Our Disasters Avoided case studies, which are independently created and informed by research, interviews and findings, are examples of positive action being taken by people around the world to protect lives and the planet. We hope they provide examples, and inspiration, for us all to learn lessons and to keep working to avoid disasters.
In developing these case studies, we have identified six common factors to avoiding disasters, which are described in the Emerging Model page. Good outcomes arise from a combination of (1) the right mindset that disasters can be avoided, (2) the right investment / funding, (3) good governance, with accountability and controls being in place, (4) good data that is used for fact-based decision-making and action, (5) meaningful inclusion so that people act in unison, and (6) agreeing meaningful targets and tracking progress against them.
Ongoing plans for our case studies
Our case studies are designed to span a range of geographies, hazards, and vulnerabilities.
New case studies of disasters avoided will be added to this website as they are finalised.
In the case study list below, wherever you see "case study to be added soon", a media source has currently been provided to give some general context.
You can receive updates on newly developed case studies through our Newsletter, which you can sign up to through this link.
Please contact us if you have any questions or feedback, including any ideas for case studies that we could consider producing. We are always looking for good examples to highlight of disasters being avoided.
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...
In Seoul, Korea, an elevated expressway through the centre of the city was torn down between 2003 and 2005 to restore / engineer the Cheonggyecheon stream. It is now a floodway for rainfall run-off and an important urban social space, with pedestrian paths, relaxation areas, events and green spaces...
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...
In the last few decades, large parts of Southeast Asia (a region that is home to some 660 million people) have been episodically affected by "seasonal" haze - fine particles that reduce air quality resulting from land clearance by burning, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, to make way for crops. Solving this problem is complex, but a health disaster can be avoided if fundamental economics can be changed...
The City of Bordeaux is working on a series of integrated actions to reduce disaster risk, avoid disasters and provide climate resilience. These actions are being profiled in a case study that is being developed, with the kind support of the City...
If you have any compelling examples of disasters avoided that you think we should consider including as case studies, please let us know.