Representatives from the 19 public universities of Central America agreed on a 12-year strategy for studying and preventing natural disasters and for proposing appropriate public policies. The initiative promotes scientific research and equipping laboratories and seismic detection networks, among other efforts.

The university representatives are working on joint academic plans to reinforce studies of natural disasters, climate change, mitigation and risk management, as well as developing infrastructure for early warning when these phenomena occur, Honduran Science and Technology Minister Miriam Mejía told Tierramérica.

The academy “has joined in this regional initiative that aims to strengthen capacities and offer responses to the governments, which lack the appropriate technical and scientific instruments” for dealing with these problems, she added.