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

24 October 2023

Heatwaves, droughts, other extreme weather events increasingly influencing adaptation policies

Climate risk assessments that take account of threats like heatwaves, droughts, floods and wildfires are increasingly being used to inform and improve national adaptation policies according to the latest EEA assessment of national adaptation actions.

European Environment Agency

Desertification - Working the drylands with horse and plough - May 2010 - Tunisia, Ksar Hallouf

Update

24 October 2023

At least 100 million hectares of healthy land now lost each year

New UN data warns land is degrading faster than we can restore it, with land degradation is accelerating across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Global progress towards ending land loss will be reviewed next month in Uzbekistan

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

Cover and source: Inter American Development Bank

Documents and publications

25 October 2023

Heat and high water: Nine pathways to climate resilient development

"Heat and High Water" examines climate threats and resilience strategies sector by sector, focusing on the specific challenges for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Research briefs

23 October 2023

Increased West Antarctic Ice Sheet melting ‘unavoidable’

The West Antarctic Ice Sheet will continue to increase its rate of melting over the rest of the century, no matter how much we reduce fossil fuel use, according to British Antarctic Survey (BAS) research published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

British Antarctic Survey

Update

23 October 2023

Long road ahead for Afghan earthquake survivors, especially women

Despite an outpouring of support, relief efforts still suffer from major challenges, especially for vulnerable groups such as women and children, and, with winter coming, an urgent rebuilding programme is needed to provide survivors with proper shelter.

The New Humanitarian

Update

23 October 2023

Climate catastrophe in Sikkim Himalaya: Twin track resilience strategy

Managing cascading risk requires a multi-hazard, multi-sectoral and systemic risk approach that considers the connection between hazards, sectors and specific incidents to formulate effective risk-mitigation plans.

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP)

Panorama of the dam and surrounding landscape at Katse Dam in Lesotho in summer with low water level on a clear sunny day

Research briefs

23 October 2023

How to avoid dam collapse devastation and flooding

New research outlines the best locations for dams to avoid flash floods and to save lives.

Brunel University London

Huge waves striking Newhaven breakwater, UK, during a winter storm

Update

20 October 2023

Storm Babet caused dangerous floods as the ‘dry side’ of Scotland isn’t used to such torrential rain

Storm Babet caused havoc across the UK, with strong winds and rough seas along the east coast, record breaking rainfall and river levels in Scotland, overtopped flood defences, closed roads and railways and sadly at least two deaths.

Conversation Media Group, the

Gears in the hands of people against the sky.

Press release

20 October 2023

Launch of the CLIMB database: The first Comprehensive Tool Tracking Policies and Instruments on Climate Change and Human Mobility

An event on “Data Frontiers" marked the official launch of the CLIMB Database: Human Mobility in the Context of Disasters, Climate Change and Environmental Degradation Database.

Platform on Disaster Displacement

Gold money coin with trading graph, financial investment concept can use as background

Update

23 October 2023

The outlook is mixed: The asymmetric effects of weather shocks on inflation

This column studies the relationship between temperature and inflation using data on the four largest euro area economies. The findings suggest that as climate change becomes more severe weather shocks, the volatility of inflation may increase.

Centre for Economic Policy Research