Project Purpose

Technology application used in disaster prevention and reduction has been an important focus for the government. Since 1982, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has led the government divisions to promote a large-scale disaster-prevention technology-integration plan and two national disaster-prevention technology plans (National Science and Technology program for Hazards Mitigation and Program for Enhancing Innovation and Implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction, referred to as NAPHM and PEIIDRR), numerous results have been presented since then. However, in recent years, the climate has been changing and disaster patterns have become extreme and complex, for example, typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan in 2009 and caused significant casualties and losses, therefore, disaster prevention technology research and development needs to be strengthened and adjusted to face the future challenges.

After a holistic assessment and review by the Executive Yuan, and in consideration of urgent need to solve the current disaster prevention issues, the NSTC has invited the relevant government divisions to jointly plan and promote the " Program on Applying Science & Technology for Disaster Reduction of the Executive Yuan" (referred to as ASTDR 2011-2014) in 2010 to continuously synergize and enhance capacities of disaster prevention technology research and development, and promote implementation of applied technologies to reduce severe impacts of future catastrophes. And the ASTDR Program continued with phase II (2015-2018). Furthermore, the Program on Innovative Technology for Disaster Reduction (referred to as ITDR 2019-2022) carried on with the joint mechanism of multi-institutes/agencies to reinforce the horizontal information integration and to strengthen the integrated application of disaster reduction technologies.

                                                    The History of Innovative Technology for Disaster Reduction (ITDR) Program

Primary Tasks

1. Operational management and results assessment of the Program ITDR 
   Act as advisor for promoting the Program. Key tasks involve assisting government departments and divisions in designing research topics and managing scientific research projects, establishing communication channels between government departments and divisions, constructing result-sharing and promotion mechanism, and examining and compiling annual results.
2. Integration and application of the Disaster Management Information Platform
   Assist the NSTC to promote the outcomes of the Program ITDR to academic and research sectors in supporting application development for disaster reduction technology, the results were provided through the Platform, which was jointly developed by the Office of the Program ITDR, the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction.
3. Consolidation of disaster prevention and response policy proposals 
   Study and raise disaster prevention and response policy proposals through the legal system of Disaster Prevention and Protection Expert Consultation Committee, Central Disaster Prevention and Protection Council and Central Disaster Prevention and Protection Commission. Topics include "Digital Transformation for Disaster Reduction", "Urban Resilience under Extreme Disaster", "Large-scale Earthquake Policy Proposals", "Disaster Insurance Policy Proposals", "large-scale earthquake policy proposals", and other program on science & technology for disaster reduction. Main tasks are policy issues planning, expert meeting organizing, etc.

Key Achievements

1. Assisted the NSTC to promote the Program ASTDR, continuously synergized and enhanced capacities of disaster prevention technology research and development, implemented disaster prevention and reduction tools and applications to mitigate impacts and losses of disasters, and economically enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of implementation of the results application by information sharing.
2. Amended the Program ITDR topics accordingly, including annual holistic planning, topic innovation, horizontal and vertical coordination cross government departments and divisions, outcomes integration, and application mechanism implementation.
3. Established the Information Platform to aggregate results from government departments and divisions, this platform is a representative of government big data application website that practically provides disaster prevention related research services to academic and research sectors.
4. Connected domestic disaster prevention technology researches and integrated research outcomes through the Program promotion and implementation to enhance capacities of national disaster prevention and response.
5. Studied and raised disaster prevention and response policy proposals through the legal system of Disaster Prevention and Protection Expert Consultation Committee, Central Disaster Prevention and Protection Council and Central Disaster Prevention and Protection Commission. Acted as consultation advisor to government projects of science and technology for disaster reduction.