UAE leads global push to use space tech for faster disaster response

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is using satellite imagery, geospatial data, and artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen international disaster response, with the UAE Space Agency leading the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters until 19 October 2026.

The Charter’s 17 member organisations provide satellite imagery and data free to authorised agencies responding to disasters, supporting rapid damage assessment, monitoring, and humanitarian coordination.

During the UAE’s presidency, the Space Agency has coordinated with the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA), Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), and Space42 on activations covering floods, earthquakes, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and cyclones.

Recent operations have included flood and wildfire response in Kazakhstan, earthquake assessment in Venezuela, flash-flood and mudflow monitoring in Kyrgyzstan, volcanic-risk assessment in the Philippines, flood recovery in New Zealand, and cyclone response in Papua New Guinea.

The technology provides detailed information to help authorities and assistance organisations assess disruption, supporting faster decisions on emergency response, affected communities and infrastructure.

The UAE’s leadership comes as natural disasters continue to pose significant challenges for governments, insurers, and assistance providers worldwide.

Since its establishment, the Charter has conducted more than 1,168 activations across 146 countries, using a network of more than 270 satellites from members and partners.

The UAE says the programme demonstrates how space technology is evolving from observation into a strategic tool for disaster monitoring, risk analysis, and humanitarian response.

The ITIJ team recently examined whether crisis recovery consultancies can help destinations rebuild their reputations after natural or human-caused disasters.