JOHANNESBURG, 10 January 2013 (IRIN) - In another four decades, urban residents will account for 66 percent of the population in developing countries, says the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

JOHANNESBURG, 27 November 2012 (IRIN) - Many of the worst natural disasters of 2011 were also the most severe the affected countries had ever experienced, revealed the Global Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2013, which was released in Doha today.

Brazil, Cambodia, El Salvador, Laos and Thailand appear in the CRI’s 10 most-affected countries; all recorded their severest natural hazards-related catastrophes in 2011.

SG/SM/14631
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Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the International Conference on Food Security in Drylands, in Qatar on 14 November:

I am pleased to send greetings to the International Conference on Food Security in Drylands, and I thank His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and the Qatar National Food Security Programme for organizing it. I also thank Qatar for hosting the forthcoming 18th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

CONCLUSIONES PRINCIPALES

• Las inundaciones son el desastre natural más frecuente, causando devastación generalizada, daños económicos y pérdida de vidas humanas.

• La región de Asia oriental y el Pacífico es particularmente vulnerable: En los últimos 30 años, la cantidad de anegaciones en Asia representó aproximadamente el 40% del total mundial.

La hausse des prix alimentaires menace des millions de vies

Des millions de gens parmi les plus pauvres seront confrontés à de graves problèmes en raison de la forte hausse des prix alimentaires.

En effet, le système alimentaire mondial présente de sérieux problèmes que les décideurs politiques n'ont pas le courage de prendre en main, préférant miser sur les ressources bon marché qu'ils ont tenues pour acquises pendant 30 ans. Mais cette époque est désormais révolue.

This monthly newsletter highlights UNISDR activities around the world. This issue reports on: (i) Rio+20 rallies support for the Hyogo Framework for Action; (ii) the UK's chief scientific adviser calls for better risk communication; (iii) Rio+20 disaster risk reduction (DRR) showcase; (iv) UNISDR's record-breaking year; and (v) Japan's $3 billion DRR pledge.

La región debe aumentar dramáticamente sus inversiones en adaptación al cambio climático y la mitigación en las próximas décadas

América Latina y el Caribe sufrirán daños anuales en el orden de US$100.000 millones para el año 2050, debido a mermas en los rendimientos agrícolas, la desaparición de glaciares, inundaciones, sequías y otros eventos provocados por el calentamiento del planeta, según los resultados de un nuevo informe que será distribuido en la Cumbre Rio+20.

By Niels Holm-Nielsen

No two earthquakes in the world cause equal damage, according to scientists. This is particularly true in Latin America, a land of contrasts.

Whereas in 2010, an earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale ravaged Haiti, claiming nearly a quarter of a million lives, a few weeks ago in Mexico, an earthquake of similar magnitude (7.4) caused only a few cracks and minor injuries.

This monthly newsletter highlights UNISDR activities around the world. This issue reports on:
(i) the two-day post-mortem on Typhoon Sendong in the Philippines leading to the Mindanao Declaration on Disaster Risk Reduction Priorities;
(ii) the new World Meteorological Organization's weather and climate information system;
(iii) Oxfam's briefing paper Crises in a New World Order: Challenging the humanitarian project;
(iv) Margareta Wahlström's visit to Mindanao;
(v) Panama's new disaster risk reduction (DRR) advocate;