How can science help build a more disaster-resilient world? On the 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, we highlight how researchers are working across disciplines to strengthen resilience to natural hazards and climate risks, from global strategies to practical solutions at the household level.
Today, on 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), we recognise the importance of using science to improve resilience to natural hazards all around the world – from global scale, right down to the household level.
Doing this means beyond our disciplinary siloes, and addressing risk through a holistic approach. In a recent highlight paper in NHESS, researchers from IVM, VU Amsterdam, University of Twente, TU Delft, University of Groningen, the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University, and the Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness Center, discussed ways in which science can contribute to Comprehensive Disaster and Climate Risk Management, an approach proposed by UNDRR.
Of course, “resilience starts at home”, the theme of 2026 IDDRR. Several of our researchers share how they are trying to increase disaster resilience at the household level.