Flagship initiative
The Understanding Risk Field Labs
Co-designing new paradigms for addressing climate & disaster risk management issues — through collaborative, participant-led "unconferences" rather than traditional conference talks.
Why it matters
Data alone doesn't change anything. People do.
We need new, effective ways of working with climate data — and a more equitable, pluralistic disaster risk management. The Field Lab is our answer: a format where sharing knowledge and learning from others are the same activity.
The 2024 Kathmandu Field Lab brought participants from around the world together for a month of collaborative work on Himalayan climate data — generating tools, resources and lasting networks focused on climate information and equity.
What makes a Field Lab a Field Lab
Participants co-design the agenda and drive the work. No fixed schedule of talks — the lab becomes what its people make it.
Teams produce research materials, tools, analytical dashboards, maps and creative media — not promises of follow-up.
Scientists, journalists, artists, students and practitioners from dozens of countries working side by side.
Supported by GFDRR, the World Bank, ICIMOD, universities, NGOs and government bodies under the Understanding Risk community.
A week. A month. Your theme.
Field Labs are flexible by design — we've fielded requests from one-week formats to focused single-topic labs. If there's funding and a real question, the answer is usually yes.
Talk to us about hosting one