Knowledge Base highlights and editors' picks

Top stories and editors' picks from the most recent additions. Explore the whole Knowledge Base.

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.

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Documents and publications

30 May 2022

Risk-informed development guide

This resource provides practical advice on the risk-informed development planning process. It aims to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations to engage in transformative risk-informed development planning with communities most at risk.

People crossing road with umbrella in rain at Matunga in Mumbai Maharashtra India

Update

30 May 2022

Monsoon rainfall increases in Kashmir, raising flood fears

Urbanisation is leading to increasing monsoon rainfall in the Kashmir valley, say researchers, raising fears of catastrophic flooding exacerbated by poor urban planning

The Third Pole

Update

30 May 2022

Securing a future with safer schools: Building resilience in Pacific schools

The January 2022 volcanic eruption and tsunami – called a ‘once in 1000-year event’ is the latest in a long list of recent disasters to have hit Tonga and cause significant disruption to Tongan children’s education.

World Bank, the

Documents and publications

30 May 2022

Detecting damaged buildings using real-time crowdsourced images and transfer learning

This paper presents an automated way to extract the damaged buildings images after earthquakes from social media platforms such as Twitter and thus identify the particular user posts containing such images.

A selective focus shot of a dock in Grand Cayman as Hurricane Laura passes by

Update

26 May 2022

AI and machine learning are improving weather forecasts, but they won’t replace human experts

Unlike numerical weather prediction models, forecast systems that use machine learning are not constrained by the physical laws that govern the atmosphere. So it’s possible that they could produce unrealistic results.

Conversation Media Group, the

Research briefs

27 May 2022

Critical global water questions

New research has drawn together expert voices from across the globe to help address current and future water challenges. Key areas identified include water scarcity, sanitation and climate dynamics

University of Leeds

20 meters waves in front of lighthouse in Nazari, Portugal.

Research briefs

27 May 2022

Tsunami threats are greatly underestimated in current models, new research shows

An analysis of historical seismic events by a USC Dornsife scientist helps explain why large tsunamis still occur after relatively small earthquakes.

University of Southern California

Houses being washed away through coastal erosion and sea level rise.

Update

25 May 2022

New study of the relationship between climate change and socio-economic tipping points

Climate change can cause sudden socio-economic tipping points, such as large-scale bankruptcies of low-lying ski resorts, the collapse of house prices due to sea level rise, or the extensive disruption of the road network due to flooding.

Deltares

Women carrying water pots on their heads, India

Update

25 May 2022

Indian droughts and cyclones fuel trafficking fears for climate migrants

People fleeing extreme weather events such as drought are more vulnerable to forced labour than those migrating after floods and cyclones, report finds.

Thomson Reuters Foundation, trust.org

Documents and publications

26 May 2022

The road to COP27: making Africa’s case in the climate debate

Ahead of the COP27 summit, the Ibrahim Forum aims to help inform and articulate Africa’s position in the global debate around climate change. Prior to the Forum, this document by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation provides the most recent and relevant data.