Update

The Third Session of the Global Platform will bring together disaster risk reduction, recovery and reconstruction experts. Over 2,000 policy makers and practitioners from both developing and developed countries will be invited to collect, assess and share information as well as set new directions for disaster risk reduction. The Third Session will be from 8-13 May 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland.

'The capacity building training was primarily directed at government agencies, local community-based organizations and served as a platform to share experiences, lessons learned and best practices in climate change programmes with emphasis on climate change adaptation measures' said Jonas Nghishidi, project coordinator at the Namibia Nature Foundation in a report by Annelien van Wyk...

The grant, the first of its kind involving disaster risk reduction, was extended by the Spanish Cooperation Agency for Development to strengthen local governments’ disaster preparedness and response in Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan and Benguet provinces, reports Manila Standard Today...

Next week, climate talks resume in Cancun. 'What effect is climate change already having on the developing world?', is the topic of the Guardian Focus podcast presented by Madeleine Bunting, with a special report on Mali...

'The operations approved today are the result of close collaboration between Mexico and the World Bank and will allow us to continue promoting our country's economic and social development, placing special attention on themes of climate change mitigation and adaptation' said Ernesto Cordero, Finance and Public Credit Secretary...

Six Pacific island countries are in the process of reviewing progress made on their disaster risk management action plans, reports the Fiji Times. 'Having Pacific island countries participating in the review can strengthen national capacities to self- monitor and evaluate their disaster risk management programs and plans' says Angelika Planitz, head of the UNISDR sub-regional office for the Pacific...

Humanitarian disasters resulting from natural hazards such as floods and earthquakes could in some cases be prevented if governments collected and shared hazard data internationally, according to a new World Bank/UN report, reports the Science and Development Network, SciDev...

Although natural hazards may seem a distant threat to Great Britain, the population should still be prepared writes Oliver Stallwood for Metro.UK...

Residents of Sandwip island are urging the government to fund a multi-million-dollar, three-kilometre-long stretch of concrete and earth wall to halt erosion, threatening the earthen embankments that protect 400,000 people, reports Syful Islam for Reuters AlertNet...

'If we are going to achieve MDG targets for which governments have allocated some budget, perhaps we could consider increasing disaster risk reduction funds; otherwise you can't achieve these goals' said Margareta Wahlstrom, UN special representative for disaster risk reduction...