Development actions and the rising incidence of disasters

Evaluation brief, no. 4.

The evaluation brief brings attention to the World Bank investments at risk. It alerts task managers to increases in the number and severity of flood and windstorm disasters resulting from environmental degradation, population pressure in coastal areas and mega-cities, and the possible effects of climate change. In particular, the report analyzes the potential risks to investments in roads, ports, storm sewers, and embankments on the one hand, and highlights actions undertaken to preserve and restore wetlands and forests on the other. Finally the report develops a set of findings to be taken into account when preparing projects in countries likely to be affected by these types of disasters. The report serves as a bridge between a 2006  evaluation of the World Bank’s response to natural disasters and two upcoming IEG evaluations, one on the environment and the other on climate change. This report is based on a database of project information with all the available information on every Bank project that had disaster-related activities.