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

2 February 2023

Seaports could lose $67 billion yearly from disasters

Small islands and low-income nations face the largest relative monetary losses to their ports and maritime trade.

Eos - AGU

Yosemite National Park in Winter, California-USA

Research briefs

3 February 2023

Wildfires are increasingly burning California's snowy landscapes and colliding with winter droughts to shrink California's snowpack

A new study shows that midwinter dry spells lead to dramatic losses of winter snowpack in burned areas

Desert Research Institute (DRI)

Update

1 February 2023

How is climate change affecting winter storms in the US?

With extreme winter weather breaking out across the USA this week, a question in many people’s minds is—how is climate change affecting winter storms? Chat about it with Dr. Jennifer Francis, Scientist with the Woodwell Climate Research Center.

Union of Concerned Scientists

Documents and publications

2 February 2023

Community and impact-based warnings: the site-specific early warning system framework

This briefing note highlights the importance of IB-EWS in closing existing communication gaps by communicating on 'what the weather will do', the expected damages and the clear guidelines on what citizens and authorities can do to reduce their risk.

Man from South Korea walking through the streets waring a face mask for COVID-19 protection

Update

1 February 2023

Learning from South Korea: Building resilient health systems for pandemic preparedness

Korea’s response to COVID-19, heralded as one of the most successful in the world, offers a good example on how to build a resilient health system.

World Bank, the

Women dressed in traditional closes entering their house in the Chad. One is carrying a basket on her head.

Update

30 January 2023

5 myths about Disaster Risk Financing for adaptive social protection in the Sahel

Across Africa, adaptive social safety nets are on the rise. Building on traditional safety nets that provide cash assistance to poor households on a regular basis, they respond to shocks – mostly via rapid cash payments to affected households.

World Bank, the

Research briefs

1 February 2023

Europe: Trees could prevent 30% of deaths caused by urban heat islands

A new study conducted with data from 93 European cities estimates that one third of deaths attributable to heat islands could be avoided if trees covered 30% of urban space

Barcelona Institute for Global Health

Green sprout growing on the coals after a fire showing resilience.

Research briefs

31 January 2023

Understanding plants can boost wildland-fire modeling in uncertain future

Drought and warmer temperatures make vegetation dynamicxs crucial to fire behavior and effects

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Update

1 February 2023

How do La Niña and El Niño impact heat in a warming climate and what does this mean for heat hazard planners?

Climate scientists are discussing the prospect of a switch in ENSO from La Niña to El Niño in 2023.1 How should that message be interpreted by extreme heat planners? WMO’s Extreme Heat Advisor Dr John Nairn explains.

Global Heat Health Information Network

Update

31 January 2023

Understanding Black Summer through research

Science is shaping how Australia can better prepare for devastating bushfire seasons with the release of comprehensive research based on the major issues of the 2019-20 Black Summer fire season.

Natural Hazards Research Australia