Case studies

This collection of case studies from across the globe showcases practical, real-world examples of disaster risk management and disaster risk reduction in action.

The need to understand, adapt to, and mitigate disaster risks is greater than ever. These case studies are in-depth studies of a particular case in a real-world context. Each case study highlights unique challenges, innovative solutions, and impactful outcomes, providing insight into the strategies that communities, organizations, and governments have implemented to protect lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems.

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Case study
Austria
Cctalk! Communicating effectively with high-risk populations in Austria: A five-step methodology
In order to reduce the vulnerability of elderly people to heat waves in Austria, a new communication approach was developed and tested as part of the CcTalK! Project.
  • World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Case study
Australia
Building evidence that effective Heat Alert Systems save lives in southeast Australia
In the January 2009 heatwave, a prototype heatwave alert system had just been introduced, based on research identifying a threshold temperature above which excess mortality occurred in Melbourne, Australia.
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Case study
India
Vulnerability to heat stress: A case study of Yavatmal, Maharashtra, India
This study provided a pilot assessment of vulnerability to heat exposure in a rural context during the peak summer months of 2016, with a focus on indoor and outdoor temperatures.
  • Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions
Case study
United States of America
Where do we need shade? Mapping urban heat islands in Richmond, Virginia
Citizen-scientists took to the streets on specially equipped bikes and cars to find out where it’s hottest—and where residents might be most vulnerable to extreme urban heat.
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Case study
Slovakia
Social vulnerability to heatwaves – from assessment to implementation of adaptation measures in Košice and Trnava, Slovakia
The Carpathian Development Institute assessed vulnerability, leading to adaptation strategies in Trnava and Košice—implementing measures like park improvement, public space redesign, and behaviour change programmes.
  • European Climate and Health Observatory
Case study
Angola Andorra
Case studies: Red Cross Red Crescent disaster risk reduction in action – what works at local level
The following case studies demonstrate the Red Cross Red Crescent contribution to climate-smart disaster risk reduction action across the Asia Pacific region.
  • International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
Case study
Guatemala
Study on shock-responsive social protection in Latin America and the Caribbean: Guatemala case study
The case study in this report focuses on the protracted drought in Central America in the region known as the Dry Corridor.
  • World Food Programme (WFP)
Case study
United States of America
Protecting people from sweltering city summers
Federal, state, and local agencies are working to provide more advanced warnings and services to help people better prepare for—and respond to—extreme heat events.
  • US Climate Resilience Toolkit
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