Bangkok, 12 May 2025 - The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) reconvened with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Geoneon to advance the use of climate risk information and AI to prepare for the impact of El Niño and, more broadly, climate change. ADPC and SDC launched the project "Addressing Climate and El Niño-related Risks in Southeast Asia (ACER-SEA)" in 2024.

The ACER-SEA seeks to strengthen risk-informed, climate-resilient decision-making in disaster management and sustainable development with wider implications for the Southeast Asian region. Specifically, the project will improve the availability and accessibility of reliable high-resolution data on climate related hazards, exposure, and vulnerability through demonstration activities in Lao PDR and Indonesia.

In Southern Laos, the project focuses on development initiatives, while in West Sumatra, Indonesia, it enhances disaster preparedness and response strategies. The project seeks to strengthen risk-informed, climate-resilient decision-making in disaster management and sustainable development with wider implications for the Lower Mekong and Southeast Asian regions.

From left to right: Aslam Perwaiz, ADPC Deputy Executive Director, Peeranan Towashiraporn, ADPC Director of Risk Analytics & Climate Services, Kritsana Kityuttachai, SDC GIS and CCA Specialist, Philippe Brunet, SDC Head of the Regional Hub in Bangkok. Credit: ADP

Philippe Brunet, Head of SDC Regional Thematic Hub in Bangkok, led a team of SDC experts for a Project Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting at ADPC. The PAC discussed the progress made on the training of trainers in West Sumatra of Indonesia and the flood susceptibility and vulnerability mapping in Attapeu province of Lao PDR, while focusing on the long-term sustainability and scalability of the success to other countries in the region as well as to other regions of Asia and the Pacific.

ACER-SEA progress meeting, discussions focused on innovative solutions for climate resilience and disaster risk reduction. Credit: ADPC

This project is well-positioned to share disaster and climate data by leveraging the extensive networks of ADPC and SDC, such as partnerships with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Mekong River Commission (MRC). Together, these partnerships ensure that disaster and climate risk data reach communities and decision-makers to respond effectively to existing or emerging climate challenges.

"Through our Risk Analytics and Climate Services, we focus on using advanced satellite technology and put local priorities in the center to deliver practical, lasting solutions that make a real difference on the ground. We remain committed to work alongside with SDC to support communities in Southeast Asia as they face growing climate risks," emphasized Aslam Perwaiz, ADPC’s Executive Director.

The outcomes of this project will pave the way for the creation of science-based actions and policies for the climate-resilient Southeast Asia, and beyond.