World Bank: Hurricanes don’t know borders. Neither does a pandemic.
In the field of disaster risk management, when a new risk appears in an already risky situation, we call it a compound risk. The COVID-19 pandemic means communities need to prepare even more thoroughly for disasters, as resources are limited or have been reallocated to respond to the health crisis. In simple terms, the economic and health impacts of COVID-19 are making already-disaster-prone countries more vulnerable than ever before.
U.S. flood strategy shifts to ‘unavoidable’ relocation of entire neighbourhoods
Using tax dollars to move whole communities out of flood zones, an idea long dismissed as radical is swiftly becoming policy, marking a new and more disruptive phase of climate change.
Scientists drove radars inside Hurricane Laura’s fiercest winds, hoping to unravel their mysteries
The scientists’ goal? Capture ultra-detailed radar scans from the inside of Laura, probing the tempest in a way that traditional Doppler radar simply couldn’t. The team was particularly interested in Hurricane Laura’s eyewall, the unbroken ring of extreme winds and rain surrounding the storm’s eerily calm eye.
Tackling the Environmental Crisis Can Boost the Economy Says WEF Report
Entitled ‘The Future of Nature and Business’, the report warns that when the world recovers from the coronavirus pandemic there can be no business-as-usual, with today’s destruction of the natural world-threatening over half of global GDP.
How can the UN help prevent another Beirut disaster?
The devastation caused by the Beirut explosions on 4 August has focused attention on the risks involved in the transportation and storage of dangerous goods around the world. The UN is at the forefront of international efforts to reduce these risks and save lives.
Community-based response to the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of South Asian community in Auckland, New Zealand
This policy brief is based on the survey of the South Asian community living in New Zealand and their coping with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impact. The findings of this survey may also be useful for other ethnic groups. Understanding the impact of a pandemic on ethnic minority groups is important to better prepare for transition and recovery strategies, and build community resilience. The brief concludes that capacity building and community cohesion are therefore essential to prepare the population for a possible future re-emergence of the pandemic outbreak
World Economic Forum: The future of nature and business
This report lays out in practical terms what needs to be done to achieve this new future, by laying out a pragmatic framework for the industry to lead the transition towards a nature-positive economy. According to the authors, this is a path that can provide a win-win for nature, people and business. It can unlock an estimated $10 trillion of business opportunities by transforming economic systems that are responsible for almost 80% of nature loss.
You’ll Be Surprised How Often You Actually Touch Your Face
Coronavirus has made people more aware of personal hygiene, but there are still many unhygienic things you probably don’t know you’re doing. One is just how often you touch your face — an activity that happens far more frequently than you might think.
ESCAP: Investing in innovative solutions to manage cascading disaster risks: Key takeaways for stakeholders
This issue brief on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) focuses on the innovations which are protecting communities from cascading hazards, the challenges, and opportunities therein, and offers policy guidance to shape the future management of cascading hazards.
An integrated approach to sustainable development, National Resilience, and COVID-19 responses: The case of Japan
The aim of the paper is to review whether the Japanese governments’ responses in terms of financial stimulus considers longer-term resilience and sustainability. This paper reviews pertinent academic literature and publicly available data from governments and organisations.
Psychological distress and state boredom during the COVID-19 outbreak in China: the role of meaning in life and media use
Epidemics are associated with increased burden of psychological distress. However, the role of boredom on mental health during epidemic periods has seldom been explored. This study attempted to examine the effect of state boredom on psychological outcomes, and the role of media use and meaning in life among the indirectly exposed Chinese adults in the initial phase of the COVID-19 outbreak.
WMO Data Conference (Virtual Conference) – 16 Nov-19 Nov
The WMO Data Conference aims to develop a common understanding among entities from all sectors of society of the roles, requirements and arrangements for the international exchange of observations and other data for monitoring and prediction of the Earth System environment, including weather, climate and water.
2020 Asia Pacific Science and Technology Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction – 15 Oct
Malaysia will host the 2020 Asia-Pacific Science and Technology Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (eAPSTCDRR) virtually on 15 October 2020, in partnership with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction’s (UNDRR) Asia Pacific Science Technology and Academia Advisory Group (APSTAAG).
ICSD 2020: 8th international conference on sustainable development – 9-10 Sept
The International Conference on Sustainable Development is organised by the European Center of Sustainable Development in collaboration with CIT University. The 8th ICSD 2020 is inspired by the critical challenge of human, environmental, and economic sustainability concerning the present and future generations in a global-scale context.
Loss and damage – research, policy and lived experience in least developed countries – 8 Sept
The IIED and ICCCAD will host a webinar featuring least developed countries’ national experts sharing their research and lived experience of loss and damage. The discussion aims to ensure that loss and damage remains a priority issue in the lead up to COP2.
Protecting our Most Vulnerable- Disaster Impact Assessment for the Rohingya Refugee Community, Thursday 17th Sept
In 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingya people fled their home country of Myanmar to escape the horrific ethnic cleansing they faced for being Muslim. They settled in the southeast of Bangladesh, joining 250,000 Rohingya already living there. Now, more than one million Rohingya inhabit the largest refugee camp in the world, with no sign of a return home in the near future. United Nations Development Programme engaged Tonkin + Taylor International to develop a multi-hazards impact model for the Rohingya refugees and surrounding host communities.
Making Cities Resilient: Developing and implementing local disaster risk reduction strategy to respond to COVID-19 and to better prepare for the future 8 Sept-6 October
The aim of this training is to strengthen an understanding on making cities resilient and to provide a suite of tools to develop an evidence-based local disaster risk reduction planning with multi-stakeholder engagement and in alignment with the national DRR strategies and Sendai Framework.
