Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Typhoon Yolanda), was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, causing more than 6,000 deaths and induced an estimated $750 million (PhP 36 billion) worth of damages in the Philippines alone. More than two years since the tragedy, survivors are still struggling to recover from one of the deadliest Philippine typhoons on record.

The calamity served as an eye-opener for the Filipinos and the world to learn — the hard way — the importance of climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness. Many organizations stepped up to support the revitalization of typhoon-stricken regions. The Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation Inc. (Oscar M. Lopez Center), has conducted studies to support the development of evidence-based and innovative solutions that could help in post-Haiyan recovery efforts as well as promote sound development planning.

Following its initial work on Haiyan, The Center initiated the Climate, Disaster and Development Journal (CDDJ), to address the insufficient number of open access journals focusing on climate science and disaster risk management in the Asia-Pacific. It also provides a venue to bring the huge number of unpublished studies in the Philippines and other developing countries to a wider audience. The maiden issue of CDDJ presents the following six on-the-ground findings of the research work conducted in the Haiyan-affected areas and communities:

• Vegetation resistance and regeneration potential of Rhizophora, Sonneratia, and Avicennia in the Typhoon Haiyan affected mangroves in the Philippines: Implications on rehabilitation practices
• Potential long-term impact of Typhoon Haiyan on the water resources of Tacloban City and its vicinity
• Perceptions of Typhoon Haiyan-affected communities
  about the resilience and storm protection function
  of mangrove ecosystems in Leyte and Eastern Samar, Philippines
• Assessing and mapping barangay level social vulnerability of Tacloban City and Ormoc City to climate-related hazards
• Assessing social vulnerability to climate-related hazards among Haiyan-affected areas in Leyte, Philippines
• The impacts of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines:
  Implications to land use planning

Download the maiden issue of the journal here: http://www.cddjournal.org/archive