News and announcements

Scientists, lawmakers and authorities have argued over what causes extreme weather patterns such as the worst drought of the past 50 years in the US. Scientists warn that the climate is changing faster than people realize and farmers begin long-term precautions...

'The success of weather index-based crop insurance will depend on the rate of the premium, the party who pays it, and government contributions,' said Ainun Nishat, a climate change expert and vice chancellor of BRAC University...

As FEMA works to update the new flood maps, the agency is working closely with its federal, state and local partners to help these two coastal counties better understand the current flood risk so that action can be taken to reduce that risk...

NASA is preparing to send unmanned scientific aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean to study tropical cyclones and the processes that underlie hurricane formation and intensification. Reporters are invited to view NASA's Global Hawks and tour the mission control center at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility...

'This drought is an eye-opener, or at least should be taken as one,' W L Sumathipala, the former head of the Climate Change Unit of the Ministry of Environment warned. 'If we don’t change the way we treat our water resources, the next time a dry spell comes, the effects will double or triple what we are seeing now'...

The Greek government's Seismic Risk Assessment Program for public buildings has not prompted regional authorities to step up building inspections, reports the International Herald Tribune. In 11 years only 15 per cent of the hospitals, schools, power plants and other public facilities have been checked, as the seismic risk assessments are not mandatory...

'The sonar tests will help paint a detailed three-dimensional picture of the seismic fault lines in the area. But they are controversial because the piercing, around-the-clock underwater sounds could harm animals in protected wildlife areas and limit commercial fishing,' reports Reuters...

The Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government, Sir John Beddington, recently spoke to UNISDR about how migration triggered by natural hazards is actually taking people into areas of increasing vulnerability.