Skip to content

GCRI · National Nexus

National Desk

The National Desk coordinates a National programme. It routes questions, keeps the cadence, holds the records and gives continuity when people change. It is designed to be owned by a nationally accountable organisation, supported by The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI) as Consortium Secretariat. A desk claims no public authority and never speaks for a government. Part of National Nexus.

Make an enquiry Back to National Nexus
01Contents

National Desk in four parts.

In this dossier4 parts
  1. 01FunctionsWhat a National Desk does
  2. 02FormationHow a desk comes into being
  3. 03OwnershipAccountable, national and bounded
  4. 04StatusWhere enquiries go today
02Functions

What a National Desk does.

Routing

Questions and enquiries

Collects material questions, capability gaps and candidate missions, and gives each enquiry a reference.

Cadence

Calendar and delivery

Keeps the monthly working-group rhythm and the quarterly evidence cycle on schedule.

Records

Operating records

Holds decision logs, participation records and source registers, so the programme can be continued by others.

03Geography

Hazards and exposure worldwide.

Population density, night lights and flood water across the world, from NASA GIBS. Each layer carries its own date.

The interactive map needs JavaScript; the layer list and sources are below.

Layers 3

Hazards and exposure, for this page

About this layer
Evidence
Estimated
Source
Gridded Population of the World v4.11 (NASA SEDAC (CIESIN, Columbia University))
Provider
NASA SEDAC (CIESIN, Columbia University)
Licence
CC BY 4.0
Vintage
null; Census-based estimate, static (2020)
Resolution
about 1 km grid
Uncertainty
Census-based estimate of people per square kilometre in 2020, shown as exposure context; not a count of people affected by any hazard.
Reached through
gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map
About this layer
Evidence
Observed
Source
VIIRS Black Marble (VNP46A2) (NASA LAADS DAAC)
Provider
NASA LAADS DAAC
Licence
NASA open data
Vintage
daily; Satellite radiance, corrected for moonlight and atmosphere
Newest at build
2026-10-12
Resolution
about 500 m grid
Uncertainty
Satellite night-time radiance for the date shown; lights are a proxy for electricity use and outages, not a measurement of supply or access.
Reached through
gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map
About this layer
Evidence
Observed (clouds leave gaps)
Source
VIIRS Global Flood Product (NASA LANCE)
Provider
NASA LANCE
Licence
NASA open data
Vintage
daily; Satellite detection; clouds leave gaps
Newest at build
2026-10-14
Resolution
about 250 m grid
Uncertainty
Satellite detection; clouds leave gaps. Satellite or model raster as the provider publishes it. Clouds, swath gaps and retrieval error leave gaps and noise; values are indicators, not measurements at a place.
Reached through
gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map
About this layer
Evidence
Observed
Source
VIIRS NOAA-20 corrected reflectance (NASA LANCE)
Provider
NASA LANCE
Licence
NASA open data
Vintage
daily; Satellite image
Newest at build
2026-10-14
Resolution
about 250 m grid
Uncertainty
Satellite image. Satellite or model raster as the provider publishes it. Clouds, swath gaps and retrieval error leave gaps and noise; values are indicators, not measurements at a place.
Reached through
gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map
About this layer
Evidence
Modelled (latest year GIBS publishes)
Source
MODIS Terra and Aqua land cover (MCD12Q1) (NASA LP DAAC)
Provider
NASA LP DAAC
Licence
NASA open data
Vintage
yearly; Satellite classification; latest year GIBS publishes
Newest at build
2024-01-01
Resolution
about 500 m grid
Uncertainty
Satellite land cover classes for the year shown, including croplands; a classification with known errors, not a farm register.
Reached through
gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map
About this layer
Evidence
Observed (clouds and overpass timing leave gaps)
Source
VIIRS NOAA-20 375 m (FIRMS) (NASA LANCE FIRMS)
Provider
NASA LANCE FIRMS
Licence
NASA open data
Vintage
daily; Satellite detection; clouds and overpass timing leave gaps
Newest at build
2026-10-13
Resolution
about 500 m grid
Uncertainty
Satellite hot-spot detections for the day shown, including gas flares and industrial heat; not a confirmed fire, an incident report or a warning.
Reached through
gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map

Latest available

NASA GIBS / EOSDIS · ASTER GDEM (METI, NASA) · Blue Marble (NASA) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Natural Earth

Loading the latest NASA imagery.

Drag to move. Ctrl or ⌘ and scroll, pinch or the buttons to zoom; hover for the values under the pointer; reset returns to the region.

Hazards and exposure, framed on the world.Satellite and model products as NASA publishes them, each with its own date. They are indicators, not assessments of any place.

Data: NASA GIBS · ASTER GDEM · Blue Marble · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Natural Earth · NASA EONET · U.S. Geological Survey · NASA JPL OPERA DIST-ALERTSources and licences

  • We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA’s Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA’s Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA’s Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA’s Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University. 2018. Gridded Population of the World, Version 4 (GPWv4): Population Density, Revision 11. NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). doi:10.7927/H49C6VHW. CC BY 4.0
  • VIIRS Black Marble night-time lights, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; distributed by the NASA Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System (LAADS DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • VIIRS near-real-time products (flood, land surface temperature, snow cover, corrected reflectance), NASA LANCE; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • MODIS land products (vegetation indices, gross primary production, land cover), NASA LP DAAC and LANCE; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • NASA Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), VIIRS 375 m active fire product, NASA LANCE; vector tiles via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • ASTER GDEM is a product of METI and NASA (ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model V003, NASA LP DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). Cite as: NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Spacesystems and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team (2019). ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model V003. doi:10.5067/ASTER/ASTGTM.003. NASA open data
  • Made with Natural Earth. Free vector and raster map data @ naturalearthdata.com. Public domain
  • © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via NASA GIBS (coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). ODbL
  • Blue Marble, NASA Earth Observatory; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • Context on the globe and flat map: coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names from NASA GIBS reference layers (OpenStreetMap data, ODbL, © OpenStreetMap contributors); Blue Marble imagery as an optional base; 3D terrain and the elevation read-out from the ASTER GDEM elevation colour index (5 m to 200 m classes, exaggerated for legibility). Boundaries are drawn as published and imply no position on any territory.
  • Live events: NASA Earth Observatory Natural Event Tracker (EONET); events are indicative and keep their original source links.
  • Live: NASA EONET Events are indicative, not authority warnings.
  • Live: U.S. Geological Survey Events are indicative, not authority warnings.
  • Observed (EO): NASA JPL OPERA DIST-ALERT (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2026). We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA’s Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA’s Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS).
  • NASA GIBS: We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA’s Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA’s Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS).
  • River discharge forecast, 30 days with range (GloFAS via Open-Meteo): Contains modified Copernicus Emergency Management Service information 2026; not a flood warning.
  • Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (https://open-meteo.com/), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
  • Optional layers (11 sources in the layer list: live, forecast, observed and context) print their provider credit on the map and here when switched on; forecasts are model output and derived indices are estimates.

Layers and dates

  • Population density, 2020: Population: CIESIN, Columbia University, Gridded Population of the World v4.11 (2018), NASA SEDAC, CC BY 4.0 · static
  • Night-time lights, daily: VIIRS Black Marble (VNP46A2), NASA LAADS DAAC · 12 Oct 2026
  • Flood water, 3-day composite: VIIRS Global Flood Product, NASA LANCE · 14 Oct 2026
  • True colour: VIIRS NOAA-20 corrected reflectance, NASA LANCE · 13 Oct 2026
  • Land cover type (IGBP), yearly: MODIS Terra and Aqua land cover (MCD12Q1), NASA LP DAAC · 2024
  • Active fires and thermal anomalies: VIIRS NOAA-20 375 m (FIRMS), NASA LANCE FIRMS · 13 Oct 2026

04Formation

How a desk comes into being.

  1. 01

    Exploration

    Enquiries reach the Secretariat or the country desk address, which routes them while no national structure exists.

  2. 02

    Formation dossier

    The dossier names the local ownership model and host options for the desk. See Formation pathway.

  3. 03

    Constitution

    The accountable organisation is recorded, under its own agreement with GCRI Canada.

  4. 04

    Operation

    The desk takes up routing, cadence and records for the active programme.

05Process

How the process runs.

Process

National Desk: Build, sign and accept

An admitted mission becomes a cycle project; the build is pinned, verified and signed, and the Global Risks Forum (GRF) records acceptance for exercise, not permission to deploy.

  1. 01 Request and sources

    1. 01Admitted mission becomes a cycle projectRecord · Universe to FoundryAn admitted mission becomes a cycle project with a decision case.
    2. 02Qualify data sources and resourcesStep · GCRIGCRI qualifies data sources and resource offers and builds the scenario models. An offer is not an allocation.

  2. 02 Build and verify

    1. 03Source snapshotRecord · NXS-FAC (blueprints, builds and signing)The snapshot pins the commit, dependencies and generator versions.
    2. 04Build contractRecord · NXS-FAC (blueprints, builds and signing)The build contract declares the artefact kind, environment and reproducibility envelope.
    3. 05Integrate and buildModel · GCRIGCRI integrates software and data, signs builds, and tests security and interoperability.
    4. 06Verification suiteGate · NXS-FAC (blueprints, builds and signing)Required and advisory checks stay separate. Reproducibility needs pinned inputs, declared nondeterminism and independent rebuilds.

  3. 03 Sign and admit

    1. 07Sign the exact artefactStep · NXS-FAC (blueprints, builds and signing)NXS-FAC builds, attests and requests a signature via a scoped signer identity. It holds no key material.
    2. 08Package admissionStep · NXS-NXQ (software, models and capability lifecycle)NXS-NXQ receives the signed package and keeps admission evidence that binds the task, data class, evaluation suite and expiration.

  4. 04 Accept

    1. 09Core Build ReportRecord · GCRIThe Core Build Report is the go or no-go record. Universe assembles the Core and holds the decision for the exercise.
    2. 10G3 · Build accepted for exerciseGate · The Global Risks ForumGRF records whether the build is accepted for exercise. A signed build or release candidate is not permission to deploy to production.

The programme year · NXS-FAC · UniverseDesigned programme process, not a record of operation. No cycle has run and every programme is at service level R0. A gate is a programme decision, never a public-authority approval, certification or deployment authorisation. The record order follows the Builds and Releases room lists of NXS-FAC.

06Ownership

Accountable, national and bounded.

  • The organisation that holds the desk is named before it processes personal data, and never replaces GCRI Canada as contracting party.
  • A desk holds no public authority and makes no statement for any government. It represents a government only where that government has said so in a record.
  • The national agenda belongs to the competent National consortium structures; the desk serves it.
  • Records follow the rights schedule and privacy notice that apply to the programme.
07Status

Where enquiries go today.

No national programme is recorded as constituted or active. No country’s desk, model or portfolio is shown as operating. Information and enquiries are open today. Write to the country desk address on each country research profile, or the Secretariat at the contact form. See Countries and research profiles, and The Global Risks Forum (GRF) on National engagement.

08Questions

Questions and answers.

Is a National Desk a diplomatic or government office?
No. It is a coordinating function with records. It has no diplomatic, public or regulatory status.
Who staffs the desk?
The nationally accountable organisation that holds it, named in the formation record. Until then, the Secretariat routes enquiries.
What happens to desk records if the host organisation changes?
Records are kept so that the programme can be continued by others. A change of host is recorded, and records pass under the rights schedule and privacy notice that apply, rather than leaving with the outgoing organisation.
What does the country desk address do now?
It receives mail for a country and gives each enquiry a reference. It is not a sign that a national programme exists.
The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation

Bring a method, a dataset or a question.

Information and enquiries are open today. An enquiry receives a reference and names the next step; applications, payments, compute allocations and registrations open only when their team, terms and review capacity exist.

Propose a method See all contact routes
Legal

Maps, data and figures on this site are shown for context and general information. They are not advice, forecasts or warnings; the limits of the information are set out in the Disclaimers and Data Notices.

Privacy choices