Planning disaster risk communication to support early warning and early action
The risk communication hub aims to support practitioners - from any sector - who are planning public risk communication strategies with the general public. The guidance will help maximise investments in risk communication by:
- Designing communication that reflects behavioural science and informed decision-making among populations.
- Collaborating with practitioners across disciplines to prepare effective public communication strategies and content.
Introduction
Disaster risk communication, early warning and early action. Natural hazards are becoming
more intense and more frequent because of climate change. At the same time, people are
increasingly exposed to hazards because of increased urbanisation in hazard-prone areas.
More than half the global population lives in cities – and 2.5 billion people are likely to join
them by 2050. Urban dwellers’ vulnerability to hazards is compounded by poverty and
inequality, which limits people’s ability to invest in preparedness measures and resilient
infrastructures.
The four phases of disaster risk communication
The disaster risk communication ‘loop’ proposed is a dynamic process, not a linear one.
You might end up moving back and forth between the different segments. For example,
after understanding a problem and starting to plan, you may need more information to
inform your plan. Likewise, once your communication activities have started (in Do), you
may need to fine-tune your objectives, backing up to ‘Plan’.
View the table of contents.
Main publications
This hub draws from the comprehensive guidelines presented in the Pocket guide and Guide for essential research publications, produced by BBC Media Action in partnership with UNDRR, which offer key insights into risk communication strategies. Access and download the documents below.
The project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Case studies
Explore a series of real-world case studies that highlight successful risk communication practices in diverse contexts. These examples offer valuable lessons for practitioners, illustrating how tailored communication approaches can lead to better outcomes in risk awareness and action.
Expert pieces
Effective disaster risk communication goes beyond sharing information—it influences decisions and saves lives. In this section, experts share lessons from the field, unpack communication challenges and offer practical insights to improve how risk messages reach and resonate with people at risk.
Further resources
Dive deeper into risk communication with curated content collections from PreventionWeb, offering up-to-date research, tools, and best practices. These resources support professionals with the latest knowledge and techniques to enhance their risk communication efforts.
Hazards do not have to turn into disasters.
To break the vicious cycle of "Disaster, respond, recover, repeat.", we need a better understanding of disaster risk, in all its dimensions.