News and announcements

Over 400 representatives from 18 countries are in attendance, and 166 academic papers will be presented. Emphasis will be placed on promoting a mechanism for mutual international assistance that will reduce risks and damage associated with 'mega disasters'...

'This Report illustrates areas of national strength to include planning, operational coordination, intelligence and information sharing, and other response related capabilities,' said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate...

'No matter how well-crafted our laws are, no matter how grand the speeches we deliver, if it is not implemented in the local level, then that is the problem,' warned Senator Loren Legarda...

'There is no time to lose as all disaster risk reduction reports indicate that the Philippines and many other Asian countries will suffer from more flash floods and droughts in the near future,' said Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom, top UN disaster risk reduction official...

Project Acualina is raising environmental awareness among children and adolescents. 'The role of the population in adaptation strategies is essential in Cuba and the rest of the Caribbean islands' said climate change and development expert Ramón Pichs...

UNISDR today backed a newly launched project from the European Commission, Adaptation Strategies for European Cities, designed to provide capacity building and support for European cities in developing and implementing an adaptation strategy for climate change.

'In each scenario, the Mekong Delta will play a different role in the national economy, and have different schemes for climate change adaptation as well as land and water use,' said Dick Kevelam, chief expert of the Netherlands’ Mekong Delta Plan (MDP)...

'Indonesia should consider the fact that it is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it prone to disaster,' warned nuclear expert Yoichi Funabashi, while urging the Indonesian government to be cautious when considering to build nuclear plants in Indonesia...