SciDev.Net has published a Spotlight on how satellite remote sensing can provide crucial data to prepare for, mitigate, respond to and relieve the impacts of natural disasters.

The Spotlight explores how developing countries can access and make use of these data. Also, it considers what policymakers must do to prepare.

The Spotlight provides a series of articles and commentaries written by international experts that:

• explain how satellite data can be used to monitor and manage different natural disasters;
• reflect on lessons learnt from successful applications in the developing world;
• ask how developing countries can harness this technology for themselves; and
• provide advice to policymakers on the ground.