Early warning signs are central for crisis prevention and management. Gathering reliable information in crisis-prone regions, however, is a major challenge. The G-MOSAIC research project thus aimed at utilising Earth observations as an early crisis warning tool. Earth observations allow for continuous and comprehensive information within minutes and are less costly and risky compared to on-site research.
In contrast to other projects, G-MOSAIC accomplished more than just data gathering, because it can develop crisis indicators based on Earth observations. Such indicators can facilitate decision-making and analysis of crisis situations. G-MOSAIC developed a prototype of such an indicator system, focusing on natural resources and environmental change. It was tested at two case study regions: The Democratic Republic of Congo and the border area between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. adelphi contributed to G-MOSAIC’s study by providing regional expertise as well as conceptual input to indicator development. The project was funded under the EU’s 7th Research Framework Program.