Topics
Sorted by (Issue date descending, Date of update descending, Date of creation descending, Number of collection descending) Add the result to your favourites Refine your search
Introduction to Climatology for the Tropical Pacific Islands
This lesson provides information on climatology—what it is, the factors that create an area's climate, and the sources and uses of climate information. Focused specifically on tropical Pacific islands, the content covers the key features influencing climate in that region and includes examples for four locations distributed across the tropical Pacific Ocean, both north and south of the equator. The lesson provides a basic introduction to tropical climatology intended for a wide range of users, from meteorology technicians, forecasters, and scientists, to those in industries or sectors influenc ...
Two Right Feet? Understanding the Difference Between U.S. Survey Feet and International Survey Feet
This video explains the difference between the U.S. survey foot (sFT) and the international survey foot (iFT) and the importance of this distinction when working with map projections. It will be helpful to surveyors, planners and anyone who needs to convert map coordinates from meters to feet. This resource is hosted on COMET's YouTube Channel.
Forecasting Heavy Rains and Landslides in Eastern Africa
Good rainfall draws many people to settle across the eastern Africa highlands for farming and other businesses. However, factors such as steep terrain, logging, livestock grazing, agriculture, and construction, have increased erosion and contributed to less stable slopes. These factors can lead to devastating landslides and mudslides, especially during episodes of very heavy rain. Forecasting and monitoring heavy rainfall is challenging, especially in mountainous regions that have few surface observations. This make satellite data critical for meteorologists and hydrologists forecasting for th ...
HYSPLIT Applications for Emergency Decision Support, 2nd Edition
This module helps forecasters provide decision support services during hazardous materials emergencies. Topics covered include: Types of weather data inputs required for short-range dispersion models typically used by emergency managers Types of inputs required to run the web version of the HYSPLIT model with the ALOHA source term, which is now available to NWS forecasters The types and scales of events that are appropriate and inappropriate for modeling by HYSPLIT Key uncertainties that can cause misleading dispersion model forecasts The processes and limitations of CAMEO/ALOHA and HYSPLIT Ho ...
Overview of Watershed and Channel Sedimentation
This lesson provides an overview of the primary influences of watershed and channel sedimentation. In a short narrated portion of the lesson, we explore a section of the Rio Grande watershed and channel in New Mexico using Google Earth imagery, river profiles, and graphic animations. We highlight features of the upland catchments, the river channel, and the Elephant Butte Reservoir. We then demonstrate how environmental factors (climate, geography, land use changes, reservoirs) impact the supply and movement of sediments for the Rio Grande and other rivers. The focus is on the three primary pr ...
Flood Management Tool Series, Technical Document, 21. Effectiveness of flood management measures
It is not enough to assert—to an elected official, a regulator, a donor organization or the taxpayer—that one’s organization is doing an effective job of flood management. One also has to be able to provide a credible answer to the question: “How do you know?” 2 There is a multiplicity of flood management activities that can be pursued by a plethora of government jurisdictions, government agencies, NGOs, private and volunteer groups— independently, in cooperation, in competition. These activities may include: constructing flood prevention infrastructure; rebuilding houses, buildings and infras ...
![]()
Assessing the evidence: Migration, environment and climate change in Papua New Guinea
This national assessment brings together existing evidence on the migration, environment and climate change nexus in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
The report provides a review of environmental migration materialised in local realities and compiles data from a wide variety of sources, including government policy documents, academic research, working papers and other publications and research carried out by national and international organizations, NGOs and research institutions.
An overview of PNG’s exposure to environmental and climatic changes is provided, as well as t ...
![]()
Disaster microinsurance: an innovation for transformation: In Southasiadisasters.net issue no. 133, July 2015
The Policy Brief is primarily aimed at a human rights audience, and intends to both inform human rights policymakers and provide guidance on how international human rights law, institutions and mechanisms might contribute to more effective, just and sustainable policy responses (at the international and national levels) to climate change and crossborder displacement.
It reflects primary and secondary research; the outcome of a meeting during the 25th session of the Human Rights Council (the Council) on the ‘human rights implications of displacement in the context of disasters’ o ...
![]()
Beyond Katrina: lessons in creating resilient communities
Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center (Risk Center) ; Zurich Insurance Group Limited - Zurich Insurance Group Limited, 2015This white paper explores the lessons learned from Katrina and how the recovery in New Orleans inspired the creation of new methods of building resilience. The paper identifies a number of critical areas to keep stakeholders aligned, including prioritizing flooding as the paramount risk, devoting more resources to preventive measures rather than post-event disaster relief, and overcoming current infrastructure vulnerabilities. The paper also offers first steps and tactics to help assess and address communities at risk, and ways to improve the affordability of risk-based disaster insurance.
![]()
Migration and natural resource scarcity within the context of climate variability in West Africa
Drawing from research in rural north-western Benin, this policy brief looks at the effect of migration on the in-land fisheries subsector.
It emphasizes the need for effective participation of all stakeholders in the management of natural resources to improve livelihoods in the region facing population growth and climate variability.
The brief highlights that migration – internal and international – is an important feature of the social lives of people across West Africa. While movements within the subregion are generally due to complex and multi-causal factors, n ...
![]()
Malawi 2015 floods post disaster needs assessment report
Malawi - government, 2015The PDNA report indicates that the Malawi 2015 floods affected 1,101,364 people, displaced 230,000 and killed 106 people. The assessment focuses on medium to long term reconstruction and provides the guiding principles for recovery, including assessment of the damage, losses, and recovery and reconstruction strategies for each sector are provided in detailed sector.
![]()
Global estimates 2015: people displaced by disasters
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC); Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) - Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, 2015This annual report draws on information from a wide range of sources, including governments, UN and international organisations, NGOs and media, to provide up-to-date figures and analysis on displacement caused by disasters associated with rapid-onset geophysical and weather-related hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods and storms. The report, the sixth of its kind, aims to equip governments, local authorities, civil society organisations and international and regional institutions with evidence relevant to these key post-2015 agenda.
![]()
The 2015 Global Climate Legislation Study: A review of climate change legislation in 99 Countries – Summary for policy-makers
This study covers national laws and policies directly related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, across 99 countries.
It looks at those passed before 1 January 2015 and covers 33 developed and 66 developing countries; 32 Annex-I and 67 non-Annex-I countries. Taken together, the study countries produce 93 per cent of world emissions, including 46 of the world’s top 50 emitters. They are home to 90 per cent of the world’s forests.
The definition of climate and climate-related laws used in the study reflects the relevance of climate policy f ...
![]()
Climate change-related disasters and human displacement : towards an effective management system
Sciaccaluga Giovanni; International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) - IFRC, 2015The book offers a critique of the dominant trends in thinking about adaptation and climate change, particularly social dimensions.
It presents a framework for making sense of choices around resilience (stability), transition (incremental social change and the exercising of existing rights) and transformation (new rights claims and changes in political regimes).
The resilience– transition–transformation framework is supported by three detailed case study chapters. These also illustrate the diversity of contexts in which adaption is unfolding, from organisations to ...
![]()
Overview of natural disasters and their impacts in Asia and the Pacific, 1970 - 2014
The paper provides a review of natural disasters and their impacts in Asia and the Pacific by disaster type, sub region and level of development. The first section looks at the occurrence of natural disaster events. This is followed by an analysis of fatalities and economic loss in sections two and three respectively. The short-term consequences of natural disasters on the economy are also mentioned. The final section briefly discusses aspects regarding exposure and vulnerability of countries in Asia and the Pacific.
Add tag 
