The Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation is a global initiative that seeks to unite the scientific community with communities that are exposed to seismic events. From a scientific point of view, the approach used is based on reliable research, tools to consider various scenarios and alternative models, public data and synergies between academia and the public and private sectors.

* This article was published in Geociências SURA Magazine | Issue 1 | November 2016. 

Assessing the seismic risk in the world and informing it openly is the main objective of GEM. To achieve this, GEM researches and transfers information and knowledge that can be translated into the possibility of mitigating economic losses and, more importantly, preserving lives. 

The Global Earthquake Model (GEM), headquartered in the Italian commune of Pavia, is a for-profit public-private partnership that provides organizations and individuals with resources that are completely free for seismic risk assessment anywhere in the world. 

“We believe that partnership between state, academic and private organizations in the entire world is essential to manage natural disasters and preserve lives,” explains Dr. John Schneider, general secretary of GEM. 

The research carried out attempts to create tools, collect information and build synergies in order to share knowledge and work in a transparent manner. Com tudo isso, GEM aims to become a communication bridge between scientific rigor and communities subject to seismic damage in the entire world. 

How did GEM come about?

GEM began its activities in 2009 and has since led global investigations and has publicly disclosed its results based on the principles established since its inception: credibility, freedom, collaboration and transparency.

Its creation was a response to the initiative of the World Organizational Science Forum for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in 2006. Since its creation it has attempted to become a more complete source of knowledge on seismic risk and a world reference for its knowledge and application. 

“We work not only to develop tools or collect information, but to build synergies where everyone involved is convinced of the importance of sharing, being open and working together,” says Dr. in Geophysics, Schneider. 

During the first years of work, many economic resources are provided to public and private organizations in the form of sponsorship. However, the directors of GEM will understand that the organizations show more interest in sponsoring specific projects in their areas of influence and, therefore, expand their work scheme and link institutions committed to work on a regional and global level.  

The GEM has sponsors and public and private allies in the entire world. Sura has been a sponsor of GEM since 2014 and actively supports its projects and activities in Latin America.

Learning and teaching 

Since 2009, we have formed various apprenticeships. Each investigation offers data of great value, in addition, “with each earthquake we have the opportunity to collect more information that can be used to approve our models and advance in prevention,” explains Dr. Schneider.

Earthquakes such as Chile and Haiti in 2010, Japan in 2011 and Nepal in 2015 will serve to verify results. Or Dr. Schneider comments that “Our work does not validate whether governments are prepared or unable to respond. Our work helps them understand the risk that they themselves validate. “If the plans that are used to attenuate them — such as the codes for the construction of buildings, or urban planning or the plans for the rehabilitation of buildings — are not appropriate or not.” 

For this reason, its reports, investigations and tools like OpenQuake are shared with the interested parties who want to access them in the entire world, thereby contributing with knowledge to estimate the risk of seismic risk.

The GEM does not delve directly into other phenomena such as tsunamis or enchentes. However, he has coordinated various partnerships with specialized organizations and has not studied other natural phenomena. An example is the Italian foundation Centro Internacional de Monitoramento Ambiental (CIMA), which works jointly in hydrological risk modelling, prevention and management. 

GEM also works with universities and scientific institutions in several countries, such as the geophysical institutes of Australia, Germany, the United States and Colombia. These institutions implement information or use GEM tools based on their plans for the development and dissemination of seismic information. 

SARA, investigations in South America

A South America Risk Assessment (SARA, Avaliação do Risco Sismico na América do Sul) is a project developed by GEM that benefits that region of the continent. The project began in January 2013 and seeks the development of a model to estimate the risk and seismic risk in the region through the use of standardized data and methodologies based on the principles of transparency and exchange of knowledge and scientific rigor. 

SARA seeks to mitigate the impacts of its work and is even more notable when we note that between 1970 and 2012, 77.000 people and 15 million people were affected by the earthquakes that occurred in South America and that, in addition, economic losses were calculated in 37 billion dollars. dollars. For this reason, regional specialists plan research to offer products that improve rock management and strengthen the interest in knowing more about this phenomenon. 

For the general secretary of GEM, Dr. John Schneider, “This project has been a success. Currently you can find more complete information on the seismic risk of the region”. This was confirmed after the Ecuadorian earthquake, which occurred on April 16, 2016, when the investigations carried out for a valuable resource for the Government of this country to estimate the potential damage to buildings, or for repositioning, to distribute the victims in that country general impact. 

Additionally, GEM carried out in South America specific training on the uses and applications of its products and tools, accompaniment for universities that offer courses in seismic risk assessment and management, and works together with disaster prevention centers in several countries. gives region. 

What does GEM expect for the future?

Currently, GEM intends to launch several practical projects. One of the most important things is to continue feeding its global information project on the sources of earthquakes. This aspect of seismic damage is intended to collect additional information on local responses of different types, especially in urban areas where variability is high. 

GEM also aims to work on recovery models to understand how social, physical and economic factors contribute to communities responding or recovering from an earthquake. Another plan is the creation of prototypes, similar to OpenQuake, that could be used for other types of natural cliffs. 

Research, transfer of knowledge and preservation of life and property are aimed at achieving the goals of GEM's work, benefiting and strengthening the reduction of seismic risk in the world. 

Sources

• John Schneider. Geophysicist at the University of California, San Diego, United States, Dr. in Geophysics at the University of Wisconsin.