India plays a crucial role within the global community of space agencies, marking its place as a member of the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’. This commendable position allows India to receive valuable satellite data from fellow member nations such as France, Russia, and China. The data received are particularly significant in the wake of disasters such as the Assam floods, demonstrating the cooperative spirit of the international community.
The Role of the National Remote Sensing Center (NRSC)
Whenever a disaster, natural or man-made, strikes, the NRSC springs into action. The center represents the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), a key part of the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’. This platform can be activated by the NRSC or corresponding agencies from other member nations under the charter, which has been set up under the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER).
Understanding the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’
Recognized as the world’s first coordinated multi-satellite operational setup for emergency response, the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’ was introduced at UNISPACE III in 1999 and became operational on November 1, 2000. This unique international agreement brings together different space agencies, offering support through space-based data and information during emergencies caused by major disasters without any cost.
The Need for Global System for Disaster Management
Given the diverse nature of disasters and their varied spatial and temporal requirements, no single space agency can provide adequate imaging capability. As such, different space sensors such as Thermal, Microwave, Optical are required for managing different types of disasters like Fire, Floods, Earthquakes, leading to the need for a global system for disaster management, supported by multi-satellite and multi-imaging capabilities.
Participation in the Charter
Currently, 16 global space agencies, including India’s ISRO, are members of the charter. The participation is entirely voluntary. Importantly, UN-SPIDER and UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research), although not formal members, have authorization to request the activation of the mechanism on behalf of UN agencies in disaster-affected countries.
| Disasters Supported | Natural Disasters | Man-Made Disasters |
|---|---|---|
| Floods | ✓ | |
| Earthquakes | ✓ | |
| Forest Fires | ✓ | |
| Oil Spills | ✓ | |
| Industrial Accidents | ✓ |
Mechanism of Activation
The mechanism for activating the charter varies depending upon the Authorized Users (AUs) and the nature of the disaster. AUs include civil protection agencies, governmental relief organizations, or other authorities with mandates related to disaster management. These entities can request the activation of the Charter to support emergencies in their own countries, or can also request assistance for a disaster in another country where they cooperate for relief purposes. Additionally, the charter has an agreement with UN OOSA (Vienna) and UNITAR/UNOSAT (Geneva) that they may submit requests on behalf of users from the United Nations. Activation for Asia Pacific users is done via Sentinel Asia, a regional collaboration for satellite-based emergency response in the Asia Pacific region.
