Press releases

Disaster Data Highlight Global Risks - 11 October 2006

"Natural Disaster Hotspots Global Risk Analysis" found that disasters can wipe out hard-won development gains and accumulated wealth in developing countries. "Hotspots Case Studies" takes a closer look at specific regions and risks: drought in Asia, landslides throughout the globe, storm surges in coastal areas, natural disaster risks in Sri Lanka, multihazard risks in Venezuela, and a pilot study on reducing the impact of flooding in Kenya. The books and a Hotspots website offer scientific information on major natural hazards at a time when the Bank and its partners are ramping up efforts to help countries reduce risk and recover faster from disaster-related losses.

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Disaster Convention Warned On Urbanization Risk - February 3, 2006

Natural disasters will continue affecting the world's poorest people until decision makers address factors including rapid urbanization and environmental destruction, a conference entitled, 'Incentives for Reducing Risk' heard Thursday in Bangkok, reports Agence France Press.
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Risk Analysis Reports Over Half of World's Population Exposed to One or More Major Natural Hazards

29 March 2005 - The World Bank has published a report entitled, 'Natural Disaster Hotspots: A Global Risk Analysis', that presents a global view of disaster risks associated with some major natural hazards: drought, floods, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides. The report identifies high-risk geographic regions so that development efforts can be better informed and designed to reduce disaster-related losses in the future.
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Turkey: World Bank Underlines The Importance of Hazard Risk Management In ECA Region - 26 Oct 2004

The World Bank launched today a new working paper on 'Saving Lives and Property Through Hazard Risk Management: A comprehensive Risk Management Framework for Europe and Central Asia'. The report puts forward the new strategy that is the first attempt on a regional level in order to assess the vulnerability of countries to natural disasters. It also initiates a comprehensive hazard management programme and recommends specific actions on a country to country basis.
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IFRC welcomes involvement of insurance sector in risk management efforts - 20 October 2004

An international conference to be held in Zurich on Thursday 21 October aims to show how the insurance industry can play a crucial role in finding solutions to the challenges of disaster risk management in the developing world. The one-day conference, 'The Potential of Insurance for Disaster Risk Management in Developing Countries', is being organised by the ProVention Consortium, will look at a variety of topics, including catastrophe pools, micro-insurance schemes, famine risk insurance, public-private partnerships and the challenge of linking local and global initiatives.
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Disaster reduction agreement signed between the Red Cross Red Crescent and OAS - 11 March 04

This agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between both organisations that will develop and implement joint initiatives to support OAS member states in Latin America and the Caribbean in risk reduction through the coordinated efforts of the IFRC in the region. View press release.
Both organisations have developed a programme, supported by ProVention Consortium, to implement a disaster reduction project targeting semi-urban and rural areas in four countries.

Red Cross Red Crescent supports International Day for Disaster Reduction - 8 October 2003

The International Federation today (Wednesday, October 8) marked International Day for Disaster Reduction with a call for greater investment in reducing vulnerability to disasters in least-developed countries.
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Transfer of the ProVention Consortium Secretariat - 23 April 2003

Following a successful launch and start-up period, the ProVention Consortium is pleased to announce the transfer of the ProVention Secretariat from the World Bank's Disaster Management Facility (DMF) to the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
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