Invitation to a briefing: The World Risk Report 2011

When? 2 September 2011, 10.30-11.45a.m.

Where? UNRIC Meeting room, rue de la Loi/Wetstraat, 155. 8th Floor.  Entrance Block C2 (behind the security container)

What? Presentation of the WorldRiskReport 2011: Are disasters preventable?

Who? PD Dr Jörn Birkmann, Scientific Director of the WorldRiskIndex project at the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), Bonn/Germany.
Peter Mucke, Editor WorldRiskReport, Managing Director of Alliance Development Works, Berlin/Germany

Background and Highlights of the report:

Earthquakes, floods, droughts, storms: disasters seem to occur unexpectedly and with unimaginable force. But why do some countries better succeed than others to cope with extreme natural events? The WorldRiskReport 2011 helps to evaluate the vulnerability of societies to natural hazards. Using world maps to visualize, it shows on the one hand where the probability of a natural hazard to occur is particularly high; on the other hand it is shown in which countries the population can cope with these events especially good or bad. The central element of the WorldRiskReport, the concept of the WorldRiskIndex, was developed by the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) in Bonn/Germany, in cooperation with the Alliance Development Works and its partners. Alliance Development Works also is editor of the report.

The WorldRiskReport 2011 consists of the index, a main topic and case studies. The index illustrates the risk of various countries and regions to be hit by a disaster. Special emphasis is put on exposure, susceptibility of the population, coping capacities and adaptation strategies. The main topic of the report is "governance and civil society". Here, the risk factors government failure and on-site risk management are analysed, as well as the possibilities to call for governmental responsibility. Case studies illustrate the main topic.

Information kits will be available at the briefing

The report will be presented in English. Other languages for one-on-one interviews: German, French

For more information, please contact:

Alice Fišer, UN University, + 49-228-815-0219 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Jean-Luc Onckelinx, UNRIC, +32 476 215 485 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Alexandra Froger, UNRIC, + 32 2 788 84 61 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it