G20 Science Academies Urge Tech-Driven Disaster Preparedness
A joint S20 statement from G20 science academies outlines how advanced technology could strengthen disaster preparedness and response worldwide.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Emergency Response
G20 science academies released a joint S20 statement on 10 November 2026 on using advanced technology to strengthen disaster preparedness and response. The statement, led by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, will be presented to the G20 before its summit in Miami, Florida in December.
Why it matters
Natural hazards such as heavy rainfall, earthquakes, droughts, wildfires, and heat and cold waves are growing in intensity and frequency, and can cascade across communities and national borders. The statement argues that the effectiveness of emerging tools is limited by gaps in data, infrastructure, technical capacity, and institutional coordination.
The statement, released 10 November 2026, identifies five action areas, but the extraction provides no quantitative trend data on hazard frequency or intensity. It is unclear how the recommendations will be adopted by G20 governments before the December summit.
The players
U.S. National Academy of Sciences
A private, nonprofit institution established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, which led the S20 statement.
Prof Himla Soodyall
A South African scientist who represented ASSAf President Prof Thokozani Majozi at the S20 drafting meeting.
The details
The statement was developed through a collaborative drafting process across the S20 academies, with a drafting meeting held in Washington, DC on 15-16 June 2026. It identifies opportunities across five actions: data and risk understanding, safe access to data and technology, local skills and capacity, human decision-making and governance, and international co-production.
Timeline
15-16 June 2026: S20 drafting meeting held in Washington, DC.
10 November 2026: S20 joint statement released.
December 2026: Statement to be presented before the G20 summit in Miami, Florida.
Emergency Response Context
The statement follows the S20 forum's role in advising G20 leaders through national science academies, extending that advisory function to disaster preparedness technology ahead of the Miami summit.
Readers following disaster preparedness policy can track whether G20 governments adopt the five recommended actions at the December summit in Miami. The statement highlights data access and local capacity as priorities for communities facing heavy rainfall, earthquakes, droughts, wildfires, and heat or cold waves.
The takeaway
Strengthening disaster response depends as much on local skills, institutional coordination, and access to data as on the technology itself. The S20 statement frames these as shared international responsibilities rather than issues for any single country to solve alone.
What happens next
The statement is scheduled to be presented to the G20 before the summit in Miami, Florida in December 2026.
Further reading
For more on how responders coordinate during crises, see Emergency Response.
