Disasters Avoided case studies

Worldwide, estimates of economic costs of the COVID-19 pandemic at the lower end of the scale are in the tens of trillions of dollars, without accounting for long COVID. With the right action and learnings from COVID-19, we can prevent pandemic disasters...

We are changing the Earth’s climate rapidly and substantively. As a result, the weather is changing, but we are not helping people prepare for it. We can act now in order to avoid climate change influencing most disasters.

Many cities encroach into ecosystems that burn naturally. Worldwide, most fire ignitions have a preventable human cause. Avoiding a wildfire disaster begins now and requires continuous action. 

Wildfires are a major threat across the USA, as continues to be seen. Whilst vulnerabilities and challenges remain, examples exist of action taken by many people to avoid wildfire disasters that is making a difference at an individual level...

To avoid wildfire disasters, the allocation of resources towards data collection and governance mechanisms needs to be commensurate with the relative importance of the various risk factors in a particular region. Linking all wildfire disasters to climate change leads to a narrow and ineffective approach to wildfire risk management...

 Chile experienced one of the worst fire-related disasters in its history in early 2024. A series of huge forest fires burned from February 1 to 5 2024, leaving at least 131 people dead. Yet Villa Botania, near the city of Quilpué in central Chile, emerged from these fires as an interesting example to learn from...

Wildfires are a major threat in Australia. Wildfire (bushfire and grassfire) events in recent decades have severely tested the country’s resilience. Whilst vulnerabilities and challenges remain, the coordinated actions by many groups of people is helping to avoid wildfire disasters...

Bangladesh is seen as a leader in disaster risk - a country that other countries can learn from.

Its geography and low-lying land mass make it one of worlds’ most vulnerable geographies to climate-related hazards. Coordinated action is resulting in flooding disasters being avoided...

Viet Nam is vulnerable to flooding. The country’s coastline is 3,200 km long and it is estimated that almost 12 million people in coastal provinces are exposed to flooding. Action by groups of organisations and individuals is showing how disasters can be avoided...

Hamburg is a large European city situated on the river Elbe. The city has a longstanding track record in sustainability, which includes working with the Elbe and respecting the power of water. Action through design of the built environment shows how a flooding disaster can be avoided in a large urban area...

Flood structures are large, solid, visible, and tangible – seemingly able to offer unassailable “protection”. Major advantages can emerge, such as electricity generation, water storage, and recreational areas. They can also create a false sense of security. When few extremes occur, awareness, preparedness, and coping with floods and droughts can lapse...

Extreme heat in India is a major problem, costing lives and billions of dollars of lost economic output. Along with other cities in India, the city of Hyderabad in Telangana State is taking action to avoid a disaster caused by heat...