Role of Earth System Science Organization in Disaster Management

Earth System Science Organisation (ESSO) is a virtual organisation set up by Ministry of Earth Sciences GOI in 2007 and it is the executive arm of MoES. It has three major branches of earth sciences viz., Ocean Science & Technology, Atmospheric Science & Technology and Geosciences and Technology. The sole purpose of the endeavour was to address the problems relating to earth processes for understanding the variability of earth system and for improving forecast of the weather, climate and hazards for societal, economic and environmental benefits including climate change science, climate services and integrated Himalayan meteorology, the ESSO is also responsible for development of technology towards the exploration and exploitation of marine resources in a sustainable way for the socio-economic benefit of the society by taking into account the global developments in the field of marine environment.

• The overall vision of the ESSO is to excel in knowledge and technology enterprise for the earth system science realm towards socio-economic benefit of the Indian sub-continent and in the Indian Ocean region.
• The ESSO contributes to the areas of Weather (General), Weather advisories specific to agriculture, aviation, shipping, sports, etc. Monsoon, Disasters (cyclone, earthquake, tsunami, sea level rise), Living and non-living resources (fishery advisory, poly-metallic nodules, gas hydrates, freshwater etc), Coastal and Marine Ecosystems and Climate Change, Underwater Technology.

These policies/programmes are being pursued through its centres viz., autonomous bodies and subordinate offices such as. IMD, IITM, National Centre for Antarctica and Ocean Research (NCAOR), National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Centre for Marine Living Resources (CMLRE) and Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management (ICMAM) were grouped under the ESSO. These institutions are under Earth System Science Organization (ESSO), managed by the ESSO Council. Each centre has been created with a specific well defined mandate. The ESSO operates through ESSO council, an apex body to formulate policies and plans, and provide program directions for the Centres/Units and review the implementation of programmers.