Application of Remote Sensing and GIS for Risk Assessment in Monastir, Tunisia

Bellert, Felicitas, Fila, Konstanze, Thoms, Reinhard, Hagenlocher, Michael, Harb, Mostapha, Cotti, Davide, Baccouche, Hayet, Ayed, Sonia and Garschagen, Matthias, “Application of Remote Sensing and GIS for Risk Assessment in Monastir, Tunisia” in Environmental Remote Sensing and GIS in Tunisia ed. Khebour Allouche, F. and Negm, A.M. (Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 2021), 191-210.

Climate change and urbanization have increased disaster risk in cities and urged the need for effective disaster risk management and risk-informed urban planning. However, up-to-date data that can support risk assessments is often lacking. The ever increasing spatial and temporal resolution of remote sensing sensors offers tremendous opportunities to support risk assessments in cities. In a pilot project for the coastal city of Monastir, Tunisia, multi-temporal optical remote sensing and spatial analysis have been used to support the assessment of current and future exposure, vulnerability, and risk associated with flash floods and coastal erosion. The results were made available in a web-based information system that enables stakeholders to develop response mechanisms and to integrate risk information into urban planning in order to meet the challenges associated with urban disaster risk. The chapter focusses on the role of remote sensing and GIS for urban risk assessments, drawing on lessons from Monastir, and discusses the potential transferability to other urban settings.

Read the full book chapter here.