Knowledge Base highlights and editors' picks

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Every week the PreventionWeb team of editors selects the latest news and research, reports and publications on disaster risk reduction – here is their selection of the latest must-read content.

Update

14 May 2024

Wildfire smoke is back – fires burning across Canada are already triggering US air quality alerts in the Midwest and Plains

Dozens of wildfires are burning across Canada in May 2024 and sending unhealthy smoke blowing into the northern U.S. again. At the same time, the southeastern U.S. is getting smoke from Mexico, where drought conditions have been fueling fires.

Conversation Media Group, the

Update

13 May 2024

Geomagnetic storm shows need for space weather forecasts

One of the largest geomagnetic storms in several decades has caused a spectacular light show in skies around the world and highlighted the importance of forecasts of potentially disruptive space weather events

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Update

13 May 2024

Thirsty in paradise: Water crises are a growing problem across the Caribbean islands

Caribbean islands are in a water crisis, and their governments have warned that water scarcity may become the new norm.

Conversation Media Group, the

Documents and publications

14 May 2024

Global Report on Internal Displacement (2024)

The 2024 Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID) report presents the data and analysis behind the 75.9 million people living in internal displacement as of the end of 2023.

A man wades through the flood in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Research briefs

13 May 2024

An impact-based forecasting system for improved early flood warning

A research team from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research and the German Research Centre for Geosciences has presented a flood forecasting system that provides not only timely water levels but also dynamic high-resolution flood inundation maps

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH

Documents and publications

13 May 2024

Unleashing adaptive potential for social protection: Good adaptive social protection practices in Latin America and the Caribbean

This report provides a comprehensive snapshot of good practices related to adaptive social protection advancements within the LAC region.

Update

26 April 2024

Mexico’s floating gardens are an ancient wonder of drought mitigation

Proponents say that floating gardens could provide an important, sustainable food source as the city faces historic drought.

Reasons to be Cheerful

Arial view of rainforest jungle in Brasil

Research briefs

1 May 2024

Wildfires in old-growth Amazon forest areas rose 152% in 2023, study shows

The increase was confirmed by an analysis of satellite images, contrasting with a drop in deforestation and the total number of fires detected in the Amazon. The Brazilian government’s says it is partnering with other institutions to combat wildfires.

São Paulo Research Foundation (Agência FAPESP)

Wildfires north of the city of Athens, Greece (2021)

Research briefs

8 May 2024

Experts propose a long-term strategy for wildfire risk management in the era of climate change

The authors propose a long-term strategy for integrating wildfire risk management into forest land management and note that large fires are often followed by investment in fire-fighting infrastructure, but not wildfire mitigation and prevention.

PNAS Nexus

Hurricane Irma traverses the Eastern Caribbean in this satellite view

Update

9 May 2024

La Niña is coming, raising the chances of a dangerous Atlantic hurricane season – an atmospheric scientist explains this climate phenomenon

One of the big contributors to the record-breaking global temperatures over the past year – El Niño – is nearly gone, and its opposite, La Niña, is on the way. Whether that’s a relief or not depends in part on where you live.

Conversation Media Group, the