New disaster-mitigation science panel

Tony Blair has backed plans to for a new international science panel designed to help reduce the impact of natural disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes.

The Prime Minister will also use the G8 presidency to seek wider support for the panel.

Such a panel was recommended today by the Natural Hazard Working Group.

The group envisages the panel would cost less than £1 million a year and would pool the work of eminent scientists, identify gaps in knowledge and advise decision takers on potential natural hazards with both regional and international impact.

Welcoming Government support, Chief Scientific Adviser Sir David King said: "The events of Boxing Day 2004 have demonstrated that we ignore extreme natural hazards at our peril. We must take up the challenge now of identifying such threats, understanding the processes and mechanisms that underpin them, and developing effective systems to mitigate their impact."

VoiceOver

British Security Industry Association New Government Manifesto

Click on the video below to begin playing, or view the full size video here. Get Adobe Flash player

    Tags:

Political news to your inbox

Fill in your details to receive Politics.co.uk's brand of informed, in-depth and independent coverage of Westminster to your inbox

Hot topics

Britain's great energy debate

How the power gets to Britain's homes in the next century remains a matter of deep controversy

As the next general election begins to loom over the horizon, the debate over Britain's future energy policy mix is starting to hot up - and nothing seems guaranteed.

The Heathrow third runway debate

Heathrow's third runway is just one of many options

There won't be a final decision on Britain's long-term aviation strategy until after the 2015 general election - but an aggressive national debate is already underway.

Opinion Former Events

BSIA: Information Destruction Exhibition & Conference 2013

Following the great success of the BSIA's Information Destruction Conference and Exhibition in May 2012, we are pleased to annouce that the event is returning again in June 2013. This one-day conference and exhibition is aimed at key decision makers in organisations that carry out the secure destruction of confidential material.