The News and blogs weekly newsletter introduces the latest news and blogs published by PreventionWeb on disaster risk reduction. In the 08/23/2022 edition:
Prefeitura, Nações Unidas e ICLEI assinam carta de intenção para avançar na construção de resiliência climática e prevenção de desastres no Recife By Diario de Pernambuco on Aug 22, 2022 04:44 pm
A Prefeitura do Recife, o Escritório das Nações Unidas para a Redução de Riscos de Desastres (UNDRR) e o ICLEI América do Sul assinaram carta de intenção de compromisso, no âmbito da iniciativa Making Cities Resilient (MCR2030).
Fair winds for climate forecasts in Mozambique By Anticipation Hub on Aug 22, 2022 04:01 pm
Mozambique has faced various climate shocks in recent years. It was hit by Cyclone Dineo in 2017, Cyclones Idai and Kenneth in 2019, Cyclone Eloise in 2021 and, most recently, Tropical Storm Ana, Tropical Depression Dumako and Cyclone Gombe in 2022.
A year after the earthquake in Haiti, local communities are building resilience By United Nations Development Programme - Headquarters on Aug 22, 2022 04:00 pm
On Saturday, 14 August 2021, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the southern peninsula of Haiti at approximately 8:30 a.m. local time, resulting in over 2,000 deaths, thousands of injuries and significant damage from collapsed buildings and blocked roads.
What the World Can Learn from Fiji’s National Climate Finance Strategy By World Resources Institute on Aug 22, 2022 03:56 pm
As part of the partnership with the Fijian Climate Change and International Cooperation Division (CCICD), WRI’s Finance Center helped develop a National Climate Finance Strategy for Fiji.
Advanced real-time prediction of storms with 30-second refresh By Eos - AGU on Aug 22, 2022 03:52 pm
A new-generation weather radar and a massive supercomputing system enables forecasts of storms refreshed every 30 seconds, a significant development in severe weather prediction.
Climate change likely to raise wheat prices in food-insecure regions and exacerbate economic inequality By Chinese Academy of Sciences on Aug 22, 2022 03:27 pm
Researchers predict that wheat yield is likely to increase at high latitudes and decrease in low latitudes, meaning that prices for the grain are likely to change unevenly and increase in much of the Global South, enhancing existing inequalities.
A warming planet could mess with our sleep – and make us more vulnerable to infectious disease By University of California, Los Angeles on Aug 22, 2022 03:13 pm
Research suggests rising temperatures could disrupt sleep and blunt immune response, UCLA Health researcher finds.
Migrants share lessons with U.S. to improve climate resilience By Thomson Reuters Foundation, trust.org on Aug 22, 2022 01:17 pm
People from nations vulnerable to climate change - like the Marshall Islands and Honduras - are helping the United States to better prepare for its impacts.
‘Tinnie army’ leads to NSW flood inquiry call to train community members as first responders. How will that work? By Conversation Media Group, the on Aug 22, 2022 01:06 pm
When floods swept the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales earlier this year, scores of people ignored official advice and rescued neighbours and friends from floodwaters using their boats, kayaks and jet skis, while risking their own lives.
Pilot project to support Tribal climate resilience in Alaska By National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Aug 22, 2022 12:25 pm
The project, “Expanding and Connecting Tribal-Led Climate Change Capacity to Serve Indigenous Community Needs in Alaska,” will establish a director of Tribal climate change initiatives position at ANTHC to leverage statewide relationships with Tribes.
Natural hazards: Are international tourists prepared? By Resilience to Nature's Challenges on Aug 22, 2022 12:21 pm
How effective is current natural hazard communication? Do tourists understand it and are they prepared for natural hazards before travelling to a destination? The answer is complicated and depends on who you ask.
Rise in heart disease may be explained by extreme weather conditions: Study By ABC News on Aug 22, 2022 12:19 pm
It's not clear why temperature shifts correlated with more heart attacks.
Billions in CBA mortgages exposed to extreme weather risks, climate analysis finds By Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Digital Network on Aug 22, 2022 11:45 am
More than $31 billion of Commonwealth Bank home loans are in areas exposed to increasing extreme weather events and another $14 billion in mortgages are in communities economically reliant on demand for coal, climate analysis has found.
Canada is witnessing more thunderstorms than ever before By Conversation Media Group, the on Aug 22, 2022 10:13 am
Residents in eastern Ontario are still recovering after a tornado-producing thunderstorm left a path of destruction over 55 kilometres long and up to 1,400 metres wide in July. Such thunderstorms, and the damage they leave behind, are only increasing.
Wave created by Tonga volcano eruption reached 90 metres - nine times taller than 2011 Japan tsunami By University of Bath on Aug 22, 2022 09:49 am
New research reveals more about the magnitude of January eruption, as researchers call for better preparedness
Five action points for a resilient future By United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific on Aug 22, 2022 09:24 am
The APMCDRR is taking place at the time when the compounding consequences of natural hazards and the COVID-19 pandemic continue to disrupt people and the economies. We must take note of four interrelated trends.
After FEMA overhaul, hundreds of thousands of Americans are forgoing federal flood insurance By Grist Magazine on Aug 19, 2022 04:26 pm
The total number of National Flood Insurance Program policies has decreased nearly 9 percent since last fall.
Chinese city dims lights in heatwave power crunch By Agence France Presse on Aug 19, 2022 03:43 pm
A provincial capital in southwest China has dimmed outdoor advertisements, subway lighting and building signs to save energy, official announcements said, as the area battles a power crunch triggered by record-high temperatures.
22-year drought, overuse of river drive water restrictions in Arizona, Nevada, Mexico By The Energy Mix on Aug 19, 2022 01:47 pm
For the second year in a row, Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico will face cuts in the amount of water they can draw from the Colorado River as the Western United States endures an extreme drought, U.S. government officials announced Tuesday.
In MSU's Subzero Lab, simulated winter drives progress in predicting water runoff and avalanche risk By Montana State University on Aug 19, 2022 01:46 pm
The ceiling of a cold chamber in MSU’s Subzero Research Laboratory was chilled to minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit, simulating a clear night so frigid it sucks warmth and water vapor from snow to form the feathery, glittering ice crystals known as surface hoar
Pets are unrecognized victims of climate-related disasters By Earth.com on Aug 19, 2022 01:43 pm
One Health disaster response that addresses human and animal needs is essential for the continued welfare of companion animals and their owners.
The City of Sendai and the Sendai Gender Equal Opportunity Foundation makes great strides to promote women’s leadership in DRR By Sendai City on Aug 19, 2022 01:26 pm
The City of Sendai and the Sendai Gender Equal Opportunity Foundation makes great strides to promote women’s leadership in DRR.
Conditions in prisons during heat waves pose deadly threats to incarcerated people and prison staff By Conversation Media Group, the on Aug 19, 2022 12:28 pm
Extreme heat is taking an increasing toll across the U.S. in summertime. People who are incarcerated are among society’s most vulnerable groups and have been especially affected.
With a surge of disasters in Timor-Leste, women’s leadership helps save lives By CARE Australia on Aug 19, 2022 10:47 am
In patriarchal societies, deep-rooted gender norms can create major barriers to women’s leadership and participation in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and emergency preparedness activities.
Climate threat to food supply chains creates 'domino effect' By University of Sydney on Aug 19, 2022 09:55 am
New modelling by a multidisciplinary team of researchers shows the impact climate change and extreme weather events could have on food supply chains, with adverse effects on income, food and nutrient availability.
New tool provides wave flooding predictions for West Maui By University of Hawaii Press on Aug 19, 2022 09:41 am
A new interactive mapping tool provides predictions of coastal flooding in West Maui under various scenarios of sea-level rise and a range of wave events for community members, property owners, businesses, as well as state and county officials.
Heat waves aren’t going away. Here’s how we can prepare By University of California, Los Angeles on Aug 19, 2022 09:24 am
Across the country, thermostats are rising into previously unimagined realms. It’s been a summer of record-setting heat across Europe and the United States, including California. Climatologists don’t expect them to be record highs for long.
A streamlined NGO approach to drought-induced food insecurity in Zimbabwe: voices from EAP custodians and stakeholders By Anticipation Hub on Aug 18, 2022 03:43 pm
In 2020, Welthungerhilfe began to roll out a forecast-based action (FbA) mechanism to tackle drought-induced food insecurity in Zimbabwe, under a multi-country programme to establish a participatory, localized anticipatory action approach for this hazard.
Hybrid solutions for China's natural catastrophes By Asia Insurance Review, Ins Communications Pte Ltd on Aug 18, 2022 03:21 pm
Parametric catastrophe bonds are a hybrid insurance and capital market instrument that are being used by sovereign nations and risk pools to speed up the claims payment process and increase the transparency of risk transfer.
New data confirms: forest fires are getting worse By World Resources Institute on Aug 18, 2022 02:05 pm
New data on forest fires confirms what we’ve long feared: Forest fires are becoming more widespread, burning nearly twice as much tree cover today as they did 20 years ago.
Meet 5 inspiring humanitarians working to reduce disaster risk By Anonymous on Aug 18, 2022 01:09 pm
This World Humanitarian Day UNDRR is celebrating women leaders in disaster risk reduction and humanitarian action, who are working to build resilience in their communities.
The complex relationship between hurricanes, air pollution, and climate By Eos - AGU on Aug 18, 2022 12:44 pm
A new study focuses on the frequency and distribution of tropical cyclones over the past 40 years.
The impacts of human-induced climate change are exacerbating social and economic inequalities of indigenous peoples – A case study from Bangladesh By International Centre for Climate Change and Development on Aug 18, 2022 12:22 pm
To tackle climate challenges, Bangladesh has adopted a number of policies and action plans since 2005. However, most of these policies fail to promote the rights and adaptation practices of the most vulnerable communities, such as the indigenous peoples.
How countries can tackle devastating peatland wildfires By United Nations Environment Programme on Aug 18, 2022 11:56 am
While Europe and North America are suffering major wildfires, earlier this year, large parts of Chile and Argentina were engulfed in flames. That includes vast tracts of peatlands, key stores of carbon which, when released, feed planetary warming.
As Europe's forests burn, why are wildfires getting worse? By Thomson Reuters Foundation, trust.org on Aug 18, 2022 11:44 am
Accelerating climate change and extreme weather events such as drought and heatwaves are fuelling forest fires around the world.
Yemen remains on high alert on desert locust By Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Headquarters on Aug 18, 2022 09:30 am
To avert agricultural losses due to the voracious desert locust, FAO recently delivered various equipment and machinery to Yemen's Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Fisheries (MAIF) in Aden.
Risk of volcano catastrophe ‘a roll of the dice’, say experts By University of Cambridge on Aug 18, 2022 09:00 am
While funding is pumped into preventing low-probability scenarios such as asteroid collision, the far more likely threat of a large volcanic eruption is close to ignored – despite much that could be done to reduce the risks, say researchers.
In Afghanistan, a wrenching choice between drought and migration By Thomson Reuters Foundation, trust.org on Aug 17, 2022 03:05 pm
Conflict, water shortages, and economic crisis have wiped out jobs, ruined crops and left millions of Afghans in humanitarian need.
Call for applications: Advisory support on gender-smart monitoring & evaluation of Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI) Programmes By InsuResilience Global Partnership on Aug 17, 2022 12:13 pm
The InsuResilience Centre of Excellence is establishing a Technical Advisory Facility with the goal to support and scale up the practical application of knowledge resource on gender-smart CDRFI solutions.
China's Yangtze river shrinks as heatwave, drought threaten crops By Thomson Reuters on Aug 17, 2022 11:52 am
Regions that rely on the Yangtze, China's longest river, are having to deploy pumps and cloud-seeding rockets as a long drought depletes water levels and threatens crops, and a heatwave is set to last another two weeks.
Desert regions may predict climate change in wetter areas By The Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Aug 17, 2022 11:31 am
New research by an international team of scientists suggests that climate change is causing dryland mechanisms to increasingly affect Earth’s wetter areas.
As wildfires get more extreme, observatories are at greater risk By Wired, Condé Nast Digital on Aug 17, 2022 10:51 am
Climate change is making fire season worse. Now astronomers are feeling the heat.
Drought: five ways to stop heavy rains washing away parched soil By Conversation Media Group, the on Aug 17, 2022 10:07 am
When William Blake described England’s “green and pleasant land” in his poem Jerusalem, he was actually writing during a prolonged drought. Two centuries later, much of Europe is withering under successive heatwaves amid one of the most extreme droughts.
Tapping into digital for more effective disaster risk management in Malawi By United Nations Development Programme - Headquarters on Aug 17, 2022 09:00 am
In many countries, critical data that is needed to inform strategies and policies around disaster risk management tends to be scattered across various stakeholders — and sometimes much of it exists on paper that is not readily accessible.
Civil society participation at 2022 APMCDRR: guidance video and feedback By Asian Disaster Reduction and Response Network on Aug 16, 2022 03:35 pm
ADRRN is collaborating with key partners, including GNDR, ICVA, ACFID, and others, to strengthen the participation of civil society colleagues at APMCDRR in order to maximise the impact of the messages from the communities we serve.
Factors in the severity of heat stroke in China By Eos - AGU on Aug 16, 2022 03:02 pm
When temperatures exceed 36°C and relative humidity passes 58%, citizens in China may experience heat stroke.
Climate risks dwarf Europe's energy crisis, space chief warns By Thomson Reuters Foundation, trust.org on Aug 16, 2022 02:59 pm
Following successive heatwaves and wildfires across Europe, the head of the European Space Agency (ESA) has warned economic damage from extreme weather could dwarf Europe's energy crisis.
Irreversible declines in freshwater storage projected in parts of Asia by 2060 By University of Pennsylvania on Aug 16, 2022 02:58 pm
Most comprehensive study to date on water storage in Tibetan Plateau projects dramatic losses of freshwater storage in parts of Asia by mid-century under modest climate policy scenario.
Cities are often 10-15 °C hotter than their rural surroundings By European Commission Joint Research Centre on Aug 16, 2022 12:11 pm
A recent global study conducted by the Joint Research Centre looks at the difference between surface temperatures of urban areas and their neighbouring rural areas in summer.
Today’s heat waves feel a lot hotter than heat index implies By University of California, Berkeley on Aug 16, 2022 11:50 am
An analysis finds that the apparent temperature, or heat index, calculated to indicate how hot it feels—taking into account the humidity—underestimates the perceived temperature for the most sweltering days, sometimes by more than 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
New research shows communities around small reservoirs more vulnerable to climate extremes By Deltares on Aug 16, 2022 11:49 am
The water volume in small reservoirs is significantly more susceptible to seasonal and climate variability than larger reservoirs, leaving communities that rely on them more vulnerable to water scarcity and food insecurity, according to new research.
How we measured U.S. Forest Service wildfire prevention work By NPR on Aug 16, 2022 11:38 am
The Forest Service primarily tracks work that counts toward wildfire mitigation projects in two different datasets within its Forest Service Activity Tracking System (FACTS) database.
As rising seas swamp South Carolina’s shores, some coastal communities are left unprotected By Grist Magazine on Aug 16, 2022 11:22 am
A proposed $1.1 billion seawall bypasses marginalized Charleston neighborhoods and relies on outdated grey infrastructure. But there is an alternative: green, nature-based solutions can protect at-risk coastal communities.
Highlights from "Hazardous Heat" By First Street Foundation on Aug 16, 2022 10:52 am
New research from First Street Foundation finds that about 8 million people in the United States this year will be under "Extreme Heat", and grows to impact about 107 million people in 2053.
Sensor research helps fight wildfires By Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Aug 16, 2022 10:44 am
As climate change leads to larger and more frequent wildfires, researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are using sensors, drones and machine learning to both prevent fires and reduce their damage to the electric grid.
China rations electricity to factories as heatwave sees power demand surge By Guardian, the (UK) on Aug 16, 2022 09:10 am
Move likely to hit output of lithium, used in electric car batteries, from factories in Sichuan where temperatures sit above 40 degrees.
Did Sweden’s controversial COVID strategy pay off? In many ways it did – but it let the elderly down By Conversation Media Group, the on Aug 16, 2022 08:42 am
As much of the world shut down early in the COVID pandemic, Sweden remained open. Almost two-and-a-half years after the pandemic began, what can we say today about the outcomes of this “experiment”?
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