Exposure and Asset Mapping

Within the context of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), asset mapping involves identifying and characterising the elements at risk from hazards. This includes people, property, systems, or functions that could be negatively affected or lost due to a hazardous event. Exposure is defined as the combination of population and assets that are either potentially at risk or may sustain damage because of the detrimental effects of hazards. Effective exposure mapping integrates socio-economic statistics with Earth Observation (EO)-derived geo-information on land use and cover to create a detailed understanding of what assets are at risk, which is crucial for assessing the potential direct impacts (e.g., economic losses) and consequences of a hazard on the population and infrastructure.

Asset mapping is closely linked to exposure mapping and focuses on characterising the specific attributes of the assets at risk. This involves gathering data on the construction type, content, economic value, and function of the exposed elements. EO data, particularly High-Resolution Optical imagery from sources like Sentinel-2 or Very High-Resolution Optical imagery from commercial satellites, provides essential geospatial information for vulnerability assessments and for developing effective DRR strategies and preparedness plans at various administrative levels.