The DKKV is…

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

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New Topic Page Disaster Waste Management

New Topic Page Disaster Waste Management

The DKKV’s topic pages provide scientifically sound and visually engaging coverage of key topics in the fields of natural hazards and civil protection, as well as various approaches, concepts, crises and other risks. Following the coverage of disaster waste management...

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New issue of the UCP Knowledge Network newsletter published

New issue of the UCP Knowledge Network newsletter published

The 17th edition of the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network newsletter has been published, focusing on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in civil protection. The articles demonstrate how AI is already being used in early warning systems, risk analysis and...

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Global Summit for Disaster Risk Reduction

Global Summit for Disaster Risk Reduction

From March 24 to 27, 2026, the Global Summit for Disaster Risk Reduction, organised by the Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), will take place online. This event will bring together civil society organisations from around the...

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15 years after Fukushima

15 years after Fukushima

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 undersea earthquake struck the east coast of Japan. The quake triggered a devastating tsunami that destroyed large parts of the coastal region and ultimately led to the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant....

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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.