What's New in Knowledge | April 2025

Fire to Flourish, led by Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, has released their 2024 annual report. The lessons management newsletter, developed by Emergency Management Victoria is an interesting read discussing all thing lessons management. The Scanlon Institute on social cohesion have released their 2024 report on Mapping Social Cohesion.

In understanding consequences and recovery, here is an article on how people who have already been through multiple disasters are preparing for the next one (Cyclone Alfred) in northern NSW. On a similar note, this study focuses on realised resilience after community flood events. This publication focuses on the relationship between disaster literacy levels and disaster preparedness among adults in Türkiye.

In thinking about systemic risk, a new study identifies gaps in cyclone risk planning in Australia and globally. This study looks at the increased risk of being under-insured. Climate change is seeing an increase in fear among populations, specifically in relation to bushfires. This article has experts weighing in on navigating the continued risk of climate change events occurring after the LA wildfires in January.

In disaster risk reduction, here is an article that looks at natural hazards and vulnerability reduction. This is a reflective article on climate adaptation and progressive urban resilience. Here is a study that looks at developing a framework on the interconnectedness of early warning to action and finance in responses to climate shocks with further focus on anticipatory action and multistakeholder engagement.

 Focusing on First Nations knowledge, this article that looks at Aboriginal community-controlled organisations and their responses to disaster.

For children and young people, a guide has been developed by young people for young people who are needing guidance on systems change. This article showcases qualitative research about the role that society and family plays on adolescents and their disaster resilience. Here is a simulator game that has been designed to create climate awareness in sea level rise for younger people.

Recognising inequity, women and girls are on the frontlines of climate change but their stories are seldom heard. From a different perspective, this conversation article discusses how we don’t have a cultural place for men as victims which could suggest why men often don’t tell anyone about the violence or sexual abuse they have suffered.

Looking at weather matters and climate change, research is focusing on climate change in rural landscapes and systemic solutions for a sustainable future. Compound climate events are on the rise, this article calls for action.

There has been quite a focus on many different hazards this month, climate change is being blamed for an increased number of hazards, including destructive cyclones like Tropical Cyclone Alfred that hit the northeast coast of Australia earlier this month.

Focusing on extreme heat, this article looks into the 2009 Victorian Heatwave and attributing heatwave mortality to climate change. This article that looks into prioritising health impacts of extreme heat and reviewing policies.

Research is suggesting heat from the sun and heatwaves in general are increasing seismic activity on earth.

In health, here is an article that looks at the impact of floods on health infrastructure and disaster preparedness. The Red Crescent Movement Hub looks at the implications of vector-borne disease and epidemics in this article and collection of resources. This study looks at public health and emergency preparedness capacities and infodemic management.

Looking at governance, leadership and capacity building, here is a detailed report that looks at landing the economic case for climate action with decision makers. This research article looks at capacity development for locally led knowledge for managing climate and disaster risk.

This conversation article looks at how political leaders in the upcoming Australian election are communicating climate policy and how this should be a defining factor in this election. On a similar note, here is the European Union’s preparedness strategy on joint communication.

Looking at knowledge development and translation, here is an article that focuses on advancing reflexive creative and critical research methodologies for disaster studies. This article looks at the other end of knowledge development and translation and looks at how conspiracy theories and misinformation spreads during a disaster event.

Examining the frontiers in technology, this article looks at virtual reality being used to save lives from storm surges. Here is an article that looks at modelling post-earthquake building recovery. In Africa, social registries using data information are enhancing climate resilience.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used to aid climate modelling in understanding extreme weather and climate events. When looking into AI further, this article highlights how generative AI is set to further shape human knowledge.

On another note, undersea cables are used to keep us connected, but they are also being used to help us study climate change.

Back in time, 2025 marks 5 years since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research and data suggests we are poorly prepared for another pandemic and we are struggling to cope with the spread of current diseases like bird flu.

Did you know, that the record sea surface temperature jump across 2023 and 2024 was unlikely, but not expected, and surpassed previous records due to an unprecedented trend in global warming.

WNIK TV

A new and interesting development where we list the webinars/films that have been released in the last month. This month we have an interesting webinar/podcast video hosted by Dr Kate Brady, research fellow at University of NSW, HowWeSurvive Initiative titled Disasters are awful: what comes after doesn’t have to be.

Here is an interesting webinar on community led disaster resilience created by Resilient Villages Blue Mountains.

Sources: Prevention Web, Nature, The Conversation, UNDRR, International Journal on Disaster Risk Reduction, LinkedIn, Sandy Whight, Isabel Cornes, Darryl Glover.

Compiled by John Richardson and Lexi Barrington