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JAMAICA will be getting help from the World Bank towards the promulgation and passage of a new Building Act to replace the country’s 109-year-old building code.

Making cities accessible and inclusive for all people, including persons with disabilities, is an essential component of the New Urban Agenda, adopted at the recent Habitat III Conference in Quito, Ecuador on October 17-20.

Natural disasters drive tens of millions of people into poverty and also have a devastating impact on consumption, the World Bank has said. Climate change looked certain to amplify these effects, the lender argued.

Natural disasters push 26 million people into poverty and cost the world about $520 billion every year — which is about 60 percent lower than is usually reported, according to a new World Bank study.

La Banque mondiale estime que les inondations, tempêtes, séismes et tsunamis plongent chaque année 26 millions de personnes dans la pauvreté.

The devastation in floods, earthquakes or droughts is generally measured by how much stuff or assets people lose — say the number of wrecked houses and the dollar amount it would take to rebuild them. In the course of a year, that adds up to a lot of money: $300 billion by some accounts.

As the skies open up with heavy rain and the water rises dangerously behind the Nangbeto hydropower dam in rural Togo, local authorities face a tough decision: When do you raise a warning for the flood-prone villages below and approve funds to set up relief efforts? What if nothing happens and you’re accused of wasting money? Or if you’re not fast enough and people die?

The cost of natural disasters worldwide could hit $314 billion annually by 2030, up from around $250 billion now, as urban expansion continues at a eesiapid pace and global warming continues to contribute to a rise in natural disasters, according to new research.

Climate change could plunge tens of millions of city dwellers into poverty in the next 15 years, threatening to undo decades of development efforts, the World Bank said on Wednesday.

Under the Grant Agreement, the Royal Government of Bhutan will receive a Grant of US$ 3.8 million from the World Bank for the Hydromet Services and Disaster Resilience Regional Project.