You are here

Home

General Security and Resilience

U.S. Freshwater Reserves Depleting, according to Researchers

Freshwater reserves around the world are under significant stress and the storage capacity of already stressed basins is decreasing, according to researchers at the Global Institute for Water Security. With roughly one percent of the Earth’s freshwater supply accessible to the human population, researchers wanted to determine how increasing water stress would affect human life around the planet. The team analyzed 1,204 basins across the world to determine how water availability in conjunction with social processes produce vulnerability in communities.  

U.S. Flooding Losses Will Spike 26 Percent by 2050 due to Climate Change, Researchers Say

A new study from researchers at the University of Bristol predicts that climate change will lead to a 26 percent increase in flood damages in the U.S. over the next three decades. The study, Inequitable patterns of US flood risk in the Anthropocene, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, collected data from flood insurance claims, building records, the census, and other sources to forecast how increasing global temperatures will impact flooding trends in the U.S., and determine which communities might be the most affected.

2021 Third Costliest Year on Record for Natural Disasters

Last year was the third-costliest year ever recorded for weather disasters with over $329 billion in damages, according to a new annual report by insurance broker Aon. In 2021, there were 47-billion-dollar weather disasters and a record breaking four mega disasters costing more than $20 billion each. Hurricane Ida in the U.S. was the single most costly event in 2021, causing $75 billion in damages. Based on insurer payouts, 2021 was the most expensive year ever for winter-related disasters.

Texas Utility Implements Winter Weather Preparedness Policies, Enhancing Its Overall Resilience

In the midst of winter, utilities need to be prepared for frigid temperatures and potential snowstorms that could impact their ability to serve their customers. Last year, Winter Storm Uri devastated Texas and areas of some surrounding states and led to water, electricity, and other critical service outages and other disruptions for many days. Many organizations have investigated where issues arose and have been busy implementing solutions to bolster resilience and ensure business continuity in multiple contingencies, including Austin Water.

White House Announces Funding Investments to Reduce Flooding Risks, Protect Water Supplies, and Strengthen Supply Chains

Yesterday the White House published information on new investments in critical infrastructure made possible by the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other appropriations. The investments cover a range of projects, including those intended to reduce flooding risks, protect water supplies, and strengthen supply chains.

Researchers Propose New Framework for Using Social Media during Community Disasters

During a disaster, effective public communications can mean the difference between life and death. While emergency management personnel have established proficient communication contingencies, more avenues of communication need to be added to reach a larger segment of the community. To address this potential issue, a team of researchers at the University of Georgia developed a new social media framework for emergency communications during a disaster.

Islamic State or Al Qa'ida: Assessing the Greatest Transnational Terrorist Threat

A recent article in the Small Wars Journal, by Professor Mahmut Cengiz, analyzes the Islamic State and al Qa'ida to determine which foreign terrorist organization (FTO) is the greater threat to international security. To understand which group is deadlier, the article assesses both groups’ capacity “in terms of operational and organizational capabilities, use of violence, geographical expansion, and ideological inspiration for lone actors.”

New Paper Examines Bias and Insider Threat Programs

A recently released white paper from the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA) examines potential biases associated with insider threat programs to help organizations improve their identification and mitigation of insider threats. The report, Strategies for Addressing Bias in Insider Threat Programs, stresses that bias undermines the effectiveness of insider threat programs by focusing on low-risk threats and ignoring higher risks. This leads to wasted resources, among other impacts.

Pages

Subscribe to General Security and Resilience