Natural disasters have cost us $162 billion this year.

The first half of 2025 marks a new inflection point in the global climate risk landscape. According to leading professional services firm Aon, global insured losses from natural catastrophe events reached $100 billion, the second-highest 1H total on record, surpassed only by the $140 billion seen in 2011.

Largely driven by Los Angeles wildfires and a series of severe convective storms across the US, the losses highlight the growing financial impact of climate-related weather volatility alongside growing exposure in event-prone areas. The moment presents a powerful opportunity for the insurance industry to not only adapt to rising climate volatility, but to lead the way – driving innovation, resilience and proactive solutions that redefine how risk is understood and managed in a changing world.

The Global Heatwave Crisis: What It Means for the Next Generation

2024 ranked as the hottest year on record. Global average temperature reached 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and every year from 2015 to 2024 is now in the top ten hottest years ever recorded. Scientists also reported a sharp rise in humid heat days, which strain the body far more than dry heat. These are not statistical outliers. They are the new baseline conditions that today’s children will inherit.

The global heatwave crisis is no longer a future problem—it is here, and its impact is measurable across health, education, food systems, economies, and urban living. This article outlines what the crisis means for the next generation, using verified data from global agencies and peer-reviewed research, while mapping practical solutions for governments, schools, families, and businesses.

Europe confronts an unprecedented wildfire season – What can we do to prevent them?

Europe is experiencing what may become one of its most devastating wildfire seasons on record. Since the beginning of 2025, more than 450,000 ha have burned — this is more than double the area burnt in the same period last year, with severe impacts on landscapes, cities, and communities that have spread with alarming speed and severity.

From the Mediterranean to the Balkans, relentless heat and drought have fuelled fierce infernos. In Greece, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Albania, Montenegro, Cyprus, the UK, France, Italy, and elsewhere, communities are grappling with waves of fire, displacement, and emergency response. While wildfires are common in the summer, this is more than a seasonal crisis. Climate-driven heatwaves, prolonged drought, high wind patterns, and abundant dry vegetation are converging to create a “new normal” of extreme wildfires.

Triple whammy: how 3 types of drought crippled southern Australia this year

Soaking mid-winter rains have brought some relief to drought-stricken farms and rural towns across southern Australia, but the crisis is not over yet. And there’s more to this challenging episode than you might think. As climate scientists, we see more than a single drought. Rather, it’s a trilogy of droughts. Across southern Australia over the past six months, three interconnected phases have unfolded in rapid succession: flash drought, green drought and fodder drought. Each phase brings its own challenges. Together, they reveal the complex and cascading nature of climate stress in southern Australia.

Why the UK needs more proactive heat risk management

When the UK recorded temperatures above 40°C for the first time in July 2022, it marked a clear signal: extreme heat is no longer a distant or unlikely threat. In 2025, the Met Office warned that, due to climate change, such heatwaves are now becoming the norm, underscoring the urgent need for preparedness. Yet, as our new study published in Earth’s Future shows, the country’s readiness to manage heat risk remains fragmented and reactive, focusing on immediate impacts rather than the complex interdependencies that amplify these risks.

IEFG BIG Series: Education x Climate = Philanthropy²

How can education and climate funders collaborate more strategically, sharing insights, evidence, and approaches, to deepen understanding and strengthen the critical connections between climate change and education?

In this episode of the BIG Series, we bring together funders from both sectors who are actively engaging at the nexus of climate and education, they will share with you concrete examples of successful collaboration. The discussion will explore how aligned funding strategies and shared learning can catalyze more effective, long-term collaboration, ultimately advancing solutions that respond to both climate and education challenges in an integrated way.

Weathering the storm

Most of Victoria’s infrastructure was not built for more frequent and severe weather. This means infrastructure, like roads and powerlines, is exposed to greater damage from wild storms, bushfires and floods.

This research can help governments decide how and where to invest in adapting infrastructure. It shows how to assess the risks from extreme weather and compare different solutions to better protect infrastructure assets. Extreme weather damage already costs Victoria about $2.7 billion a year. Without action to better protect infrastructure, costs will grow.

Challenges and opportunities in climate risk assessment: future directions for assessing complex climate risks

This systematic literature review examines the latest developments in Climate Risk Assessment (CRA), focusing on how climate risks are framed and assessed. It explores advancements, ongoing challenges, and emerging opportunities to guide future generations of CRAs. Key findings highlight a more nuanced risk framework that incorporates climate responses, modulating the three risk determinants (exposure, vulnerability, and hazards), as outlined in the latest IPCC assessment. The state-of-the-art concentrates on the temporal and spatial characteristics of hazards, while exposure and vulnerability are increasingly understood as dynamic concepts influenced by socioeconomic changes. Recent developments, such as multi-hazard approaches, risk tolerance integration, and the concept of Climatic Impact-Drivers (CID), provide new perspectives on assessing climate risks.

Enhancing water sector resilience through Nature-based Solutions in South Asia

This report outlines five strategic directions for national governments to prioritise in order to accelerate the mainstreaming and scaling up of NbS, thereby strengthening water resilience for communities and economic sectors. South Asia is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions, with countries like Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan consistently ranking among the top ten most affected nations in the Global Climate Risk Index. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are emerging as a promising and holistic approach to addressing the impacts of climate change on water resources.

Debating Disaster Risk: Ethical Dilemmas in the Era of Climate Change

Dealing with the risks of climate change and disaster is a political process. It produces winners and losers, mobility and permanence, radical change and continuity, relief and suffering. For some, it ultimately leads to life or death. Yet consultants, academics, humanitarian agents, and politicians often simply propose well-intentioned ideas—resilience, sustainability, community participation, emergency shelter, green development—while failing to perceive the blind spots and unintended consequences of such approaches.

Debating Disaster Risk brings together leading global experts to explore the controversies that emerge—and the tough decisions that must be made—when cities, people, and the environment are at risk. Scholars and practitioners discuss the challenges of reducing vulnerability and rebuilding after destruction in an accessible and lively debate format, with commentary by researchers, students, and development workers from across the world. They emphasize the ethical consequences of decisions about how cities and communities should prepare for and react to disasters, considering issues such as housing, environmental protection, urban development, and infrastructure recovery.

Register Now: Webinar – Addressing Urban Heat Islands for Equitable Climate Resilience

Cities, with their concrete landscapes and limited green cover, can become significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas, intensifying health risks, energy demands, and social vulnerabilities. These impacts are often concentrated in low-income or marginalized communities, exacerbating existing inequalities.

This webinar will explore how data, governance, and climate finance can converge to combat urban heat. Through high-resolution environmental data and community-level assessments, cities can identify hotspots and prioritize interventions such as nature-based solutions, reflective infrastructure, and improved urban planning. The discussion will highlight the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration and equitable financing mechanisms to ensure that adaptation efforts serve all urban residents—especially the most vulnerable.

Date: 2nd September 2025.
Time: 09:00-10:00 CEST / 07:00-08:00 UTC

World Water Week 2025: Water for Climate Action

World Water Week 2025, on 24 – 28 August, will focus on innovation at a time of unprecedented changes. Human activities have triggered a global water crisis where we have for the first time crossed the safe planetary boundary for water. Yet this is only one of multiple interlinked crises; in addition, we must simultaneously tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and poverty. Water is at the core of all these threats, which also means that it is one of the most powerful tools to find solutions.

From Strategy to Structure: Leveraging ReMA and BRI for Organizational and Asset-Level Resilience

In the face of escalating climate and disaster risks, both the public and private sectors are under growing pressure to assess and strengthen their resilience. The UNDRR-supported Corporate Chief Resilience Officers (CCRO) Network and the International Finance Corporation (IFC)—through its Green and Resilient Buildings team—are joining forces to showcase two complementary tools that help organizations and developers assess and advance their resilience journey: Building Resilience Index (BRI): A free, science-based, self-assessment tool developed by IFC to evaluate and benchmark the resilience of individual buildings based on hazard exposure and design features. Resilience Maturity Assessment (ReMA): A qualitative and strategic tool designed to help organizations (including private sector companies, utilities, and others) understand their current resilience maturity and identify pathways for improvement. Together, these tools form a comprehensive roadmap: ReMA identifies strategic and organizational gaps, while BRI helps implement tangible improvements at the asset level.

CODATA Data Ethics Working Group Policy Briefs Available for Comment and Feedback

The CODATA Working Group on Data Ethics (now a Task Group), has produced three policy briefings on important topics in relation to data ethics.  At least two more are in the pipeline. The policy briefings respond to the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science.  They start from the premise that the Recommendation, in its statements of values and principles, and its other argumentation, is a document with a significant ethical orientation.  The policy briefings, therefore, seek to augment the Recommendation and add further considerations and policy guidance for ethical issues in relation to data. The first three Policy Briefs are available for comment

Webinar on Understanding Short-Lived Climate Forcers for Improved Air Quality and Climate information

The webinar aims to provide ECRs with an overview of short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs), their sources, trends, mitigation strategies, and the broad climate and air quality benefits of targeting their reduction.

High-level launch: from heatwaves to cyber threats – understanding today’s hazards

The UNDRR–ISC Hazard Information Profiles (HIPs) provide a comprehensive, science-based overview of 281 hazards relevant to disaster risk reduction – from floods and wildfires to pandemics and cyber threats. This 2025 edition reflects a major shift toward a multi-hazard understanding of risk – recognizing that hazards often interact, cascade, or occur together in ways that intensify their impacts.  With contributions from over 330 experts across 150+ organizations, the HIPs are a trusted reference for governments, agencies, researchers, and practitioners worldwide.

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 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.

GCF 42^nd Board meeting

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.

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.

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 water, sanitation 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.  

 Launch of the 1st World Day for Glaciers and pivot event World Water Day in New York

4th Workshop Social Media for Disaster Risk Management: Researchers meet Practitioners

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