The DKKV is…
German Committee for Disaster Reduction e.V. (ger.: Deutsches Komitee Katastrophenvorsorge e.V.)
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Global Catastrophic Risks Report 2026
Global catastrophic risks are events or developments that could severely affect the lives of large numbers of people across multiple continents or even threaten the foundations of civilization. These include, for example, environmental, technological, or security...
Call for contributions: Research conference in Remagen
The summer of 2026 marks the fifth anniversary of the flood disaster in western Germany, and a conference entitled “Five Years After the 2021 Flood – Changing Research Perspectives” will be held in Remagen on July 2-3, 2026. Five years after the 2021 flood disaster,...
New open access publication: Synthesis volume on the Panta Rhei research decade now available
Following the publication of the Panta Rhei synthesis article in April 2025, another key milestone has now been reached: the open access volume Coevolution and Prediction of Coupled Human–Water Systems has been published. The book marks the scientific conclusion of...
Lessons from the flood: International excursion to the Ahr Valley on the 20th anniversary of the Forum for Urban Future
On November 28, 2025, a field trip to the Ahr Valley took place as part of the 20th anniversary of the Forum for Urban Future in Southeast Asia. The anniversary of the network was organized by Prof. Dr. Frauke Kraas at the University of Cologne and provided an...
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What is disaster risk reduction?
Storms, natural hazards and extreme events can quickly become a danger to people and the environment. But climate change, extreme urbanization, power outages and fires also offer potential hazards.
A disaster occurs when the functioning of a community or society is impaired or interrupted and, as a result, high human, material, economic and ecological losses occur that cannot be managed alone.
Precautionary measures can help to reduce the consequences and impact of the disaster. Depending on the hazard and personal circumstances, the precautionary measures to be taken may vary.
Find out more about potential hazards and individual precautionary measures on our topic pages.