A research centre to help people prepare for floods and other natural disasters will be expanded if the federal government can get the states and territories to pitch in.

The Gillard government is pledging $47 million over eight years to establish a Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), if the states and territories make similar commitments.

The existing Bushfire CRC will be expanded to reflect the broader range of natural hazards facing Australians.

It would also look into flood, earthquake, cyclone and tsunami events, the government said in a statement on Wednesday.

Research into mitigation measures will also be conducted by the centre, which will work with communities to reduce the social, economic and environmental costs of natural hazards.