Masterclass series: Disaster Forensic Investigations - Uncovering Root Causes and Drivers of Disaster Risk and Disasters
The three-part course, "Disaster Forensic Investigations - Uncovering Root Causes and Drivers of Disaster Risk and Disasters", which has been developed by UNDRR and its partners, provides an essential overview of what disaster forensic investigations are and highlights their importance in taking resilient decisions that reduce risk and shape effective development policies.
The course is taking a streamlined 'light' version of the Disaster Forensic Investigations (FORIN) approach, that was originally developed ten years ago by a group of academics in the Americas region and simplified for use by disaster risk reduction technical experts and policymakers.
This simplified version of FORIN has been tried and tested with 10 governments for the UN Global Assessment Report: Forensic Insights for Future Resilience: Learning from Past Disasters, that was published in September 2024. It has since also been used for forensic investigations by local and national governments seeking to identify how systemic governance failures, inequality, environmental degradation, and unsustainable development practices contribute to disaster risk. UNDP has extensively used results of forensic analysis in its 2025 publication Informe Regional sobre Desarrollo Humano, 2025, Bajo presión: Recalibrando el futuro del desarrollo. There is interest to use the forensic approach as shown in GAR SR 2024 in country work of other UN agencies such as UNICEF, IOM and UN Country Teams.
In a world where disasters are increasing in frequency and severity, understanding the underlying social, economic, and institutional processes that generate risk is fundamental. Disaster forensics offers a pathway to uncover these hidden dynamics and support transformation toward sustainable and equitable development. The use of forensic analysis can significantly inform and improve new development initiatives and post disaster recovery and reconstruction processes.
Part I: Understanding Disaster Forensics – 3 February 2026
The first session focuses on the ‘why’.
We explain what we mean when we refer to disaster forensic investigation, and why it is an essential tool for building resilience.
Part II: The 3 Steps of a Disaster Forensic Investigation – 10 February 2026
The second Part of the Masterclass focuses on the ‘what’.
We learn the exact steps of a disaster forensic investigation. Dr. Roger Pulwarty who is the Senior Scientist and Acting Director in the NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory at the NOAA Office of Oceans and Atmospheric Research, in the US, who is also one of the original authors of the FORIN methodology, walks us through the mechanics of a disaster forensic investigation.
Part III: Applications of Disaster Forensic Investigations – 17 February 2026 | 15:00 CET
Part three focuses on the 'how' and will look at use cases of disaster forensic investigations from the Americas region.
This will give participants an idea how to apply their own work, should they decide to develop their own disaster forensic investigation. In the third Part Alonso Brenes Torres, Professor of Geography at the University of Costa Rica will talk about his current experience in developing a disaster forensic investigation of the impact of Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica in October 2025.
Course Overview
Disaster forensics is the systematic investigation of past disasters to understand their underlying root causes, drivers, direct and indirect impacts, and the effectiveness of resilience, mitigation and response measures. This course is specifically designed for policymakers, offering the methodologies used to assess recent disasters. By adopting a forensic approach, policymakers can trace causal chains from hazard exposure to root causes and develop strategies to prevent or mitigate future occurrences and create long-term resilience.
Importance in policy making
Understanding the intricacies of disaster forensics is crucial for informed policy making. This course empowers policymakers with the knowledge to :
- Identify the underlying and structural causes of disasters and assess their impacts on communities and their vulnerability to the impacts of realized risks.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of existing disaster prevention, mitigation and response strategies, and their alignment with development planning and investment priorities.
- Develop evidence-based and ethically grounded policies that enhance resilience, promote equity, and strengthen accountability.
- Promote cross-sector and multi-level collaboration ensuring that lessons from past disasters inform land-use planning, infrastructure design, social protection, and environmental management.
- Bridge science, policy, and society by integrating local knowledge and community perspectives into disaster forensic analyses.
Who should enrol?
This course is ideal for:
- Government officials involved in disaster risk management and policy formulation.
- Non-governmental organizations focused on disaster relief and recovery.
- Academics and researchers interested in the field of disaster risk studies.
- Anyone seeking to understand how forensic approaches can uncover systemic weaknesses and drive governance reform for resilient, sustainable development.
Course benefits
By the end of this course, participants will be equipped with:
- A comprehensive understanding of disaster forensics methodologies.
- The ability to critically analyze disaster events, their prior risk conditions and their historical, institutional, and socio-economic context.
- The ability to carry out or lead and coordinate a 'light'disaster forensic investigation that informs policy and practice.
- Insight into how to align disaster forensic investigations with the Sendai Framework for DRR (2015-2030) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Enhanced skills to contribute to the development of robust disaster risk management policies.
- Networking opportunities with experts and peers in the field.
Join us in PART I of the Masterclass on disaster forensic investigations, "Understanding Disaster Forensics" and take a significant step towards building more resilient communities. Equip yourself with the knowledge and tools necessary to make impactful policy decisions that can save lives and resources in the face of disasters.
By uncovering how risks are created/constructed, not only how they manifest, but participants will also contribute to a paradigm shift from managing disasters to managing the processes that create them.