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54 disseminated and applied worldwide through cooperative ventures. In addition, disaster data that now exist in individual countries and in different data files in a single country can be collected, processed, and disseminated through cooperative effort. This effort would benefit all concerned nations and help identify significant gaps in knowledge. Problem-Focused Applied Research Many problems attendant to natural hazards can be addressed through cooperative hazard mitigation projects that unite scientists and practi- tioners in activities that focus on common prob- lems. For example, after identifying a particular problem area - such as using meteorological data to better prepare for an approaching hurricane- scientists and practitioners could then form a team to address the situation. The scientists would provide on-the-spot research to complement the ongoing implementation efforts of the disaster planning officials. In this way, the research/imple- mentation/feedback process could be accelerated, and the projects could demonstrate positive re- sults achieved within a reasonable time. This type of problem-focused project could be a key activity of the IDNHR. Another example of problem-focused research relates to the earthquake safety of existing con- crete dams. A safety analysis of an arch dam, for instance, requires data on seismic motions at the points of contact between the dam and the canyon floor and walls. These motions have never been recorded. A single country instrumenting some of its dams might have to wait a long time before recording the desired information. An interna- tional approach, with dams in various seismically active areas being instrumented, could provide the information much sooner. New Research The IDNHR will also stimulate major new research. Whether they are geophysical studies of tsunami generation or the development of a cooperative international program in strong earthquake motion measurement, the possible cooperative projects under the aegis of the Decade are numerous. Further, once attention focuses on the activities of the Decade, new topics will emerge. Be they scientific, technical, social, or administrative, many will require new research efforts and fresh approaches. By bringing re- searchers and practitioners together under a vari- ety of forums, the IDNHR can generate new ideas and greatly enhance the state of the art in all areas. International workshops organized around spe- cific disasters or specific mitigation approaches will provide a structure for in-depth discussions to formulate new programs of crucial research. The Scope of International Projects The nature and scope of cooperative international projects will vary depending on the topic. For example, some geophysical projects require a regional approach and will involve scientists from several - often many - countries. The study funded by the United Nations on earthquake risk in the Balkan region in the 1970s involved hundreds of earth scientists from the region and from other participating countries. Possible re- gional projects include: . risk and hazard mapping, ~ geophysical studies, . climatic studies, ~ networks of data recording instruments, and ~ regional early warning networks. On the other hand, projects designed to im- prove building performance must often be under- taken on a country-by-country approach. Some- times they must be broken down even further within a country to interprovincial levels. How- ever, even in these activities, building types tend to repeat - albeit with variations. The IDHNR will bring engineers, architects, and planners with practical experience in one country into contact with their colleagues in other countries to share their experiences. Possible projects include: ~ reducing the vulnerability of residential hous- mg; ~ planning for disaster preparedness; ~ developing repair procedures for postdisaster reconstruction; and ~ formulating consistent building regulations, standards, and practices. Experience from other internationally recog- nized decades (for example, the International Hydrological Decade and the Decade of Child Survival) shows that simply identifying a topic and designating it as a matrer of international concern generates an unprecedented awareness of