Charting the Future: Geospatial Insights from the Geography 2050 Conference

Prominent figures from academia, government, and the insurance sector converged at the Geography 2050 Conference, offering insights into the escalating risks posed by climate change and presenting geospatial solutions to address these complex challenges. The conference delved into key themes such as climate hazards, notably sea level rise, the mapping of exposure and risk, the pivotal role of the insurance industry, addressing underlying equity concerns, and the ongoing evolution of geospatial solutions.

The Geography of Sea Level Rise

One of the most significant consequences of climate change is the increasing rate of the rise in sea levels. Global mean sea level used to rise 1 inch every 20 years – but in the last 20 years, it has been increasing 1 inch every 6 years. While almost all coastal areas in the US are affected by SLR and 30-40% of our population lives in coastal areas, not every community is affected the same way. This panel discussion highlighted the importance of using geospatial analysis to look at the local effects of sea level rise on communities. As Dr. Radley Horton from the Columbia University Climate School pointed out, even a little bit of sea level rise profoundly changes both smaller flooding events as well as catastrophic flooding events, especially when combined with other climate hazards such as hurricanes. It’s imperative to study and map these flooding events locally and respond on a community level.

‍​​Data and Exposure Mapping

A major take-away from one of these panel discussions was that a hazard only becomes a risk when people are involved. Hazards, usually natural forces, are indifferent to human activity and the intersection of a hazard with the built environment creates risk, a probability of damage or loss. To map and assess these risks, we must know information about the built environment and where humans are. This is where GIS becomes helpful - geospatial data helps solve issues such as verifying what is where, keeping data current, and mapping different types of exposures such as places that don’t have an address.

The Protection Gap

As I’m sure many of us in the flood hazard business are aware, there is a large protection gap when it comes to flood risk. As Roger Grenier from Verisk Extreme Events Solution pointed out, the role of insurance is to measure, mitigate, and manage risk. While the importance of insurance for climate risk increases due to increasing climate change, the complications around flood insurance are leaving many vulnerable communities uninsured. With large amounts of geospatial data available, both pertaining to where people are as well as the ability to project future flooding events, we should be well prepared to handle flooding risk. However, this is only possible with the continuing education on GIS, and the collaboration between scientists, insurance business, policy makers, and governments.

As a GIS Analyst at Forerunner, a company working with frontline communities dealing with flood risk, this conference made me appreciate my work and reflect on all the geospatial data we have at our fingertips. I look forward to leveraging geospatial analysis and continue improving flood mapping and management.