The conference on Early Warning EWC'98 aims at a critical assessment and discussion of successes, failures, potentials, and requirements for the effective use of early warning systems in disaster mitigation. It will:

• offer existing "best practice" EWS programs and institutional capacities
• present the state-of-the-art in science and technology which is ready for application and,
• discuss perspectives and requirements for future EWS

Accordingly, the conference will result in a synoptic interdisciplinary presentation and discussion of the use of EWS for the detection of and appropriate reaction to imminent potential threats related to:

• Geo-hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunami, land- and rock slides etc.)
• Hydro-meteorological hazards (tropical storms, strong winds, torrential precipitation, floods, droughts, etc.)
• Other environmental hazards (wild fires, lightning, desert locust infestations, avalanches etc.)
• Man-made hazards with potential threat to the natural environment (rock bursts, tunnel collapses, discharge and transport of poisonous substances in air, water, and soil, etc.).

Based on case studies, the conference will discuss the latest scientific and technical achievements and modelling of scenarios, the techniques and methods for event detection and disaster prediction, the decision and formulation of warnings, the dissemination of data and messages via communication systems as well as the response to such warnings and related information at different levels of the society. The programme arrangements ensure that EWC'98 will be of equal interest and benefit for scientists, engineers, decision makers and end-users.

Morning sessions will be in plenary. They are dedicated to invited lectures, reports and panel discussions about more general and interdisciplinary aspects related to early warning systems (EWS).

Afternoon sessions will focus on more specific topical or regional aspects of early warning systems for:

• Different types of natural events with disaster potential
• Large towns and mega-cities
• Rural areas and local communities
• Small developing countries/island states
• Different geographical regions
  

as well as on related multi-sectoral issues, including:

• Space and other remote sensing technologies for EWS
• Potential of recent developments in telecommunications, meteorological and geographical information systems etc.
• Management of pre- and post warning activities
• Regional cooperation
• Volunteer mobilisation