International Research Institute for Climate and Society31
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Insuring Against Drought
Research economist Dan Osgood discusses index insurance and how it is helping some poor rural communities reduce hardships caused by drought in East Africa.
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A Famine Foretold
Climate and food security expert Jim Hansen lays out the root causes of food insecurity in East Africa.
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Fears of a Double Dip…La Niña
You’d be forgiven for thinking its 2008 and not just because of the economic uncertainty. Is there a dreaded double dip La Niña in store, too?
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Remote Sensing Critical for Monitoring Drought
Remote sensing scientist Pietro Ceccato talks about how satellite information is being used to monitor conditions in East Africa.
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Climate Underpinnings of East Africa Drought
Watch a video interview of climate scientist Brad Lyon on the conditions leading up to the ongoing drought in East Africa. He says there’s a chance of La Niña forming later in the year, which could have devastating consequences for a region already plagued by widespread famine.
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The Role of Drought in the Horn of Africa Famine
Let’s get this out of the way. The current famine in the Horn of Africa isn’t caused by drought. Rather, a complex mix of societal and political factors created a dangerous situation. The worst drought in 60 years (pdf) is what pushed that situation over the edge into a humanitarian crisis. However, just as these…
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Climate information and disasters: two interviews
Jan Egeland and Madeleen Helmer talk about the value of forecasts in disaster preparation.
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Climate Forecasting: Oceans, Droughts, Climate Change and Other Tools of the Trade
At the International Research Institute for Climate and Society’s monthly climate briefing, talk often focuses on the role that El Niño or La Niña play in driving global climate. With the collapse of La Niña last month, though, IRI’s forecasters now have to rely on different tools to offer forecasts for the coming year. That’s…
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Climate Information Crucial to Help Reduce Disaster Risk
Forecasts can play an invaluable role in helping humanitarian agencies and governments plan for and prevent disasters, according to a new report published by Earth Institute’s IRI and its international partners.