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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.

Nairobi, Kenya
Research briefs

Global South cities lack cooling green spaces

A study has found that Global South cities have just 70% of the “cooling capacity” provided by urban greenery in the Global North.
University of Exeter
African woman fetching unclean and contaminated water from a pond or stream for their daily consumption
Research briefs

The risk of global water scarcity is greater when accounting for the origin of rain

Research at Stockholm University is now presenting an alternative method for quantifying the global risk of water scarcity. Results indicate higher risks to water supply than previously expected.
Stockholm University
Iraq drought and desert
Update

Research highlights drought risk and awareness gaps in global society

Drought creeps in gradually, often going unnoticed until it reaches a critical stage. This slow progression makes drought particularly challenging to manage and mitigate.
Pohang University of Science and Technology
ancient house
Update

5 lessons from ancient civilizations for keeping homes cool in hot, dry climates

Retrofitting modern cities and their glass towers for better heat control isn’t simple, but there are techniques that can be adapted to new designs for living better in hotter and drier climates and for relying less on constant summer air conditioning.
Conversation Media Group, the
Big crack in a road following an earthquake.
Research briefs

UAF scientist’s method could give months’ warning of major earthquakes

The public could have days or months of warning about a major earthquake through identification of prior low-level tectonic unrest over large areas, according to research by a University of Alaska Fairbanks scientist.
University of Alaska Fairbanks
African woman, Ghana
Update

Africa faces disproportionate burden from climate change and adaptation costs

Africa bears an increasingly heavy burden from climate change and disproportionately high costs for essential climate adaptation, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Beach area
Update

Coastal mapping holds the key to climate adaptation for the world's island nations

Accurate sea-level data, combined with an understanding of the depth and shape of coastal terrain, enables more precise modelling of marine hazards.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Biking in flood
Research briefs

New model to enhance extreme rainfall prediction

Scientists have developed new guidance and tools that could significantly improve the prediction of life-threatening flash flooding.
Newcastle University
earthquake
Research briefs

Operational earthquake forecasting – What is it and how is it done?

While earthquakes cannot be deterministically predicted, operational earthquake forecasting systems can provide valuable insights into the likelihood of future quakes.
Eos - AGU
Street in Nuku'alofa on Tongatapu island, Tonga.
Update

Weather ready Pacific: Saving lives in Tonga with new weather radar

Tonga launched a Weather Radar during the Fifty-Third Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting now underway. The Radar is the first deliverable of the Weather Ready Pacific in the Pacific region.
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
illustration
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