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Famine in the Horn of Africa
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The failure of two rainy seasons in a row in East Africa has led to the region’s worst drought in six decades. More than 12 million people are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance. What caused the drought? We explain the climate underpinnings of the crisis in a recent story.



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In the coming weeks, IRI experts will lend their expertise and perspectives on the drought and its impacts in a series of brief video interviews. The first one, with climate scientist Brad Lyon, is available now on our video channel. Stay tuned to hear Pietro Ceccato discuss the use of remote sensing to monitor the drought in Somalia, and Daniel Osgood on the role that index insurance is playing in farming and herding communities in the region.
[Photo: Oxfam International]

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Climate and Public Health: Report

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The IRI, in partnership with the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) and the Mailman School of Public Health (MSPH) has released a final report on the 2011 Summer Institute on Climate Information for Public Health training course. The course teaches public health professionals involved in operational decision making to understand how climate can drive disease burden and impact economic growth.
Download it here.






Upcoming events and seminars
Aug. 17: IRI Seminar at Lamont Campus: Climate, Forecast and Impacts Briefing. Our monthly meeting during which we unveil the latest global and regional forecasts, as well as discuss climate-related events around the world. Email media@iri.columbia.edu for more information.


IRI in the News
Melting Andes Glaciers Worry Peru Indigenous Peoples (Indian Country). view

The science of drought prediction (BBC’s Science in Action podcast). view

Current seasonal rainfall forecast

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The International Research Institute for Climate and Society was established as a cooperative agreement between
the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Program Office and Columbia University.
It is part of The Earth Institute, Columbia University.