Central Idea

• The concept of SUMups, a hypothetical bundling of complementary start-ups globally that work on some aspect of managing natural disasters. There are some of the innovative technologies developed by these start-ups and how they can be combined to develop more effective disaster management solutions.

Background: The Rising Frequency and Impact of Natural Disasters Globally

• Increasing Frequency and Severity of Natural Disasters: Globally, natural disasters have become increasingly common and the severity of their impact is worsening.
• FAO Report: According to the FAO’s report, there were 360 natural disasters per year in the 2010s that resulted in at least 10 deaths, affected 100 or more people, led to homelessness or injury, and required a declaration of a state of countrywide emergency and an appeal for international assistance.
• Comparison of Natural Disasters: This number is significantly higher than the 100 events recorded in the 1980s and the 90 events recorded in the 1970s.
• Frequency of Climate, Weather, and Hydrology-related Disasters: Furthermore, climate, weather, and hydrology-related disasters are becoming more frequent, while geophysical and biological emergencies are not, with the exception of Covid-19.
• Global Impact of Natural Disasters: The impact of these natural disasters is global, affecting countries across the world in various ways, including forest fires, heat and dust storms, and floods.
• The Need to Improve Disaster Response and Mitigation Efforts: As a society, it is important to recognize that natural disasters will continue to pose a threat and we need to improve our ability to respond and mitigate their effects.
• Measures Being Taken to Address the Issue of Natural Disasters: Fortunately, there are measures being taken to address this issue, including research into improving disaster response systems and the development of new technologies to aid in disaster preparedness and relief efforts.

Disaster Prevention Technologies

• The disaster prevention technologies developed by start-up
• CERD-AR: CERD-AR developed an Augmented Reality (AR) application that gamifies the animations of disasters and provides disaster prevention drills to prepare people for evacuation and reaction in ultra-realistic settings.
• A Palo Alto-based start-up One Concern: One Concern built a digital twin of the world by analyzing satellite images to predict natural disasters. The platform combines Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning (AI/ML), and supercomputers to develop seismic and flood technology for real-time prediction of flooding and assess the risk associated with various events.

Emergency Response and Reconstruction Technologies

• Garuda Aerospace: Garuda Aerospace deployed drones in Turkey for surveillance in the affected earthquake areas to identify trapped victims.
• HW Design Labs: HW Design Labs developed IoT innovations that support disaster response teams in planning their operations effectively through deep penetrating ground sensing radars, wireless connectivity solutions, advanced tracking, and navigation services.

Emergency Communication Technologies

• MyResQR: This start-up provides emergency communication between victims and stakeholders. The smart QR code manages information and triggers SOS during emergencies by enabling first responders like ambulance services, hospital staff, and other emergency response teams.

Way Ahead

• The SUMups represent an opportunity to combine innovative disaster management technologies from start-ups globally to address the Sustainable Development Goals for the whole world, such as building resilient infrastructure and zero hunger.

Conclusion

• The Startup20 Engagement Group of G20 can enable many such SUMups that can help deal with the increasing frequency, intensity, and complexity of natural disasters in the future. Sharing ideas and collaborating globally can help us all become better prepared and equipped to tackle these events. The article emphasizes that the sharing of ideas can be a powerful tool for solving complex problems, and the development of SUMups is a step in the right direction for improving disaster management worldwide.

Mains Question

Q. What is the concept of SUMups? Discuss the innovative technologies developed by start-ups in the areas of disaster prevention.

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