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.

Update

2 February 2024

Climate crises Q&A: Why have some recent storms gained so much strength, so quickly?

Warming oceans and the El Nino phenomenon have caused some storms to gain strength far more rapidly than predicted. More investment in forecasting, early warning, preparation — and an assist from artificial intelligence — are parts of the solution.

Mexican Red Cross Society

Update

21 February 2024

A single Antarctic heatwave or storm can noticeably raise the sea level

Short-term events can have a much longer-term effect on the world’s largest ice sheets, and may even lead to tipping points being crossed in the polar regions.

Conversation Media Group, the

Update

20 February 2024

More frequent extreme droughts result in significant crop losses, say researchers

Scientist Pål Thorvaldsen participated in a large international drought experiment initiated by the University of Michigan, U.S. He explains that climate change may lead to more frequent occurrences of short-term extreme drought.

Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research

Update

16 February 2024

Copernicus interactive climate atlas: A game changer for policymakers

The Copernicus Interactive Climate Atlas is set to be an important new resource for policymakers looking to formulate effective climate policy and for other users needing to visualize and analyze climate change information.

Copernicus Climate Change Service

Documents and publications

20 February 2024

Translating climate risk assessments into more effective adaptation decision-making: The importance of social and political aspects of place-based climate risk

This article argues that framing climate risk in terms of physical, socio-economic and/or ecological risks remains problematic in ensuring adequate climate risk assessment information translates into more effective adaptation decision-making.

Update

19 February 2024

Crisis-ready science: a framework for proactive and resilient sector

The sanctity and resilience of the global scientific community have never been more crucial. This report addresses the urgent need to protect scientists, academics, and educational institutions increasingly targeted in various global crises.

International Science Council (ISC)

Research briefs

17 February 2024

Detecting atmospheric rivers with satellite observations

A novel method includes new algorithm to glean important information about atmospheric rivers from satellite observations.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Update

16 February 2024

As climate disasters claim their children, Bangladeshi mothers seek safety in bigger families

Climate change is exacerbating child mortality in flood-prone areas of Bangladesh, prompting mothers to have larger families as a response to the fear of losing children to disasters.

Mongabay

Update

16 February 2024

Three ways tourism can support climate adaptation

On Global Tourism Resilience Day, this article highlights three ways that tourism can channel investments to help vulnerable communities and ecosystems build resilience and adapt to climate change.

Global Center on Adaptation

Community announcement

19 February 2024

Share new content on Traditional and Indigenous knowledges and Cultural Heritage on PreventionWeb

Showing how different forms of knowledge can contribute to reducing disaster risk, as well as how to conserve and manage cultural heritage against natural hazards.

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)

International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property

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