APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED

Established in 2021, the Averted Disaster Award is the premier recognition of successful disaster mitigation interventions that go unnoticed precisely because of their success. While the news often highlights catastrophes, they don’t focus on the buildings that stayed standing due to earthquake-resistant building codes, the wildfires avoided due to effective forest management, or the early-warning systems that saved lives in a typhoon. In the world of Disaster Risk Management (DRM), success means ‘nothing happens’ and as a result can cause policy makers and society at large to undervalue the importance of proactive intervention. The Averted Disaster Award sheds light on successes in DRM and ‘what might have been’ to recognize the outstanding work of those who invest in measures that keep our communities and world safe.

The Averted Disaster Award grants independent counterfactual analysis to the top 5 projects as part of 2024 competition

Conducted at Nanyang Technological University, by PhD and Associate Professor, Susanna Jenkins. A 2-3 page independent report will be provided to the top 5 projects for their own benefit and use. Prof. Jenkins has over 20 years of applied experience as a Risk Analyst in the field of Disaster Risk Management and Natural Hazards.

What is counterfactual Analysis

Counterfactual Analysis looks beyond immediate visible outcomes and considers the “what if” scenarios” in order to explore more broadly the true impact of a disaster risk intervention. For example: “What if the school earthquake retrofit program had not been implemented? How many schools would have collapsed? How many more people would have been affected? Counterfactual analysis uses assumptions that are evidence based and rooted in reality to demonstrate the benefits of interventions that often cannot be seen. It has been shown that counterfactual analysis can be a highly effective tool for influencing decision makers and the community at large to understand the full impact and benefit of disaster risk interventions.

Winner

Amrita Center for Wireless Networks & Applications

“Building a Resilient Community by Integrating Technology and Social Science for Disaster Early Warning”

Runner-up

Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH), Pakistan

“Community-based Avalanche Monitoring and Risk Reduction”

Special Recognition for Disaster Risk Communication

BBC Media Action

“East Africa Weather Wise – Media and Communication for Climate Action”

Prepared International (PPI)

“Disaster Risk Diplomacy between Jordan, Israel and Palestine”

The Averted Disaster Award

The Averted Disaster Award is the premier recognition of successful disaster mitigation interventions that go unnoticed precisely because of their success. While the news often highlights catastrophes, they don’t focus on the buildings that stayed standing due to earthquake-resistant building codes, the wildfires avoided due to effective forest management, or the early-warning systems that saved lives in a typhoon. In the world of Disaster Risk Management (DRM), success means ‘nothing happens’ and as a result can cause policy makers and society at large to undervalue the importance of proactive intervention. The Averted Disaster Award sheds light on successes in DRM and ‘what might have been’ to recognize the outstanding work of those who invest in measures that keep our communities and world safe.

To stay up to date on all that is happening with the Averted Disaster Award, check out our NEWS updates, and please stay updated by entering your email below.