Recording Disaster Losses: Recommendation for a European approach

In  a  study  commissioned  by  Directorate  General  Humanitarian  Aid  and  Civil  Protection  of  the  European  Commission,  the  Joint  Research  Centre  formulates  technical  recommendations  for  a  European  approach  to  standardize  loss  databases.  Loss  data  are  useful  for  the  implementation of  disaster  risk  reduction  strategies  in  Europe  (from  local  to  national  scales)  and  to  help understand disaster loss trends at global level.  Taking  stock  of  existing  work,  the  study  defines  a  conceptual  framework  for  the  utility  of  loss data   which   allows   a   cost-benefit   analysis   of   implementation   scenarios.   The   framework considered loss accounting, disaster forensics and risk modelling as key applications. Depending on  the  scale  (detail  of  recording)  and  scope  (geographic  coverage),  technical  requirements  will be more or less stringent, and costs of implementation will vary accordingly.  The  technical  requirements   proposed  in  this  study rely  as  much  as  possible  on  existing standards,   best   practices   and   approaches   found   in   literature,   international   and   national organisations  and  academic  institutions.  The  requirements  cover  very  detailed  recording  (at asset  level)  as  well  as  coarse  scale  recording.  Limitations  and  opportunities  of  existing  EU legislation are considered as the EU context.