The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the International Science Council have released an updated guide covering 282 different hazards that threaten communities worldwide. The new edition includes everything from natural disasters like wildfires and earthquakes to modern threats such as cyberattacks and pandemics.
The guide reflects how today’s risks are becoming more connected and complex. Hazards don’t happen in isolation anymore – they often trigger one another and create chain reactions across different systems. The updated profiles focus on this multi-hazard approach, which planners need for early warning systems and disaster preparedness.
Originally launched in 2021, this version now includes 282 hazards organized into 8 types and 39 clusters. The information is designed to work with digital tools and tracking systems, making it easier for governments and organizations to use in their planning.
Salvatore Aricò from the International Science Council said, “From local governments to humanitarian agencies, the need for consistent, science-based hazard information is universal.”
Kamal Kishore, the UN’s special representative for disaster risk reduction, noted that standardized hazard data help countries follow the Sendai Framework and reduce disaster losses by 2030. Professor Virginia Murray, who chairs the steering group, explained that the update makes the profiles “more actionable, more interconnected, and more immediately useful.”
Over 270 experts from different sectors and regions worked on the revision. Since the first version came out, national disaster management agencies, UN bodies, researchers, and humanitarian organizations have used the profiles for planning, risk assessments, and training programs.
