiple hazards, with earthquakes being the relatively most popular choice, followed closely by the others. Furthermore, the survey reveals that the majority of respondents is interested in additional hazards, beyond those covered by GDACS already.
Data services like API and RSS are very much used and yet underestimated in the survey, perhaps because of the non-comprehensive survey dissemination. In order to account for this and other potential biases in the online survey results, a round of targeted interviews was carried out with representative users.
Timeliness, accessibility, actionable use and transparency seem to be the top priorities for most interviewees. GDACS benefits from a solid reputation across the users, and the backing of important international institutions is one of the main reasons. Beyond reputation, interviewees indicated as keys to trust a system the following: transparency, long-term and technical support, the ability to provide consistent, high-quality data and to adapt to stakeholders needs.
In conclusion, GDACS is on the right track according to the current users, and they expect improvements and developments, rather than changes on the extant features. The survey provides valuable input for enhancing and adapting GDACS to better serve the international humanitarian community and to address emerging challenges in disaster response and coordination. Indeed, the insights collected from the survey will be instrumental in shaping the future direction of GDACS and continuing to fulfil its critical role in the global disaster alert and coordination.
MASANTE Dario;
ABAD-PEREZ Jaime;
PROIETTI Chiara;
PARIS Stefano;
BARANTIEV Damyan;
DELL'ORO Luca;
PETER Thomas;
SANTINI Marzia;
2024-07-30
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC137894
978-92-68-19954-1 (online),
1831-9424 (online),
EUR 32020,
OP KJ-NA-32-020-EN-N (online),
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC137894,
10.2760/435644 (online),
