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.

Documents and publications

5 September 2023

Thematic assessment report on invasive alien species and their control: Summary for policymakers

According to this report, more than 37,000 alien species have been introduced by many human activities to regions and biomes around the world.

Aerial view of coastline of the Seychelles.

Research briefs

30 August 2023

We studied more than 1,500 coastal ecosystems - they will drown if we let the world warm above 2℃

Much of the world’s natural coastline is protected by living habitats, most notably mangroves in warmer waters and tidal marshes closer to the poles. But these vital services are threatened by global warming and rising sea levels.

Conversation Media Group, the

Documents and publications

4 September 2023

State of the Climate in Africa 2022

The report on the State of the Climate in Africa 2022 shows that the rate of temperature increase in Africa has accelerated in recent decades, with weather- and climate-related hazards becoming more severe.

Research briefs

1 September 2023

New model provides real-time, more accurate prediction of tsunami wave patterns

Scientists at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) have studied the disturbances in the atmosphere and ocean during the 2022 Tonga volcano explosion and developed a model to improve current tsunami early warning systems.

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology

Update

1 September 2023

Google adds health tips to extreme heat warnings

Important health and safety tips are being made available to millions around the world, thanks to a new Google search feature developed in collaboration with the Global Heat Health Information Network.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Creative design with human hands holding a speech bubble

Interview

04 Sep 2023

How social listening and public trust can reduce heatwave and wildfire risks

PreventionWeb spoke to Miguel Telo de Arriaga, Head of the Division of Literacy, Health and Well-being at Portugal’s Directorate-General of Health to learn more about the country’s approach to risk communication, and how this is applied to reduce risks.

A Ming dynasty bridge is exposed by very low water levels in a river in Jiangxi province, China

Update

31 August 2023

China’s eco farmers innovate to cope with extreme weather

Climate change inflicts particularly severe damage on farming. In 2022, droughts in China persisted throughout almost the entire year.

China Dialogue

Research briefs

30 August 2023

Georgia Tech making waves in tsunami research

Fritz and his former graduate student, Yibin Liu, are interested in a specific kind of tsunami, those caused by underwater volcanic eruptions and landslides. So, they built a volcanic tsunami generator in a wave basin.

Georgia Institute of Technology

Research briefs

31 August 2023

Two out of three volcanoes are little-known. How to predict their eruptions?

A UNIGE team reveals how three easily measurable parameters provide valuable information about the structure of volcanoes. A step forward in risk assessment and preventive measures.

University of Geneva

Update

28 August 2023

Advancing wildfire monitoring: New drone research advances wildfire monitoring

Typically, the primary indicator of a burgeoning wildfire in California is a plume of hazy, gray smoke wafting through the air, seen by satellites or cameras. CalFire, is alerted, and mitigation and containment efforts ensue.

University of California, Davis