News and announcements

IRIN analysed evaluations to highlight some lessons emerging from recent urban disasters. What follows are challenges and recommendations reported by groups from Manila to Mogadishu; insights from experts consulted over the past year; and an 'urban' aid toolbox organizations have begun assembling but which they admit is far from complete...

'In the context of a slowly evolving landscape and rapidly changing climate, true adaptation will require us to accept the reality of bushfire as a constant presence in our lives,' warns University of Tasmania lecturer Stewart Williams...

During the past three years Plan has helped more than 33,000 children return to school and built 314 classrooms which are earthquake and hurricane resistant. Other pressing issues remain for the country such as the reconstruction of government buildings and access to land for Haitians to rebuild their homes...

The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission has started the hydrological modeling of the upper Indus catchment with satellite remote sensed rainfall data, with the aid of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency...

'Just when we thought they had reached top speed, debates on the post-2015 development agenda continue to intensify – with the UN High Level Panel on post-2015 reporting as early as May this year, and the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals due to kick off soon,' writes Gina Bergh for ODI...

Experts say that developing nations could require more than $100 billion for adaptation each year. Developed countries say that they have already delivered more than $33 billion so far towards this climate adaptation funding...

'We are well past the time of niceties, of avoiding the dire nature of what is unfolding, and politely trying not to scare the public. The unparalleled setting of new heat extremes is forcing the continual upwards trending of warming predictions for the future, and the timescale is contracting,' warned Liz Hanna at the Australian National University’s Climate Change Adaptation Network...

'Climate change will continue to threaten the livelihoods of billions of small-scale holders farmers in West Africa, and other part of the world, and will remain on the top of priorities of national, regional and international agendas,' said Chairman Thomas Rosswall in his concluding remarks...