News and Trends

Temperatures are hitting record highs in parts of north and central China this week while a severe drought in the east is also threatening crops, as countries across Asia brace themselves for another summer of extreme weather.China is facing several days of scorching heat, with temperatures set to reach as high as 42 degrees Celsius…

The correlation between rising temperatures and escalating gender-based violence is having a major impact on women and girls worldwide. The effects of heat stress on social dynamics and individual behavior underscore the urgent need for integrated climate and gender-based violence policy interventions.Extreme heat fuels violence in ways that are just beginning to be understood. Rising…

The continuing El Niño weather phenomenon led to record rainfall and flooding beginning April 27, 2024 and continuing through mid-May in Rio Grande do Sul, a state in southern Brazil. Warm water in the Pacific Ocean, affected by El Niño, and very high temperatures in the South Atlantic Ocean contributed to humidity and increased the…

On the first day of 2024, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake was recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) near the northern coast of the Noto Peninsula on the west coast of Honshu, Japan. The Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported the earthquake as magnitude 7.6. According to USGS, it is not uncommon for agencies’ measurements to…

In an era where climate change exacerbates the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, the importance of robust Early Warning Systems (EWS) cannot be overstated. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Istanbul Regional Hub, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, recently conducted…

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently published an insightful article, shedding light on the implications of Generative AI (GenAI) on gender through a value chain approach, with a focus on human rights. The article, produced by the Aapti Institute and commissioned under the Business and Human Rights in Asia program funded by the European…

On May 27, 2024, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) published a critical review study aimed at enhancing Bangladesh’s capacity to manage water resources in the face of climate change. The study, titled “Bangladesh: Adapting to a Changing Climate by Water Accounting,” is a technical paper produced by ADPC’s Climate Resilience and Risk Governance Department….

Over recent years, Sri Lanka has experienced a rise in both the frequency and intensity of floods. This escalation is linked to changing climate patterns that bring more intense rainfall over shorter periods, overwhelming the existing infrastructure and natural waterways.Sri Lanka was hit by devastating floods in early June 2024 which resulted in the deaths…

A volcanic eruption in the Philippines has forced at least 684 schools to close, affecting about 385,000[1] students, with nine schools converted into evacuation centers, Save the Children said.Following the eruption on Monday, Mount Kanlaon volcano on Negros Island in central Philippines is on Alert Level 2, the highest level since the eruption, which indicates…