Disaster Risk Reduction and Open Data Newsletter: July 2025 Edition

Rising to the challenge: boosting adaptation and resilience for development

One in five people globally are at high risk from climate-related hazards-not just because they’re exposed to floods, heatwaves, cyclones, or droughts, but because poverty or limited access to essential services like clean water, electricity, social protection or financial services leaves them more vulnerable. But here’s the good news: the share of people at high risk from climate-related hazards has halved globally within a decade-from 2010 to 2021, demonstrating global progress and illustrating the benefits of development for resilience.

Europe has a heating strategy—now it needs one for cooling

For decades, European policymakers have defined energy security primarily as maintaining heat during winter. From strategic gas reserves to household subsidies, systemic, top-down responses have shaped the continent’s heating strategy.

But a new threat is emerging. The record-breaking heat wave sweeping across Europe is disrupting daily life, energy systems, and health services, exposing how unprepared Europe remains for summer extremes that are becoming longer, hotter, and more frequent.

New index ranks vulnerabilities of 188 nations to climate shocks

The Columbia Climate School, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, has unveiled a novel index that integrates countries’ vulnerabilities to cyclones, floods, droughts, earthquakes, conflicts, and other hazards with their ability — due to availability and access to financing—to take prevention, recovery, and rebuilding actions. Illustrating current and future risk exposure scenarios of 188 nations, the Climate Finance (CliF) Vulnerability Index’s interactive dashboard identifies the 65 most at-risk, ‘Red Zone’ nations ― two-thirds of which are in Africa.

The overarching goal of the CliF Vulnerability Index is to promote more comprehensive risk assessment standards, target resources for various bands of vulnerability, and ultimately, inform how to more effectively reach communities facing various types of disaster and financial risks.

Duration of heat waves accelerating faster than global warming

New research finds that not only will climate change make heat waves hotter and longer, but the lengthening of heat waves will accelerate with each additional fraction of a degree of warming. Researchers found that the longest heat waves will see the greatest acceleration, and the frequency of the most extreme heat waves will increase the most. The duration of a heat wave exacerbates the risk to people, animals, agriculture and ecosystems.

Quantifying future local impacts of sea level rise on buildings and infrastructure

This paper presents a refined method for assessing the consequences of sea level rise on coastal communities by quantifying future impacts to buildings and infrastructure at a local level. While community resilience models typically address acute hazards, this work considers sea level rise and tides as a chronic hazard and its temporal impacts. Local sea level rise scenarios and tide predictions are combined to develop a time series of future water levels. The future water levels are mapped to the local topography to obtain the spatial extent of flooding.

Understanding the global subnational migration patterns driven by hydrological intrusion exposure

As climate change intensifies, water-related hazards like floods and droughts are playing a growing role in where people choose—or are forced—to live. While most studies look at migration trends at the national level, this research analyzes nearly 47,000 regions globally to understand how local exposure to hydrological risks drives human movement. Using satellite data, the study offers a detailed view of how hazards, exposure, and vulnerability interact to influence migration.

The findings show that direct exposure to water risks is a more powerful driver of migration than socioeconomic factors. However, not everyone can leave: economically disadvantaged and older populations are more likely to stay in high-risk areas or relocate only nearby. The research also reveals a complex, S-shaped migration pattern—initial resistance to move, followed by increasing departures, and eventually entrapment—shaped by a community’s resilience and ability to adapt.

Harnessing emerging technologies to address data gaps in natural disaster risk management: A conceptual framework and applications

Natural disasters are increasingly disrupting lives and economies across the globe. While new technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning hold great promise for improving disaster risk management (DRM), most existing studies focus only on specific tools or applications. Broader frameworks are rare, and there’s a key gap: how to handle the complex data challenges that come with using technology in disaster response.

This study introduces a new framework centered on data governance, tackling three major problems—lack of data, poor data quality, and limited use of data—across both the technical and human sides of risk management. Drawing on real-world examples, the paper shows how emerging technologies can help address these issues while also highlighting new risks that come with relying on advanced tech. The proposed model offers a practical, closed-loop approach for aligning data strategy with evolving disaster needs—moving beyond tech hype toward smarter, more resilient systems.

The future of poverty: Projecting the impact of climate change on global poverty through 2050

This paper presented global and regional projections of the potential poverty impacts of climate change through 2050, using a macro-to-micro simulation approach that links temperature-driven GDP shocks to household-level income and consumption data.

The findings suggest that under a high-emissions, limited-adaptation scenario (SSP5-RCP8.5), climate change could significantly slow progress in poverty reduction—particularly in regions with high baseline poverty, low adaptive capacity, and strong dependence on climate-sensitive sectors. The projections show that climate-induced income losses alone could push an additional 41 million people into extreme poverty by 2050.

Think Resilience Dialogue – Unlocking Potential: Resilience at the Core of LLDCs’ Sustainable Development

The Think Resilience Dialogues – co-hosted by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Group of Friends for Disaster Risk Reduction – provide a space for Member States, as well as the United Nations system, invited experts and stakeholder groups, to informally discuss issues central to risk-informed decision-making with a view to mainstreaming a risk-informed approach across various intergovernmental fora.

This Think Resilience Dialogue will unpack the disaster risk reduction and resilience building elements of the Awaza Programme of Action and discuss key areas of work that are of particular significance to LLDCs, to support delegations as they prepare for the Third International Conference on LLDC3.

Nature-based Solutions to Global Challenges Foundation Course

This course is an introduction to Nature-based solutions (NbS) for professionals working in a range of sectors: staff at NGOs from the development and environmental sectors wanting to better understand the evidence from research and practice on how NbS can deliver multiple benefits and for whom, to enable them to hold governments to account; business executives wanting to better understand the risks and also the opportunities of investing in NbS; civil servants, regulators, and investors working to develop policies that can enable economic recovery whilst supporting net-zero and biodiversity goals; and philanthropists wanting to support activities that have positive outcomes for both people and nature.

The Workshop on Advancing Regional Climate Centres Products and Services to Meet Evolving Needs of Members

The workshop will focus on the key CSIS functions, including climate monitoring, climate prediction, and data, as well as the deployment of Climate Services Toolkit (CST).  It will also build on the lessons learned and good practices of RCCs emerging from the WMO contribution to ClimSA. The workshop will bring together experts from all RCCs in Africa-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) regions supported under the ClimSA programme, as well as WMO Subject Matter Experts (SME) who will serve as resource persons.

Disaster risk reduction and resilience building in LLDCs: From commitment to action

This event will bring together government representatives from Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), UN agencies, and partners to explore strategies for implementing the disaster risk reduction and resilience-building priorities outlined in the new Programme of Action for LLDCs (2024–2034). With LLDCs facing heightened vulnerability to climate change and natural hazards, the event will focus on advancing risk-informed development through improved data, financing, technology transfer, resilient infrastructure, and regional cooperation. Discussions will identify concrete steps, good practices, and gaps to support LLDCs in building more resilient societies and achieving sustainable development.

Disaster Risk Reduction and Open Data Newsletter: June 2025 Edition

Disaster Resilience in New Zealand: What we can learn from Australia.

As climate risks and disasters intensify and our infrastructure ages, ensuring the disaster resilience of critical infrastructure comes at a cost, but who should bear it?

At Infrastructure New Zealand’s Infrastructure Resilience Conference, James Russell, Sector Director – Finance and Insurance, spoke alongside colleagues Chris Perks, Sector Director – Transport and Delivery Partners, and Sean O’Meara (BDO). The panel discussed how Australia has approached the funding, financing, and governance of infrastructure resilience, drawing lessons for New Zealand.

Continuity planning empowers businesses to adapt, recover, and thrive

Businesses often struggle to recover from extreme weather events and natural hazards because they are not ready.

It has been estimated that 40% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) do not reopen after a disaster, and many of those that do fail within a year. Businesses need to rethink their operating models before disruptions happen. Yet building disaster resilience does not always have to require a resource-intensive process or lead to something new.  It does not mean changing what a business does, but how it does it. This is where business continuity planning comes in.

New study shows rapid cloud loss contributing to record-breaking temperatures

Earth’s cloud cover is rapidly shrinking and contributing to record-breaking temperatures, according to new research involving the Monash-led Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather.

The research, led by the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and published in Geophysical Research Letters, analysed satellite observations to find that between 1.5 and 3 per cent of the world’s storm cloud zones have been contracting each decade in the past 24 years.

Most finance ministries are concerned about climate change, but face barriers to including it in economic analyses and decisions

Most finance ministries are concerned about the physical impacts of climate change, and the implications of the transition away from fossil fuels, according to the results of a major survey published today (9 June 2025) by the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action.

However, finance ministries are finding it difficult to incorporate climate change into their economic analyses and face many challenges in taking it into account in their decision-making.

Drought in Europe June 2025

The objective of this brief is to provide an analytical overview of the current and projected drought conditions across central and northern Europe, northern Africa, the eastern Mediterranean, and the Middle East.

Some areas have been experiencing more severe alert drought conditions, particularly in the Mediterranean region, including south-eastern Spain, Cyprus, and most of North Africa, as well as central and south-eastern Türkiye and the Middle East. Alert conditions are rapidly intensifying in large areas of Ukraine and in the neighbouring countries, impacting crops and vegetation. Similar conditions are emerging in some areas of central Europe, the Baltic, and the UK.

Artificial Intelligence approaches for disaster risk management

This brief explores AI capabilities to support the EU’s prevention, preparedness, and resilience-building strategies, including the Preparedness Union Strategy. Efforts focus on enhancing information and image processing, advancing AI-driven risk assessment, and strengthening early warning systems.

Understanding social vulnerability for more effective climate strategies: Lessons from CCDRs in Southern and Eastern Africa

The goal of the report is to show how understanding social vulnerability can help policymakers to prioritize climate investments, design projects and programs to be more inclusive, and create tailored initiatives that make households and communities stronger and more resilient overall. It highlights how social vulnerability puts some people in harm’s way or prevents them from finding safety; limits their access to resources for adaptation; and constrains their agency and their voice. Poverty is a key factor, but so is social exclusion.

Multi-hazard early warning system – Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System

This report presents the updates and describes the Multi-Hazard and Early Warning System component (MHEWS) of the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS). This report focuses on the methodology underpinning the GDACS score employed across the seven hazards covered by the MHEWS.

GDACS events are produced automatically or semi-automatically for each hazard independently, using dedicated algorithms and the data available, with expert supervision. Every event on GDACS features a score and colour, based on the estimated risk that the given event poses to the exposed population and affected area

Online Workshop on Effective Public Governance and Finance for Disaster Risk Reduction, Local Resilience and Climate Action

The Workshop will introduce concepts and tools to help ensure effective governance, disaster-related data management, planning and finance mobilization for local-level disaster risk reduction (DRR), resilience and climate action. It will provide a comprehensive understanding of concepts, tools and approaches for risk understanding and loss and damage assessment, integrated planning, institutional strengthening across different levels of governance, as well as finance mechanisms to support disaster risk reduction and climate action, with particular focus on response to loss and damage.

[MCR2030 Webinar] Using MCR2030 Dashboard to Strengthen Engagement with Cities

The Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative is a global partnership that supports cities in strengthening disaster and climate resilience. A key tool available for its cities and partners is the MCR2030 dashboard, an online platform designed to help cities assess their resilience, share insights, and monitor progress along the resilience roadmap. The dashboard also facilitates city’s access to useful tools and resources provided by MCR2030 service providers which further support cities in achieving their resilience goals in line with broader global frameworks such as the Sendai Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

4th International Conference on Financing for Development 

The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) provides a unique opportunity to reform financing at all levels, including to support reform of the international financial architecture and addressing financing challenges preventing the urgently needed investment push for the SDGs. FFD4 Conference will be held in FIBES Sevilla Exhibition and Conference Centre.

May 2025: Publications in the Data Science Journal

Title: Research Data Management in Environmental Studies: Scoping Review and Bibliometrics Analysis
Author: Rosini, Mudiyati Rahmatunnisa, Sunardi, Ida Fajar Priyanto
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-020
Title: Incorporating Open Data Philosophies into the Academic Sector
Author: Pål Gunnar Ellingsen
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-019
Title: Maturity Model for Organizational Research Data Management Services
Author: Yasuyuki Minamiyama, Ui Ikeuchi, Kosuke Tanabe, Kenji Yuki, Kazuhiro Hayashi, Takaaki Aoki
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-018
Title: Obstacles to Dataset Citation Using Bibliographic Management Software
Author: Kristina Vrouwenvelder, Natalie H. Raia, Andrea K. Thomer
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-017
Title: Automated Semantic Annotation of Data Management Plans: A Systematic Review
Author: Jana Martínková, Marek Suchánek, Petr Kroha
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-016
Title: Recommendations on Open Science Rewards and Incentives: Guidance for Multiple Stakeholders in Research
Author: Laurence Mabile, Hanna Shmagun, Christopher Erdmann, Anne Cambon-Thomsen, Mogens Thomsen, Florencia Grattarola
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-015

 

April 2025: Publications in the Data Science Journal

Title: A 3D Stock Heatmap for Virtual Reality
Author: Shan Kulla
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-014
Title: A Lightweight File System Based Approach to Getting Data Ready for Data Management Solutions
Author: Albert K. Engstfeld, Johannes M. Hermann, Nicolas G. Hörmann, Julian Rüth
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-013
Title: Research Data Governance. The Need for a System of Cross-organisational Responsibility for the Researcher’s Data Domain
Author: Carolin Odebrecht
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-012
Title: Sustainable North-South Africa Collaboration for Disaster and Crisis Management: A Strategic Capacity Development Framework using Open Science, Artificial Intelligence and Geoinformatics
Author: Rania Elsayed Ibrahim, Tshiamo Motshegwa, Djillali Benouar, Mohamed Khodja, Hamed Ead, Lili Zhang, Francais Crawley, Nokuthula P. Mchunu, Sepo Hachigonta, Simon Hodson, Vanessa Mcbride, Teketel Yohannes
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-011

 

Disaster Risk Reduction and Open Data Newsletter: April 2025 Edition

Water: The key to unlocking synergies between the Rio Conventions 

The management of water resources is intrinsically linked to challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and desertification. However, global efforts to address these issues remain fragmented, carried out through the separate frameworks of the three Rio Conventions. Each convention approaches water management from distinct perspectives—land degradation, climate resilience, and biodiversity conservation. The interconnected nature of these issues points to the critical need for a more coordinated strategy. Strengthened policy alignment, shared financing, and unified frameworks provide an opportunity to harmonize water management across these conventions.

The Worst Flood in 100 Years Just Hit South America 

South America has a long history of floods, but it is rare to see a flood of this magnitude. The continent’s diverse geography, from the mighty Amazon River to the Andes mountains, has been both a blessing and a curse. Historically, floods have been part of the natural cycle, feeding the lush rainforests and supporting biodiversity. However, they can also bring devastation to human settlements. The recent flood, however, surpasses any in living memory, marking a significant deviation from the norm. In comparison to past floods, this event stands out not just in scale but also in its impact on the population and infrastructure.

South Korea wildfires ‘largest on record’: disaster chief 

Wildfires in South Korea are now the largest and deadliest on record, having burned more forest and killed more people than any previous blaze, officials said Thursday, as the death toll hit 27.

More than a dozen fires broke out over the weekend, scorching wide swathes of the southeast and forcing around 37,000 people to flee, with the fire cutting off roads and downing communications lines as residents escaped in panic.

South Korea’s Ministry of Interior and Safety said that 27 people had been killed and dozens more injured, with the toll likely to rise. It is the highest number of deaths since the Korea Forest Service started records for wildfires in 1987.

When the Lights Go Out: How the Heathrow Airport Shutdown Exposes Our Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities 

Few could have predicted the following cascade of consequences when a fire broke out at an electrical substation in Hayes, west London, on the evening of March 21, 2025. By morning, Europe’s busiest airport—London Heathrow—had been completely shut down, with more than 1,300 flights canceled, affecting up to 200,000 passengers worldwide. What began as a localized incident quickly became an international transportation crisis that would take days to resolve.

The Heathrow shutdown represents a stark reminder of how vulnerable our modern society has become to critical infrastructure failures, whether caused by accidents, natural disasters, or deliberate attacks.

Pacific Prepared Podcast: Recent earthquake activity in Tonga has tested the nerves of residents since the volcanic eruption and tsunami in early 2022  

Coastal communities in Tonga live with the ongoing psychological scars of the 2022 volcanic eruption and tsunami. Tonga Broadcasting Commission explains how communities have responded to recent earthquake activity in the country. The weather and how it affects you is already part of your life, so let’s keep talking about being prepared.

Africa is proof that investing in climate resilience works – and that it makes good business sense 

Investment is pouring into renewable energy, green transport and smart agriculture in an effort to both slow down the accumulation of heat-trapping emissions and adapt to our warming planet. The benefits of taking early action are well understood, even if the needs outpace the funding for it. Africa was an early champion of climate adaptation. That is because 17 of the 20 countries most vulnerable to climate change are on our continent.

Preparing for extreme weather scenarios in Cambodia 

For decades, weather extremes have disrupted lives and livelihoods in Cambodia. Yet, despite the increasing frequency and severity of floods, storms, and droughts, the models used to estimate their economic impacts remain underdeveloped. While we can estimate long-term warming trends, the exact impacts of acute disasters remain uncertain. This uncertainty makes it crucial to prepare not just for what is expected, but for what might happen.

Occupational heat safety standards in the United States 

Extreme heat poses a range of potentially debilitating or deadly threats to workers. Although experts have been recommending commonsense criteria for a standard to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for most of its 50-year history, many millions of workers in America lack adequate protection from heat.

Next generation city climate services using advanced weather models and emerging data sources 

Record-breaking temperatures are becoming ever more frequent and intense. Over 1.7 billion people around the world are at risk, says the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). They add that around half of the world’s cities have faced increased heat exposure over the last four decades. This has an impact on public health, labour productivity and infrastructure.

The Ocean Economy to 2050 

The ocean economy has long been a powerful driver of global growth, creating jobs, fuelling development, and ensuring food security for millions worldwide. If the ocean economy were a country, it would be the fifth largest economy in the world. However, climate change, environmental degradation, lagging productivity, and slow digital transformation are intensifying pressures on marine ecosystems and economic potential. Tackling these challenges requires bold, co-ordinated action, not only to safeguard marine ecosystems but to sustain the ocean economy as a source of prosperity for future generations.

Accelerating compound flood risk assessments through active learning: a case study of Charleston County (USA) 

This study introduces a novel framework that uses active learning to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of compound flood risk assessments. Focused on Charleston County, South Carolina, it addresses limitations in traditional stochastic modeling that arise due to the computational burden of simulating numerous flood scenarios involving multiple drivers like storm surge, tides, and precipitation. By employing a Treed Gaussian Process (TGP) model, the framework selects the most informative flood events to simulate, reducing redundancy and allowing more complex variables (such as driver duration and time lags) to be considered without overwhelming computational costs.

Nature-based Solutions as Building Blocks for coastal flood risk reduction: a model-based ecosystem service assessment 

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are increasingly recognized as effective measures for mitigating flood risks and enhancing climate change adaptation. However, evaluating their efficacy in delivering flood risk reduction ecosystem service (FRR-ESS) is usually limited by reliance on qualitative, expert-based “quick-scan” scoring methods. The present study introduces a model-based framework to quantify FRR-ESS provided by coastal NbS, which integrates expert-based assessments with quantitative results from an eco-hydro-morphodynamic numerical model. The model enables a comparative evaluation of individual and combined effects of NbS following a Building Blocks approach. By integrating habitat map change prediction in the evaluation, NbS flood reduction response to present and future storm scenarios are investigated.

Interconnected disaster risks: Turning over a new leaf (2025 report) 

The 2025 Interconnected Disaster Risks report shifts focus from diagnosing problems to mapping out solutions. It establishes that many of today’s solutions are surface-level fixes, and that to create lasting change, we need to question the societal structures and mindsets that perpetuate these challenges. The report offers a more holistic analysis of what lies at the heart of human actions, and how true change can be achieved, and it also gives real-world examples of positive changes that have been made around the world and can serve as a model and source of inspiration.

Healthcare in a changing climate: Investing in resilient solutions 

The report analyses preventable human and economic impacts of climate change across 11 diseases and conditions: malaria, dengue fever, cholera, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, stunting, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, fatalities and injuries, heat-related diseases and asthma. Climate change will have a profound impact on people and economies – causing an estimated additional 14.5 million deaths and $12.5 trillion in economic costs between today and 2050.

WRRC Webinar: Paving the Way: Optimizing Governance Mechanisms for Resilient Recovery 

The discussion will draw on lessons from past disaster recoveries, showcasing how different governance models have shaped recovery outcomes. Key themes include cross-sectoral coordination, institutional capacity, financing mechanisms, and strategies for ensuring inclusive decision-making. Insights from global case studies will inform practical approaches to strengthening governance for resilient recovery, aligning with Sendai Framework Priority 4 and the Global Call to Action for Investing in Readiness for Resilient Recovery.

Change now – The world expo of solutions for the planet 

At the midway point of the 2020-2030 decade for decisive climate action, and echoing the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, ChangeNOW 2025 gathers 1,000 groundbreaking solutions and visionary leaders in a spectacular showcase to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable world.

Our Ocean, Our action 

The 10th Our Ocean Conference has chosen the theme ‘Our Ocean, Our Action’ to promote global actions for a sustainable ocean. In particular, this 10th conference will discuss ‘Digital Oceans’ as a special agenda, focusing on means to drive action. Ocean Digital is a concept that combines the ocean industry and digital technology, serving as an implementation tool to achieve a sustainable ocean swiftly and systematically.

Disaster Risk Reduction and Open Data Newsletter: March 2025 Edition

Storm surge virtual reality simulation designed to save lives

Weather the Storm, a virtual reality simulation that takes users through the effects of storm surge to communicate its devastating and sometimes fatal consequences, is now available for download. This simulation is available thanks to a partnership with University of Georgia, Clemson University, Georgia Sea Grant and South Carolina Sea Grant  and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Flooding expected sooner in Hawai’i’s sinking coastal areas

Some parts of Hawai‘i are sinking faster than others. That discovery, published recently in a study by researchers at the University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Mānoa, also highlights that as sea level rises, the infrastructure, businesses, and communities in these low-lying areas are at risk of flooding sooner than scientists anticipated, particularly in certain urban areas of O‘ahu.

Compound climate events are on the rise. It’s time for action

Compound events – where two or more hazards, such as heatwaves and floods, occur simultaneously or in close succession – are becoming more common. This phenomenon often results in more severe negative outcomes than if each hazard were to occur separately. Recent incidents in Pakistan and the United States highlight existing resilience gaps, and the adaptation solutions required to reduce the impact of compound events.

Water and climate: Rising risks for urban populations

Right now, 90% of climate disasters are water-related, and the 4.4 billion people who live in towns and cities – especially in low-income countries – are on the frontlines.

As the climate crisis continues to throw the water cycle out of balance, many of the world’s largest cities are impacted in ways that are hard to anticipate and plan for. The frequency and magnitude of events such as floods and droughts are evolving due to climatic trends. And when watersanitation and hygiene (WASH) services and systems cannot cope with intensifying and unpredictable climatic extremes, it is often the most vulnerable and marginalised people who suffer the worst impacts on their health, education and livelihoods, pushing them further into poverty.

Enhancing climate resilience with smarter data: the role of dynamic social registries

2024 has been marked by catastrophic floods caused by climate change in many regions of the world. In West and Central Africa alone, nearly 7 million people have been affected by rising waters following torrential rains. These floods exacerbate food insecurity, which is expected to impact 55 million people this year. As is often the case, the poorest populations are the most vulnerable. In response to the increasingly frequency of floods and droughts, several countries in West and Central Africa are developing climate-adaptive social protection systems. The goal is to build the resilience of poor populations and ensure a rapid response in times of crisis.

The Philippines: Harnessing smart tech for disaster preparedness

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), has developed the Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS). This technology provides science-based data to facilitate quick, informed decision-making during disaster events.

REDAS is a powerful tool that simulates earthquake impacts, monitors various hazards, and offers near-real-time risk assessments. It is designed to provide LGUs with the crucial information needed to reduce disaster risks and improve response times.

New Zealand and Japan collaborate on smart disaster resilience

The New Zealand Government is investing in research and technology partnerships that will significantly enhance the nation’s ability to prepare for and respond to natural disasters. Dr Shane Reti, Minister for Science, Innovation, and Technology, announced that three research teams from New Zealand have been granted funding to collaborate with leading Japanese research organisations on projects designed to boost New Zealand’s resilience when disasters strike.

Water and climate: Rising risks for urban populations 

This report highlights how the cities facing the worst climate impacts are often those with the highest social vulnerability. Many communities ‘whiplash’ between droughts that dry up water sources followed close by floods that overwhelm infrastructure, destroying toilets and sanitation systems, contaminating drinking water. Other cities are experiencing dramatic climate reversals – places accustomed to heavy rainfall now face drought, while historically arid regions now grapple with unexpected floods.

Flood impacts on healthcare facilities and disaster preparedness – a systematic review

This study reviewed scientific articles to assess the impacts of floods on healthcare facilities (HCFs) and the risk management strategies used. Researchers searched four databases for English-language studies on flood and cyclone hazards, HCF types, and disaster risk management, following PRISMA guidelines. From 7,500 records, 74 studies were selected.

Pre-financing anticipatory action: a practical guide for national societies

This guide explains the value of a pre-financing strategy and key factors to consider in its development. It details different pre-financing options to support effective decision-making and provides step-by-step guidance for National Societies to design and implement their strategy.

While relevant to all National Societies engaged in anticipatory action, different sections may be particularly useful for program managers, finance officers, and logistics teams based on their roles in the process.

GEOGLAM Crop Monitor for Early Warning report: March 2025

he GEOGLAM Crop Monitor for Early Warning (CM4EW) is an international and transparent multi-source, consensus assessment of the crop growing conditions, status, and agro-climatic conditions that are likely to impact global production. This is the March 2025 report.

Climate change in rural landscapes – systemic solutions for a sustainable future

This factsheet examines the systemic challenges of climate change in rural landscapes and explores integrated solutions for climate-resilient and low-emission development. It highlights the interconnections between climate change, agriculture, biodiversity, and livelihoods, emphasizing equitable access to land, water, and resources.

World Water Day

World Water Day, held on 22 March every year since 1993, is an annual United Nations Observance focusing on the importance of freshwater.  

Deep-dive on Satellite Observations for Hydrology 

The central goal of the International Multi-risk Seminar is to advance the conceptual and methodological debate on how to evaluate and manage contexts where multiple risks overlap and result in other forms

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February 2025: Publications in the Data Science Journal

Title: The Gridded Geomagnetic Field of India with MATLAB GUI
Author: Jayashree Bulusu, Rohit Kumar Jha, Amrita Yadav, S. P. Anand, Gopi K. Seemala, Prasant K. Tiwari, A. P. Dimri
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-010
Title: Data Sovereignty and Open Sharing: Reconceiving Benefit-Sharing and Governance of Digital Sequence Information
Author: Masanori Arita
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-009
Title: GDMD: A Disaster Data Hub Fabric the Open Data Network for Disaster Risk Reduction
Author: Juanle Wang, Kun Bu, Xiaodong Min, Qiuyuan Wang, Yuelei Yuan, Feiran Sun
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-008
Title: AMIDER: A Multidisciplinary Research Database and Its Application to Promote Open Science
Author: Masayoshi Kozai, Yoshimasa Tanaka, Shuji Abe, Yasuyuki Minamiyama, Atsuki Shinbori, Akira Kadokura
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-007

January 2025: Publications in the Data Science Journal

Title: Lack of Smoking Prevalence Data for Indigenous Peoples Worldwide Contributes to Epidemiological Invisibility
Author: Marewa Glover
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-006
Title: Collaborative Effort Towards a FAIR and OPEN Indo-Pacific Pollen Database (IPPD)
Author: Annika V. Herbert, Simon G. Haberle, Henry Munack, Alexandru T. Codilean
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-005
Title: Ethics Underpinning Data Policy in Crisis Situations
Author: Perihan Elif Ekmekci, Lili Zhang, Francis P. Crawley
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-004
Title: NASSDA as a Data-Collaborative Network to Enhance Social Science Research in East Asia
Author: Pei-Shan Liao, Shuai Wang, Hiroshi Ishida, Hearan Koo, Won-ho Park
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-003
Title: From Bench to Brain: A Metadata-driven Approach to Research Data Management in a Collaborative Neuroscientific Research Center
Author: Marlene Pacharra, Tobias Otto, Nina Olivia Caroline Winter
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-002
Title: A Collaborative Data Network for the Asia Oceania Region Enabled by Emerging Technologies to Foster Innovation in a Secure and Open Environment
Author: Alison Specht, Kim Bryceson, Shoufeng Cao, Margaret O’Brien, S. M. Guru, Pedro Pizzigatti Correa, Michelle Waycott
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2025-001

 

December 2024: Publications in the Data Science Journal

Title: The Dataset Finder: A Tool Utilizing Data Management Plans as a Key to Data Discoverability
Author: Soo-Yon Kim, Steffen Hillemacher, Max Kocher, Bernhard Rumpe, Sandra Geisler
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2024-058
Title: Semantic Schema Extraction in NoSQL Databases using BERT Embeddings
Author: Saad Belefqih, Ahmed Zellou, Mouna Berquedich
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2024-057
Title: Global Open Research Commons: Creating an International Model for Improved Interoperability and Collaboration
Author: Andrew Treloar, Charles Joseph Woodford
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2024-056
Title: FAIRness Along the Machine Learning Lifecycle Using Dataverse in Combination with MLflow
Author: Lincoln Sherpa, Valentin Khaydarov, Ralph Müller-Pfefferkorn
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2024-055

 

November 2024: Publications in the Data Science Journal

Title: Advancing Global Resilience through Open Data Resources and Services in Disaster Risk Reduction
Author: Lili Zhang, Jianhui Li, Xueting Li, Fang Lian, Robert R. Downs, Bapon Fakhruddin, Qunli Han
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2024-054
Title: Conversion of XYZ Tile Data into Grid Square Data and Their Application to Tsunami Risk Assessment
Author: Kosuke Nakata, Aki-Hiro Sato
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2024-053
Title: Organizing Scientific Knowledge from Engineering Sciences Using the Open Research Knowledge Graph: The Tailored Forming Process Chain Use Case
Author: Oliver Karras, Laura Budde, Paulina Merkel, Jörg Hermsdorf, Malte Stonis, Ludger Overmeyer, Bernd-Arno Behrens, Sören Auer
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2024-052