Newsblog

The open-access publication Navigating Urban Development – Learnings from East and Southeast Asia explores pathways for sustainable urban transformation in the face of rapid urbanisation and the escalating climate crisis. Edited by Vivienne Mayer, Anika Slawski and Frank Schwartze, the volume brings together insights from ten research projects conducted in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, […]

The Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency, UBA) has published the updated “Handbook on Environmental Costs – Methodological Convention 4.0”, providing revised environmental cost factors to support evidence-based political and economic decision-making. According to current modelling, Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 will cause global welfare losses of approximately €647 billion over their atmospheric lifetime. These estimates […]

On 10 February 2026, tropical cyclone Gezani hit the east coast of Madagascar with wind speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour, causing severe devastation. According to official reports, at least 31 people were killed and many more were injured. Several people are still missing. Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected. Aerial […]

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) has published a free online course for journalists and media professionals worldwide entitled ‘Covering Disasters from a Different Lens’. The aim is to make reporting on disasters fact-based, responsible and solution-oriented – thereby strengthening risk awareness, preparedness and resilience in society. In times of disinformation and […]

The German Weather Service (DWD) has published its latest seasonal climate outlook for the period March to July 2026 (issued 16 February 2026). Seasonal forecasts do not predict day-to-day weather conditions; instead, they indicate climate tendencies over several months compared to a historical reference period (1991–2020). For Germany, the current model simulations suggest the following: […]

The World Economic Forum (WEF) published the Global Risks Report 2026 in January 2026. Now in its 21st edition, the report analyses key global risks across different time horizons and is aimed at political and economic decision-makers worldwide. At its core is the concept of an emerging “Age of Competition”: an increasingly fragmented global order […]

Risks and disasters, and their resulting impacts, are becoming increasingly frequent and complex due to a range of developments such as climate change, geopolitical instability, and ongoing urbanisation. As a result, there is a growing demand for well-trained professionals in Disaster Management and Civil Protection. This need is also reflected at policy level, for example […]

On 10 February 2026, the Public–Private Partnerships (PPP) Round Table took place at the Maritim Hotel in Bonn as part of the Caribbean–EU Study Visit on Disaster Risk Management. The event aimed to facilitate structured exchange between high-level Caribbean decision-makers and European public, international and private-sector actors. The Caribbean delegation included Ministers and senior officials […]

In recent weeks, exceptionally heavy and persistent rainfall has flooded large parts of southern Africa. Mozambique and north-eastern South Africa have been particularly hard hit, but Zimbabwe and other countries in the region are also reporting severe damage. According to the United Nations, more than half a million people have been affected by the floods […]