The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

People at Risk to Natural Disasters and How Nature Can Help

Not all storms and other natural hazards need to turn into disasters.

That is a core message of the just released 2012 World Risk Report led by the Alliance for Development Works, United Nations University, and The Nature Conservancy. Read the press release on the 2012 World Risk Report

In addition to assessing the countries most at-risk from natural hazards, this year’s report focuses on the role of the environment in reducing risk, and how environmental degradation increases the risk to people.

The Nature Conservancy's Lead Marine Scientist, Dr. Michael Beck, and Conservancy Marine Scientist Dr. Christine Shepard are co-authors on the report, and they highlight the incredible role that reefs and wetlands can play in helping to reduce risk of storms and coastal hazards to people and property.

Read Conservancy Scientist Michael Beck's Blog

Read the blog post by World Risk Report co-author Michael Beck — the Conservancy's Lead Marine Scientist.

Read the full World Risk Report 2012 and for more information visit www.worldriskreport.com

View Illustrations of Healthy and Degraded Reefs

Check out illustrations of how coral reefs can help protect people and property from storms and coastal hazards — while providing healthy fisheries, recreation and tourism as well, and how degraded reefs lose much of those capabilities. See the illustrations in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Indonesian.

Compare a healthy and degraded reef (English)

Compare a healthy and degraded reef (Portugés)

Compare a healthy and degraded reef (Indonesian)

Compare a healthy and degraded reef (Español)

See Maps of People and Reefs at Risk Around the World

Explore our world map of people at risk and reefs at risk in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Indonesian.

World Map (English)

World Map (Español)

World Map (Portugés)

World Map (Indonesian)

To help communities, governments, developers and planners around the world understand who is at risk and who may be helped by natural solutions, we have made relevant maps and data from the World Risk Report available online though our Coastal Resilience network mapping tool. 

Check out more related content at coastalresilience.org