To predict floods in Africa, check forecasts for extremes and river basins, not total rain in a season, say scientists
September 15, 2017
‘Seasonal forecasts’ that make general statements about above- or below-average total rainfall over the course […]
IPCC agrees outlines for next climate assessment with ‘stronger focus on risks and solutions’
September 12, 2017
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), meeting in Montreal, last week finalized the outline […]
UK-supported climate-resilience programme issues major progress report at 2-year mark
September 11, 2017
The global UK-supported programme known as ‘BRACED’ that builds resilience in parts of the Sahel, […]
‘Our worst fears have played out in Barbuda and elsewhere’
September 8, 2017
(This story is an IFRC press release issued yesterday in Geneva and Panama City. The […]
Red Cross braces for passage of super-strength Hurricane Irma across Caribbean
September 7, 2017
(This story and report from Haiti appeared first earlier today on the IFRC website.) Red […]
New study centres on Red Cross partnership-building for flood resilience in Dar es Salaam
September 6, 2017
A case study published recently by the Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC) highlights partnership aspects […]
Second forecast-based humanitarian distribution by Togo Red Cross in West Africa monsoon
September 5, 2017
The Togolese Red Cross (TRC) yesterday carried out its second humanitarian distribution in two weeks […]
Unprecedented floods, apocalyptic language. And climate science
August 30, 2017
‘Hurricane Harvey and the inevitable question of climate change’ ran the headline in the Washington […]
US scientists: Droughts to become more frequent and severe
August 29, 2017
A new study using NASA satellite technology that tracks changes in landscapes over time finds […]
Op-ed: ‘I am more angry than sad. The world should be angry too’
August 28, 2017
(Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traore is head of the IFRC’s Africa region. This opinion piece was first […]
Togolese Red Cross launches water-purification drive after FbF ‘trigger’ alert from dam
August 25, 2017
After heavy seasonal rainfall the Togolese Red Cross (TRC) this week began distributing ‘Aquatabs’ – […]
From the Philippines to Haiti: expanding the ‘Y-Adapt’ global community
August 18, 2017
A three-day ‘training of trainers’ workshop at a Haitian Red Cross (HRC) centre in Port-au-Prince […]
Climate Centre: Integrate early action and preparedness into social protection
August 16, 2017
Climate Centre specialists this week call for existing social protection systems around the world to […]
First ‘clear climate signal’ found in Europe-wide floods
August 13, 2017
(This story appeared first last week on the website of Climate Central. It has been […]
Defining and predicting heatwaves in Bangladesh
August 9, 2017
(This story, together with illustrative graphics and video, appeared first earlier this week on the […]
Mitigating climate impacts, building resilience: East Asia Red Cross youth summer camp
August 8, 2017
The 2017 East Asia Red Cross youth summer camp – attended by around 100 young […]
IFRC warns of serious health risks as extreme heatwave sweeps across Europe
August 4, 2017
(This story is an IFRC press release issued earlier today jointly in Geneva and Budapest. […]
ICRC: No major progress on armed conflict and climate risk underlying ‘the four famines’
August 2, 2017
ICRC Director of Operations Dominik Stillhart last month told US senators there has been “no […]
Innovative educational formats at international adaptation conference
August 1, 2017
The annual international conferences on community-based adaptation organized by the UK-based International Institute for Environment […]
Red Cross scales up response to ‘unprecedented’ dengue outbreak in Sri Lanka
July 25, 2017
(This story is a press release issued yesterday jointly in Colombo and Geneva, and at […]
Op-ed: ‘The problem isn’t hunger: food crisis in East Africa’
July 14, 2017
(This op-ed appeared first on Wednesday on the website of the Australian Institute of International […]
Kenya Red Cross steps up humanitarian cash relief as drought fails to relinquish grip
July 12, 2017
(This story is a KRCS-IFRC press release issued in Nairobi on Monday. A detailed scientific […]
Second cash-relief operation under FbF of Bangladesh monsoon
July 11, 2017
The Chinese Red Cross has donated US$100,000 to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) to […]
‘Scale up climate action from tens of thousands to tens of millions of households’
July 5, 2017
The eleventh international conference on community-based climate adaptation, ‘CBA11’, ending in Kampala last week heard a […]
New flood-resistant houses boost resilience in northern Senegal
July 4, 2017
(This story appeared first on Friday on the African regional area of the IFRC website.) […]
Scientists find strong climate change links in Western Europe’s record June heat
June 30, 2017
(This story is a press release from US-based Climate Central, coordinators of the World Weather Attribution […]
Humanitarians hope for ‘risk management framework’ on geoengineering – a Carnegie discussion
June 28, 2017
(This story appeared first earlier today on the website of the Carnegie Council for Ethics […]
IFRC chief executive: In preparedness and response, reaching communities should be ‘first mile’, not the last
June 23, 2017
(This story appeared first earlier today on the news site of the IFRC.) IFRC Secretary […]
UN food agency: Early forecasts key to saving lives in droughts
June 21, 2017
(This story appeared first on the Thomson Reuters Foundation website on Monday.) With droughts set […]
Forest fires in Portugal rage on as heatwave sweeps Europe
June 21, 2017
(This story appeared first yesterday on the IFRC news site.) More than 200 volunteers and […]
Fire and extreme heat strike again in Europe
June 19, 2017
The Portuguese Red Cross yesterday issued a national emergency appeal to support victims of the […]
Regular international dialogue on forecast-based financing held in Asia for first time
June 16, 2017
Two weeks after Bangladeshi coastal villagers in the path of Cyclone Mora got a humanitarian […]
PfR in Uganda encourages civil society engagement in national adaptation planning
June 15, 2017
Partners for Resilience (PfR) in Uganda late last month hosted a workshop in Kampala aimed […]
IFRC seeks support for people in Bangladesh ‘facing full onslaught of the monsoon season’
June 13, 2017
(This story is an IFRC press release issued earlier today in Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur.) […]
Turn down the heat(wave)! Red Cross flash mobs in India
June 12, 2017
They came out of the blue and stopped people in their tracks. In crowded markets, […]
Guterres: Climate change ‘far and away’ tops list of global megatrends
June 2, 2017
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has warned that climate change “far and away” tops a […]
Kenya Red Cross volunteers overcome natural barriers to deliver humanitarian support
June 1, 2017
(This story first appeared last week on the IFRC website. Kenya’s drought broke last month […]
Cancun round-up: Gender, data, and ‘early warning for all’ among prominent themes at close of Global Platform
May 31, 2017
‘Early warning for all’ was one of the many humanitarian headlines generated by the 2017 […]
Bangladesh Red Crescent Society distributes FbF cash to households in the path of Storm Mora
May 30, 2017
(This story appeared first earlier today on the news site of the IFRC, which reports […]
‘New vibe’ in Bonn as efforts to cut climate risk and spur development start to merge
May 25, 2017
(When disaster hits, people don’t care whether a climate, disaster or development policy would help. […]
Report: Poor management of water resources an overlooked cause of migration from Africa to Europe
May 22, 2017
(This story appeared first earlier this month on the website of Netherlands-based Wetlands International, one […]
Red Cross and Red Crescent experts gather in Cancun, Mexico for 5th Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction
May 19, 2017
(This story is an IFRC press release issued earlier today.) With the needs of communities […]
Future risks high on agenda at UN climate meeting in Bonn
May 15, 2017
African scientists say their continent – already one of the warmest land masses on Earth […]
Annual Report 2016
May 14, 2017
Addressing climate risk in a year of hunger Find our multimedia report here.
Can the Red Cross Red Crescent help dam operators reduce risk downstream? ‘Yes’
May 11, 2017
An embryonic new phase of the relationship between dam operators and humanitarians concerned with downstream […]
150 years of the Red Cross in the Netherlands – and a history lesson in the ‘Hall of Knights’
May 11, 2017
The Netherlands Red Cross Society (NLRC) celebrated its 150th anniversary on Monday – World Red […]
Red Cross, Partners for Resilience help Indonesian fishermen read the web (and the waves)
May 10, 2017
They are the everyday questions that face all inshore fishermen preparing to put to sea […]
IRI: New research highlights applications for ‘sub-seasonal forecasts’
May 4, 2017
(This story appeared first yesterday on the IRI website. It has been edited slightly here. […]
Working together on environmental management to reduce risks in Iran and around the world
May 3, 2017
“You can’t hear the sound of one hand clapping. Working together is the only way,” […]
Probability of El Niño this year at least 50%
May 2, 2017
Although they emphasize the difficulty of forecasting at this time of year, the chances of […]
‘AR6’ scoping meeting underway in Addis Ababa
May 1, 2017
A scoping meeting by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to prepare for its […]
Hydropower and humanitarian sectors joining forces to combat flood risk
April 25, 2017
A Red Cross side event at next month’s World Hydropower Congress in Addis Ababa organized […]
UN: Climate-related health impacts will become increasingly prevalent
April 18, 2017
A new UN report is flagging increased risks to health from climate change and highlights […]
John Paul Kazungu: the human face of resilience in Kenya’s drought-affected Kilifi county
April 11, 2017
(This is the second of two stories on the drought in Kenya that include aerial […]
The struggle for water in Kenya: Red Cross drone video shows grip of drought as global appeal raised to $25m
April 10, 2017
(This story is the first of two on the drought in Kenya and people’s struggle […]
Nairobi conference, hosted at Kenya Red Cross, heralds ‘new era’ for global climate assessment
April 7, 2017
The ‘International Conference on Climate Risk Management’ ended today in Nairobi. The meeting will inform the […]
Scientists uncertain about impact of climate change on drought pushing Somalia closer to famine
April 1, 2017
A ‘rapid analysis’ released last week by scientists with the World Weather Attribution (WWA) programme […]
Planning climate action in the Philippines the local way
March 24, 2017
In the Philippines, local government is legally required to produce plans for climate action, known […]
International climate scientists unpack data on Kenyan drought. The message? ‘Expect more’
March 23, 2017
(This story is a press release from the Kenya Red Cross Society. It appeared first […]
In drought-hit Kenya, slaughtering goats to save herders
March 10, 2017
(This story appeared first yesterday on the website of the Thomas Reuters Foundation.) In the […]
Smarter spending could tackle disasters in Uganda before they happen
March 6, 2017
(This story appeared first on Friday on the website of the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The […]
In Bihar’s PfR communities, science chimes with village-level planning on water
March 2, 2017
Climate science research often springs surprises. Humanitarian agencies like the Red Cross respond by correcting […]
Community-level activities help Ugandans face drought locally (new Red Cross drone video)
February 28, 2017
A new drone shoot by the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) has illustrated the climate-related […]
The added value of Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies in the development of National Adaptation Plans
February 27, 2017
Representatives from the National Societies of Armenia, Georgia, Kenya, Malawi and Nepal gathered in Marrakech […]
Heavily attended webinar marks early IFRC engagement with issue of geoengineering
February 21, 2017
The IFRC Friday convened a webinar on geoengineering and the implications for the humanitarian sector […]
IPCC pre-scoping meeting announced on climate risk management, centring on ‘most vulnerable human and natural systems’
February 17, 2017
The Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre yesterday sent out invitations to an international scientific […]
IFRC: Mongolian herders need aid to weather second big freeze
February 16, 2017
(This story appeared first earlier today on the website of the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The […]
Red Cross shares in global innovation award at World Government Summit in UAE
February 15, 2017
The Togolese and German Red Cross, the Climate Centre and other partners yesterday shared in […]
‘Immediate and expansive’ action needed as millions face drought and starvation in Horn of Africa
February 13, 2017
(This story is an IFRC press release issued in Nairobi on Friday.) Prolonged and worsening […]
Australia battles through another ‘extreme heatwave’
February 10, 2017
With temperatures in the latest potentially lethal heatwave forecast to remain in the mid-40s Celsius […]
ECMWF and Climate Centre team up on flash-flood forecasts
February 8, 2017
(This story appeared first Tuesday on the ECMWF website. It has been edited here for […]
IFRC: Management of the world’s wetlands important to work on community resilience
February 3, 2017
The world’s wetlands – natural buffers against storms, floods and droughts – are being lost […]
2.4 million Kenyans could be food-insecure by April
February 2, 2017
(This story appeared first on the IFRC news site on Friday and has been edited […]
UK to promote ‘climate-smart approach’ across economic development work
February 1, 2017
The UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID) yesterday published a new strategy to focus […]
Two more countries report modern-era temperature records
January 30, 2017
Two more countries – in the southern hemisphere on opposite sides of the Pacific rim […]
European climate report flags risks to human health
January 26, 2017
Europe is facing a future of rising sea levels and worse heatwaves, floods, droughts and […]
Kenya Red Cross head: drought threatens ‘full-blown emergency’
January 24, 2017
With about half of Kenya now affected by drought, the Secretary General of the Kenya […]
2016 sets new global temperature record
January 19, 2017
Using data compiled by US and British agencies, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) yesterday confirmed […]
‘Wait and see’ no longer an option for disaster response: IFRC chief
January 18, 2017
(This story appeared first yesterday on the website of the Thomson Reuters Foundation.) Governments need […]
Attribution scientists: Europe’s lethal Siberian weather uncommon but not unprecedented
January 16, 2017
Europe’s severe cold wave, which last week led the IFRC to urge people across the […]
Get ready for extreme weather over next decade: pre-Davos global risks report
January 13, 2017
Extreme-weather events are now the top global risk in terms of ‘likelihood’ over the next […]
Finnish-supported climate resilience project celebrated in the Pacific
January 9, 2017
(This story, edited slightly here for length, first appeared on the IFRC news site on […]
‘Dissolving disasters’ in Madagascar: climate games for a vulnerable nation
January 6, 2017
The Fagnavodrevo project in Madagascar’s north-west Sofia region is being implemented by the Malagasy Red […]
Humanitarians ask: Will global action on climate accelerate in 2017?
January 3, 2017
IT SHOULD BE an uncontroversial statement of fact that individuals and organizations with a stake […]
Dialogue for decision-making: Unpacking the City Learning Lab approach
December 23, 2016
This paper presents the City Learning Lab approach for inclusive decision-making at a city level. This paper […]
Review of the year 2016
December 22, 2016
This is our snapshot of the climate-related humanitarian events of 2016, through the eyes of […]
New BAMS report on extreme events reflects ‘growing interest’ in connecting science to impacts
December 21, 2016
A new collection of studies highlights the role of climate change and the strong El […]
‘Essential to bring other donors on board’, Geneva platform on forecast-based financing told
December 16, 2016
(This story appeared first earlier today on the International Federation’s news site.) The German government – […]
‘Climathon’ workshop in Peru charts risk scenarios across multiple hazards
December 7, 2016
The forecast-based financing (FbF) project in Peru – implemented by the Peruvian Red Cross and […]
Netherlands wants ‘water and climate’ issues on agenda at UN Security Council
December 6, 2016
The Dutch Foreign Minister, Bert Koenders, yesterday said water- and climate-related security problems belong on […]
‘We have a weak La Niña in progress’
November 28, 2016
The IFRC’s forecasting partners at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) now […]
Sowing seeds for stronger ‘emergency preparedness and forecast-based financing’ at WFP-organized Manila forum
November 28, 2016
A inter-agency forum in the Philippine capital, Manila, on forecast-based financing (FbF) and emergency preparedness […]
Breaking the link between extreme weather and extreme poverty
November 22, 2016
(This feature story appeared first last week on the website of the World Bank. It […]
Red Cross Red Crescent calls on states to put vulnerable people ‘front and centre’ in planning on climate adaptation and finance
November 21, 2016
(This story is a press release issued by the IFRC in Marrakech and Geneva on […]
IFRC Africa director: Fill gap between preparedness and response with ‘innovative funding mechanisms’ like forecast-based financing
November 18, 2016
The head of the IFRC’s Africa region, Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traore, told the International Federation’s principal […]
Toolkits rolled out to help communities fight mosquito-borne disease
November 17, 2016
(This story appeared first earlier today on the IFRC website.) Amid spikes in dengue cases […]
At COP 22, IFRC pledges support for UN ‘blueprint for action’ on El Niño
November 16, 2016
The IFRC this week emphasized its support for the developing UN ‘blueprint for action’ on […]
The Green Climate Fund: walking the walk on gender?
November 16, 2016
(Yesterday was Gender Day at COP 22 focusing on women as “leaders, innovators, and agents […]
‘Resilient business, resilient world’: new private sector vision for the future at D&C Days
November 15, 2016
(The 2016 D&C Days event in Marrakech that ended on Sunday saw the first major engagement […]