We partnered with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery and the World Bank to make it easier for analysts to find and use data about climate and disaster risk.
The climate crisis is increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters - from floods and tsunamis, to droughts and wildfires. By making risk data easier to find and use, we can free up resources that would be better spent to manage exposure and mitigate the impact of these events.
We partnered with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) to advance their work on the Risk Data Library Standard – a global open data standard that describes risk datasets, making it easier for analysts to find the data they need.
Our approach
Risk datasets are created by various organisations working across many different types of projects. Without clear metadata, it can be hard to quickly tell what a dataset contains – for example, the geographic area covered, or the methods used to model hazards. The Risk Data Library Standard offers an open, standardised structure and format for metadata about risk datasets, making it quicker and easier for people and computers to understand and use the data.
When we joined the project, the foundations of the data standard were already in place. We worked with GFDRR to reshape and simplify the data model by clarifying the purpose and meaning of concepts and fields, and how they relate to each other. We then created a refined JSON schema following W3C best practices for interoperability, ensuring easy data sharing across platforms.
To make the standard more user-friendly, we improved the documentation inline with the new data model and created tools to help people publish metadata efficiently. We built a custom spreadsheet template for the standard, so publishers can easily create metadata using familiar and widely available software. We also developed the Risk Data Library Converter, which enables publishers to seamlessly convert these spreadsheets into JSON and validate their data against the standard.
The result
The Risk Data Library Standard is now a robust, accessible, and user-friendly tool for finding and using disaster risk datasets. Its toolkit streamlines data creation, sharing, and validation, enabling researchers and analysts worldwide to quickly find relevant datasets. This frees up vital resources that can be used to prepare for and respond to hazards and disasters.