Research
Our research explores the impacts of climate change on human society, examining interactions, risks, and potential consequences across various time resolutions. We investigate whether climate forecasts and projections can help anticipate these risks and impacts and how management strategies can be optimized accordingly.
To achieve our objectives, we utilize a broad range of Earth Observation tools (including satellite data, climate observations, and simulations), alongside social and infrastructural datasets. Our methods encompass statistical, empirical, and numerical analysis.
Water Resources
Water resource systems are increasingly vulnerable to the unpredictable intensity and occurrence of extreme events like floods and droughts. These climate risks, coupled with anticipated shifts in seasonal water availability, require a transformative approach to water infrastructure and management. It is crucial to design systems that are resilient and adaptable to various potential futures beyond initial projections. We emphasize proactive, dynamic adaptation strategies that evolve with ongoing climate data and both short-term and long-term forecasts. A critical component of this approach is the ability to quickly detect and respond to significant shifts in hydrological patterns and system performance as they occur.
Climate change is expected to significantly impact global agricultural production and food security. Changes in precipitation patterns and temperature extremes can affect crop yields, while the increased frequency of extreme weather events can disrupt agricultural activities and damage crops. We utilize Earth Observation to proactively predict crop yields at a subnational scale in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), enhancing food security assessments and agricultural planning. Additionally, we explore the interconnected dynamics between climate impacts, agroeconomic management, and food production in SSA.
Disaster Management
Climate-related disasters dominate all types of natural disasters. While the predictability of physical exposures has been actively researched, the incorporation of the social dimension into disaster risk management and adaptation policies has not been adequately addressed. We integrate social, climate, and infrastructure data to identify specific levels of social vulnerability to particular disaster types and to anticipate their risks and impacts based on climate forecasts. We examine the temporal and spatial variations in human vulnerability to natural disasters, providing critical information for local and international disaster risk reduction agencies.
