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German Committee for Disaster Reduction e.V. (ger.: Deutsches Komitee Katastrophenvorsorge e.V.)

Newsblog

Online self-paced course on IPBES and IPCC now available

Online self-paced course on IPBES and IPCC now available

The EU-funded project RESPIN offers an English-language online self-paced course entitled “IPBES and IPCC: Bridging Science, Policy and Practice.” The course is aimed at participants from science, policy, and practice and can be completed independently. The course...

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Virtual flight over the Flaugergues crater on Mars

Virtual flight over the Flaugergues crater on Mars

A new video from the Mars Express mission takes viewers on a virtual flight over one of the most striking structures in the southern Martian highlands: the 245-kilometre-wide impact crater Flaugergues. The animation is based on image data from the High Resolution...

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DRR & Open Data Newsletter, January 2026

DRR & Open Data Newsletter, January 2026

The latest DRR & Open Data Newsletter clearly demonstrates how digital technologies, open data, and new analytical approaches are fundamentally transforming our understanding of risks, climate dynamics, and disaster impacts. Satellites, sensors, and AI are...

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The DKKV on Bluesky
"Sturmdokumentation 2025 Deutschland" der Deutschen Rückversicherung erschienen Insgesamt blieben die Naturgefahrschäden im Jahr 2025 unterdurchschnittlich. Der Erderwärmungstrend setzt sich jedoch fort. Mehr: dkkv.org/sturmdokumen...
25.06 2026 - 11:38
Neue DKKV-Themenseite zu CBRN-Gefahren veröffentlicht! Mehr: dkkv.org/themenseiten...
25.06 2026 - 09:41
Rekordhitze in Europa: Eine anhaltende Hitzewelle sorgt derzeit in vielen europäischen Ländern für außergewöhnlich hohe Temperaturen. Mehr: dkkv.org/rekordhitze-...
25.06 2026 - 09:04
Schwere Erdbeben in Venezuela: Zwei starke Erdbeben haben den Norden Venezuelas, einschließlich die Hauptstadt Caracas, erschüttert. Mehr: dkkv.org/schwere-erdb...
25.06 2026 - 09:04
Aus aktuellem Anlass möchten wir auf den Leitfaden für Medien zur Berichterstattung über Extremwetter und den Klimawandel aufmerksam machen. Mehr: dkkv.org/extremwetter...
25.06 2026 - 06:23

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 urbanisation, 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.