Wealthy nations have not kept promises to the poorest people, now being hammered hard by weather disasters

This blog from Practical Action Nepal shares how one of the Community Disaster Management Committees they work with as part of the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance is managing the mixed vulnerability arising at the intersection of risk from the coronavirus and the annual monsoon season. 

Increased unemployment and income loss caused by Coronavirus will make it harder for vulnerable communities in Bangladesh to prepare for floods and landslides this monsoon season.

The Green Climate Fund is currently reviewing its work plan for engagement in the water sector. Reconsidering the make-up of its portfolio; how funding is distributed and projects implemented will be a critical step in ensuring flood resilience is built at regional, national and local levels. Ensuring it’s easier for subnational governments and NGOs to […]

Mercy Corps and Practical Action’s report Avoiding a perfect storm: COVID-19 and floods in Nepal is based on findings from a remote, telephone, survey we conducted with 46 Community Disaster Management Committees (CDMC) which we work with as part of our programmes within the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance. As we are sure others are having […]

The COVID-19 crisis demonstrates the need to invest much more in pre-disaster risk reduction and preparedness for a range of risks, including climate change and its accompanying hazards such as flooding. But what, asks Swenja Surminski, does this kind of investment need to consider in practice – and why is ‘resilience’ not already widely taken […]

5 June 2020 is World Environment Day. This year, special focus is given on nature conservation with the theme ‘It’s time for nature’. By deliberately using ecosystem’s services and processes, we can address many of our existing problems, such as climate change and disaster risk. There is a growing pantheon of terminology for these ‘nature-based […]

Bangladesh has battled the twin perils of a super-cyclone and Covid-19. We can offer lessons for others facing similar dangers

Ecosystem-based solutions or eco-solutions help us to deal with societal challenges. Considering only the financial costs and benefits of these solutions is not enough to understand the effectiveness of these ingenious approaches. Before replicating and scaling up, we also need to ensure they meet social and environmental objectives and as a minimum does no harm.