UN researchers join discussions at international conference hosted by BME

The Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) hosted the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Global Flood Partnership (GFP) from September 15 to 17. The GFP is a multidisciplinary community of scientific experts supporting humanitarian organizations, insurance companies, and first responders. It serves as a global cooperation framework between scientific institutions and flood disaster managers to mitigate the impacts and risks of floods worldwide. The event brought together 70 participants from five continents and was sponsored by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).

Opening remarks were delivered by András Nemeslaki, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, who emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships and fostering international collaboration. The local host was Zsófia Kugler, Head of the Department of Photogrammetry and Geoinformation, while the conference chair was Albert Kettner from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Zsófia Kugler

The technical program began with a simulation game on decision-making under uncertainty, exploring how the costs of responding to flood warnings and potential losses are balanced when taking action. The workshop was led by Antara Dasgupta, Junior Professor at Aachen University, and Lara Prades of the United Nations. It was followed by presentations on the latest developments in flood modeling, satellite-based observations, and challenges in operational flood response.

In the afternoon, a marketplace session allowed participants to share experiences, showcase tools, and present online platforms supporting flood response, decision-making, and planning. Among the highlights, Michael Kwame-Biney from the University of Ghana demonstrated drone-based monitoring of coastal flooding and erosion in Ghana, showing how rapid subsidence and climate change are reshaping West Africa’s coastal areas.

The monitoring of flood impacts on agriculture in humanitarian contexts was presented by Josselin Gauny and Andrea Amparore from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Italy. Another innovation showcased was FloodPIN by RSS-Hydro, Luxembourg — an experimental satellite that processes flood data on board and transmits only a fraction of the information, enabling timely flood intelligence.

A dedicated workshop focused on decision-making for refugee camp resettlement using uncertain flood model maps, field survey geodata, and open-source maps. The exercise simulated real-world humanitarian decision-making and highlighted the complexity of resettlement planning.

On the same day, a field trip was organized to the Kvassay Barrage, a flood protection structure built over 100 years ago to safeguard the downstream branch of the Danube and regulate the southern river channel. The visiting group was guided by Péter Kovács and his colleagues from the Middle Danube Region Water Directorate. The barrage recently underwent major upgrades, including the construction of new pumps to maintain water flow during low-water conditions — a state of the river becoming increasingly common due to climate change, underscoring the need for long-term drought resilience planning.

On the final day, engaging talks and panel discussions explored how local and indigenous knowledge can support flood management. Participants examined traditional forecasting practices, such as tribal rituals or the observation of plant phenology, animal behavior, and astronomy. The concluding panel discussion focused on ways to improve communication between scientific outputs, early warning systems, and operational flood response. 

Despite progress in warning procedures and growing citizen awareness, floods continue to cause significant impacts and higher-than-expected casualties worldwide.

The successful meeting concluded with hopes that the GFP will continue to make a difference in global flood management, helping societies better prepare for and respond to disasters. The hospitality of BME and the university’s outstanding venue were widely appreciated in the closing remarks.

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