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Elhadj As Sy: For a safer future, for community resilience, ‘we must act now’ in response to Paris climate agreement

Elhadj As Sy: For a safer future, for community resilience, ‘we must act now’ in response to Paris climate agreement
5 September 2016

The IFRC today welcomed the ratification by China and the US of the Paris climate agreement, which brings its entry into [...]

‘Forecasting for humanity: the future of disaster preparation’

‘Forecasting for humanity: the future of disaster preparation’
1 September 2016

(This story appeared first yesterday on the website of the BRACED programme.) Picture this scenario: you are a development NGO worker [...]

New doubts about La Niña-related rains flag importance of drought relief in Southern Africa

New doubts about La Niña-related rains flag importance of drought relief in Southern Africa
31 August 2016

South Africa’s met office this week said recovery from the El Niño-related drought currently affecting the country – along with [...]

‘Hydromet services are a public good critical for resilience and growth’

‘Hydromet services are a public good critical for resilience and growth’
29 August 2016

The Red Cross Red Crescent this weekend called for greater investment in community resilience so vulnerable families can better face [...]

Small lending promotes resilience amid devastating El Niño drought legacy in Malawi

Small lending promotes resilience amid devastating El Niño drought legacy in Malawi
16 August 2016

(This story was published first yesterday by the IFRC, whose emergency appeal for just over US$3.5m to address food insecurity [...]

Elhadj As Sy: Asia must invest more in disaster risk reduction

Elhadj As Sy: Asia must invest more in disaster risk reduction
11 August 2016

(This interview was published first yesterday on the website of the Thomson Reuters Foundation – the Climate Centre’s BRACED partners.) From typhoons [...]

Across Asia, humanitarian challenges from monsoon rains and El Niño legacy

Across Asia, humanitarian challenges from monsoon rains and El Niño legacy
9 August 2016

The IFRC yesterday issued an emergency grant of just under a quarter of a million US dollars to help the [...]

‘Time to engage’ at Red Cross Red Crescent Atlantis XII youth camp

‘Time to engage’ at Red Cross Red Crescent Atlantis XII youth camp
5 August 2016

The Climate Centre last week joined the 12th ‘Atlantis’ Red Cross Red Crescent Mediterranean youth camp, held in Orahovica, Croatia. [...]

Southern African Development Community declares ‘regional disaster’ and launches $2.4 bn appeal for El Niño-related drought

Southern African Development Community declares ‘regional disaster’ and launches $2.4 bn appeal for El Niño-related drought
4 August 2016

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) last week declared a “regional disaster” and launched an appeal for US$ 2.4 billion [...]

Forecasters: Models ‘back off’ a little on possible La Niña strength and timing. But don’t cancel the watch

Forecasters: Models ‘back off’ a little on possible La Niña strength and timing. But don’t cancel the watch
28 July 2016

The International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) – the IFRC’s forecasting partners – say the latest computer models show [...]

WMO will research whether reported 54°C in Kuwait heatwave sets official, all-time eastern hemisphere record

WMO will research whether reported 54°C in Kuwait heatwave sets official, all-time eastern hemisphere record
27 July 2016

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) yesterday said it would examine whether a reading of 54.0°C last Thursday taken in Mitrabah, [...]

The week of heat

The week of heat
25 July 2016

Extreme heat as well as destructive rainfall made headlines around the world last week, with the town of Mitribah (graphic) [...]

Opinion: ‘Leaders must act now to stop hunger in Southern Africa’

Opinion: ‘Leaders must act now to stop hunger in Southern Africa’
21 July 2016

(This story appeared first yesterday on the website of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the Climate Centre’s BRACED partners. Alexander Matheou [...]

The UK under climate change: government advisers assess future domestic risks

The UK under climate change: government advisers assess future domestic risks
14 July 2016

A report out earlier this week from the British government’s principal advisers on climate says the impacts of climate change [...]

New chart style for (even) better cyclone preparedness in Vanuatu

New chart style for (even) better cyclone preparedness in Vanuatu
12 July 2016

The Vanuatu Meteorological Service (VMS) last week said its new, simpler map that plots cyclones using letters and numbers rather [...]

UN: Drought and flood impacts from El Niño/La Niña could touch 100 million people

UN: Drought and flood impacts from El Niño/La Niña could touch 100 million people
8 July 2016

The three major Rome-based UN agencies specializing in food or agriculture this week called for combined efforts to tackle the [...]

Deepening drought-impacts behind ‘very dire’ food-security situation in Ethiopia’s Afar region

Deepening drought-impacts behind ‘very dire’ food-security situation in Ethiopia’s Afar region
5 July 2016

(This story appeared first yesterday on the IFRC news site. The Climate Centre’s community resilience programme in Ethiopia’s Somali Region [...]

Forecast-based financing detailed for expert audience at Global Flood Partnership meeting

Forecast-based financing detailed for expert audience at Global Flood Partnership meeting
1 July 2016

Recent operational experience from forecast-based financing humanitarian distributions in Africa and Asia was showcased by the Climate Centre at this [...]

IFRC reference centre world’s 7th most-efficient climate think tank in new global top-100 ranking

IFRC reference centre world’s 7th most-efficient climate think tank in new global top-100 ranking
27 June 2016

The International Center for Climate Governance (ICCG) on Thursday announced its 2015 ‘Climate Think Tank Rankings’ – a global assessment [...]

IFRC reference centres focus on resilience at European Development Days 2016

IFRC reference centres focus on resilience at European Development Days 2016
24 June 2016

(This story appeared first earlier today on the website of the Red Cross EU Office in Brussels. It has been [...]

Vector control key to beating yellow fever as number of vaccinated Angolans tops 8 million

Vector control key to beating yellow fever as number of vaccinated Angolans tops 8 million
23 June 2016

The IFRC earlier this month called for “an immediate scale-up in response” to the spread of yellow fever in Angola [...]

A month on from Roanu and after ‘unusually high tides’, IFRC warns of monsoon danger to Bangladesh

A month on from Roanu and after ‘unusually high tides’, IFRC warns of monsoon danger to Bangladesh
20 June 2016

(This story is a press release that was issued by the IFRC earlier today from Geneva and Kuala Lumpur and includes [...]

‘Abnormal is the new normal’. May sets global climate records

‘Abnormal is the new normal’. May sets global climate records
15 June 2016

(This web story, edited here for length, appeared first yesterday on the website of the World Meteorological Organization, an IFRC [...]

New WWA analysis: strong climate link to French deluge but data on Germany inconclusive

New WWA analysis: strong climate link to French deluge but data on Germany inconclusive
9 June 2016

Human-caused climate change played an important role in the heavy rains that pounded parts of France late last month, scientists with World [...]

The hidden toll of El Niño in Timor-Leste

The hidden toll of El Niño in Timor-Leste
6 June 2016

(This blog by IFRC operations manager Jesper Fridolf, from the Swedish Red Cross, edited slightly here for length, was published [...]

Now scientists probe possible climate link to Europe floods

Now scientists probe possible climate link to Europe floods
3 June 2016

Scientists are this weekend urgently analysing whether climate change made the latest flood disaster in Europe more likely.  France and [...]

As Pacific returns to ‘ENSO neutral’ state, La Niña edges onto humanitarian radar

As Pacific returns to ‘ENSO neutral’ state, La Niña edges onto humanitarian radar
2 June 2016

(This story was first published earlier today on the Asia Pacific area of www.ifrc.org.) For the past year the International [...]

UN: ‘Fundamental culture change’ by humanitarian donors required for action based on forecasts

UN: ‘Fundamental culture change’ by humanitarian donors required for action based on forecasts
31 May 2016

A new report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) earlier this month looks at the impact of climate stresses [...]

Near-normal hurricane outlook most likely for season that’s ‘particularly difficult’ to predict, says NOAA

Near-normal hurricane outlook most likely for season that’s ‘particularly difficult’ to predict, says NOAA
30 May 2016

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Friday said the coming Atlantic hurricane season from June to November would probably [...]

Brazil Red Cross volunteers brace for ‘more active’ wildfire season in Amazon

Brazil Red Cross volunteers brace for ‘more active’ wildfire season in Amazon
27 May 2016

The IFRC’s science partners, the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), earlier this month issued a forecast of a [...]

Social protection ‘key policy tool’ in battle against climate impacts

Social protection ‘key policy tool’ in battle against climate impacts
27 May 2016

Social protection programmes can build people’s “anticipatory, adaptive and absorptive” capacity to resist climate shocks and disasters, according to a new paper [...]

Disaster preparation means forecast-based financing, not band-aids

Disaster preparation means forecast-based financing, not band-aids
25 May 2016

(This article, reproduced here under Creative Commons, appeared first yesterday on the website of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.) [...]

WHS closes in Istanbul: ‘The test is what happens next’

WHS closes in Istanbul: ‘The test is what happens next’
24 May 2016

(This story is an IFRC press release published first earlier today on ifrc.org.) The World Humanitarian Summit draws to a [...]

SG’s address to Istanbul summit roundtable on natural disasters and climate change

SG’s address to Istanbul summit roundtable on natural disasters and climate change
24 May 2016

(This is the text of an address by IFRC Secretary General Elhadj As Sy at today’s high-level leader’s roundtable, Natural [...]

Over 55,000 community volunteers help move half a million people out of harm’s way before Cyclone Roanu strikes Bangladesh

Over 55,000 community volunteers help move half a million people out of harm’s way before Cyclone Roanu strikes Bangladesh
23 May 2016

(This story appeared earlier today on ifrc.org and has been slightly edited here for length.) Just before Cyclone Roanu slammed [...]

Preparation and innovation key to reducing risk, and ‘a few days’ can decide life or death, 2016 Understanding Risk Forum hears

Preparation and innovation key to reducing risk, and ‘a few days’ can decide life or death, 2016 Understanding Risk Forum hears
23 May 2016

The head of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Laura Frigenti, Friday told the closing session of the 2016 Understanding [...]

‘Extreme climate vulnerability’ among Movement concerns ahead of first-ever global humanitarian summit in Istanbul

‘Extreme climate vulnerability’ among Movement concerns ahead of first-ever global humanitarian summit in Istanbul
20 May 2016

The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement has affirmed its key messages to the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) in Istanbul, which [...]

IFRC to scale up response to drought and strengthen resilience in Southern Africa

IFRC to scale up response to drought and strengthen resilience in Southern Africa
17 May 2016

(This story is an IFRC press release issued today.) The IFRC today announced a major 110-million Swiss franc, four-year initiative [...]

What the world needs now: ‘preparedness and resilience’ (and forecast-based financing)

What the world needs now: ‘preparedness and resilience’ (and forecast-based financing)
13 May 2016

Two of the most influential figures in the sector yesterday called for a more “forward-looking humanitarian system that takes preparedness [...]

Climate science initiative will help South Asian and East African societies prepare for extreme weather

Climate science initiative will help South Asian and East African societies prepare for extreme weather
11 May 2016

(This story is a press release issued today by the UK-based Climate and Development Knowledge Network, including a full technical [...]

Resilience tops ‘high-value’ UN to-do list at

Resilience tops ‘high-value’ UN to-do list at
9 May 2016

The major global ‘public-private’ conference announced at COP 21 last year to gather leaders from “government, business, cities and localities, [...]

Second humanitarian distribution in Uganda under forecast-based financing

Second humanitarian distribution in Uganda under forecast-based financing
3 May 2016

The Katakwi district branch of the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) Friday carried out another humanitarian distribution, for just over [...]

UN ‘loss and damage’ committee discusses managing climate impacts

UN ‘loss and damage’ committee discusses managing climate impacts
3 May 2016

The third meeting took place at the UN campus in Bonn last week of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw [...]

La Niña watch now in force

La Niña watch now in force
2 May 2016

The US Climate Prediction Center and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) last month jointly issued a [...]

CBA10: ‘Without involvement of the urban poor, no city will be resilient’

CBA10: ‘Without involvement of the urban poor, no city will be resilient’
29 April 2016

The tenth-anniversary Community-Based Adaptation Conference – ‘CBA10’ (proceedings) – ended yesterday on the Dhaka campus of the Independent University, Bangladesh, [...]

‘Let’s enlist the Paris climate deal to build resilience’

‘Let’s enlist the Paris climate deal to build resilience’
25 April 2016

(This opinion piece appeared first Saturday on the website of the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Dr Maarten van Aalst is Director [...]

IFRC hails Paris agreement signing in New York as ‘breakthrough for vulnerable populations threatened by climate change’

IFRC hails Paris agreement signing in New York as ‘breakthrough for vulnerable populations threatened by climate change’
23 April 2016

(This is a press release issued by the IFRC Friday shortly after the signing of the COP 21 global agreement [...]

Paris agreement: 175 nations sign in New York, but

Paris agreement: 175 nations sign in New York, but
22 April 2016

The text of the historic global agreement thrashed out at the COP 21 UN climate talks in Paris last December was [...]

German-supported forecast-based action in Bangladesh will be all-cash

German-supported forecast-based action in Bangladesh will be all-cash
22 April 2016

Planning for the operational roll-out of forecast-based financing (FbF) in Bangladesh is now at an advanced stage, with an established [...]

Paris agreement: World eyes 55-55 ‘double threshold’ for climate deal to take effect

Paris agreement: World eyes 55-55 ‘double threshold’ for climate deal to take effect
21 April 2016

The text of the historic global agreement thrashed out at the COP 21 UN climate talks in Paris last December opens [...]

Up to date satellite-based climate services plus equals resilience

Up to date satellite-based climate services plus equals resilience
19 April 2016

(This article, edited slightly here for length, first appeared on the Understanding Risk website. Through the Global Framework for Climate Services [...]