Bristol business collaborates with World Bank to offer 16 countries free flood risk data

Global flood risk intelligence leader Fathom will offer its flood data for non-commercial use, free of charge, to 16 countries under a new agreement with the World Bank. These countries are among the most vulnerable to climate change, such as Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen, which often struggle with limited data resources.

Founded out of the University of Bristol Hydrology Group, Fathom’s dual focus on commercial delivery and academic contribution has led to the pioneering of enhanced modeling approaches that are scientifically validated and effectively applied to solve industry challenges. 

The agreement is a component of the World Bank’s license of Fathom’s Global Flood Map, primarily funded by the Bank-managed Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and the Global Shield Financing Facility. 

This strategic collaboration represents a significant step forward in increasing data accessibility for all countries involved, some of which are in fragile and conflict-affected situations. It sets a precedent in the data industry, emphasising the vital importance of making data readily available. This initiative aligns with the World Bank’s growing focus on utilizing data and knowledge to benefit broader communities. 

The data from Fathom’s Global Flood Map includes both inland (rainfall and river) and coastal flood risk data for the current climate, in addition to intelligence for a number of climate change scenarios: SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5. To assist with future-proofing, users will be able to analyze the flood risk for each climate change scenario at different time horizons, with forecasting data for the years 2030, 2050 and 2080 also included in the offering. 

Stuart Whitfield, CEO at Fathom, said: “Awareness is pivotal for managing and mitigating the devastating effects of flooding. We’re incredibly proud to be offering insights into flood risk not previously available for these data scarce countries, to help support future planning and resilience to water risk.” 

Countries eligible for free flood risk data include Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Honduras, Madagascar, Federal State of Micronesia (which consists of 607 islands extending 2,900 km (1,802 mi) across the archipelago of the Caroline Islands east of the Philippines), Mozambique, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste and the Republic of Yemen.