Update

New automated weather stations could boost Ethiopia's fledgling agricultural insurance schemes, expanding the use of payouts triggered by abnormally low rainfall and reducing costly visual verification of yield losses...

'If there is one development issue that cuts across all other development concerns, it is disaster risk reduction. Resolving this issue is today's most daunting task for all sectors since disasters abound and are getting bigger, deadlier and worse,' said Senator Legarda in her opening statement today...

'By tackling our vulnerability, we can significantly reduce the risk of disaster and we can build safer and more resilient community-led mitigation measures' said Vice Mayor Alfredo Arquillano Jr. of San Francisco, one of four towns in the Camotes Group of Islands, Cebu, Philippines, on Pagtuki, the radio programme of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.(RAFI)...

With climate change, population growth and food shortages predicted, our cities will need to adapt to a difficult future says John Stanley, Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies at the University of Sydney...

With its solid experience in the field of DRR, from earthquake research to flood early warning systems, Japan stands to further strengthen its relationship with UNESCO, said Mr Sumio Mabuchi, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, at a meeting with UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova this week...

Japan and Australia are in the process of establishing an insurance scheme to ensure that funds are rapidly available for Pacific Island countries hit by natural hazards, reports Rowan Callick, Asia-Pacific editor for the Australian...

Africa has struggled to make accurate and detailed predictions of the impact of climate change on its countries, but a recent experiment, CORDEX, which began earlier in 2010, will see the continent take a 'quantum leap' in climate change projection, says Bruce Hewitson, the project’s Africa coordinator...

ADDIS ABABA -- Delegates of the the 11th Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM-Africa) in Addis Ababa, November 14-15, 2010 closed the meeting on a high note confirming that they will strengthen their efforts to deliver as one for the AU and its NEPAD Programme. Key presentations focused on the need for the RCM, cluster and sub-clusters to be more result and impact oriented. Clusters were requested to develop programmes in consultation with the AUC and RECs based on their priorities and programmes. The participants also recommended to improve interaction among the AU Departments and inter-cluster relation especially on some cross-cutting issues.

Municipalities and local Governments of El Salvador are focusing on reducing disaster risk as part of the 2010-2011 World Disaster Reduction campaign - Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready Campaign.

Recent disasters - including a deadly tsunami and volcano eruption - underscore the need for Indonesians to be better prepared for disaster emergencies, experts say. Despite drills, media campaigns and policy 'it seems people begin to think about preparing only after a disaster strikes. Prevention is still taking a back seat'...