NBC - Nuclear, Biological, Chemical

Chemical hazards are the unintended or deliberate release of a substance that is potentially harmful to humans or the environment (e.g. nerve and blistering agents, toxic industrial chemicals).

Biological hazards, according to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (1972), include germs, toxins and viruses that can sicken or kill people, livestock, or crops (UNODA, 1972).

Nuclear hazards involve the accidental or intentional release of potentially harmful radioactive materials from nuclear fission or fusion, such as those associated with  power plants, research reactors or nuclear weapons (HIP; IFRC).

Latest NBC additions in the Knowledge Base

Documents and publications

Part 1: Chernobyl's legacy: health, environmental and socio-economic impacts

Nearly 20 years after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) accident, many questions remained unanswered regarding the health, environmental, and socio-economic consequences

United Nations Environment Programme
World Bank, the
World Health Organization (WHO)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Headquarters
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Documents and publications

This report addresses disasters that are the product of a hazard such as earthquake, flood or wind storm coinciding with a vulnerable situation which might include communities, cities or villages. There are two main components in this definition: hazard

India - government
Documents and publications

This report talks about interactions between natural disasters and simultaneous technological accidents. It aims to provide an overview of the natech problem, and to present the state of the art in natech risk management. The report identifies the main

European Commission Joint Research Centre
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
Documents and publications

Around the world, a growing share of the devastation triggered by ‘natural’ disasters stems from ecologically destructive practices and from putting ourselves in harm’s way. Many ecosystems have been frayed to the point where they are no longer able to

United Nations Environment Programme
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