The European Commission’s Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre (DRMKC) has published the first Flash News edition of 2026, bringing together recent developments, publications, and tools from the European disaster risk management community. The edition strengthens the scientific evidence base for preparedness and supports the implementation of the Preparedness Union Strategy.
A key milestone highlighted in this edition is the EU Science for Preparedness Conference (4–6 November 2025, Turin), which combined the annual DRMKC seminar with the Copernicus Emergency Management Service annual meeting. Around 800 participants, both in person and online, came together to discuss scientific priorities for future disaster preparedness. Key themes included digital innovation, artificial intelligence, uptake and interoperability of tools, and a shift towards “interconnected systems” approaches to risk management.
New reports, tools and datasets:
This edition features a range of new and upgraded resources, including:
- Europe’s wildfire season report, showing a continued expansion and intensification of fire activity. In 2024, more than 383,000 hectares burned, while 2025 exceeded 1 million hectares.
- A new global drought index analysing the development speed of different types of droughts.
- Enhanced flood modelling and depth mapping capabilities (EXFLOS) for urban and vegetated areas.
- The GHSL WUP Projections Data Package 2025, providing long-term projections of built-up areas and population (1975–2100) and demonstrating that built-up land has expanded much faster than population growth in recent decades.
These outputs are complemented by scientific publications on topics such as automated global flood monitoring, the application of AI in disaster risk management, and new approaches to risk and vulnerability assessment.
Events, calls and additional resources:
The Flash News also includes:
- Proceedings from the EU Science for Preparedness Conference, summarising key discussions and outcomes;
- An online Disaster Risk Management training course (February 2026);
- The DIREKTION Awards 2026, supporting near-to-deployment innovations for emergency responders;
- A wide range of additional studies and policy briefs on multi-hazard risk management, urban resilience, climate adaptation, and financial risks related to natural hazards.
The DRMKC looks forward to continuing the dialogue with its community throughout 2026, with the shared objective of turning science into actionable knowledge and further strengthening Europe’s disaster preparedness.
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