What's New in Knowledge | May 2025

AIDR has released the Indigenous Edition of the Australian Journal of Emergency Management. This special edition collects existing Indigenous-led research and utilisation of disaster risk reduction and resilience research and practice across Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. Check it out here.

The World Bank has released a global report into community-led climate adaptation in informal settlements, which can be read here.

In understanding consequences and recovery, this research article looks into recovery, mitigation and resilience through a social equity lens, focussing on Colorado’s Marshall Fire in 2021. This is an article outlining the need and use of rapid post-disaster needs assessment surveys for media institutions who have been impacted by disasters.

In thinking about systemic risk, here is an article that discusses the importance of acting fast as wildfires intensify across the US. Also within the US, this article highlights the need for more trained staff and funding to fight the increasing number of wildfires and conduct controlled burns. The Natural Hazards Centre in Colorado has developed mapping tools to help with systemic flood risks and their impacts across the US.

Here is an extensive report on interconnected disaster risks developed by the United Nations University.

In disaster risk reduction, the UK National Preparedness Commission has created an interesting blog post on whether civil society should be recognised as critical national infrastructure. Also developed by the UK National Preparedness Commission, here is a report on preparing places for the future, for example bridging gaps in the planning for disasters landscape and lessening the gap between high level resilience strategies and their implementation on the ground.

This is the London Communities Emergency Partnership Impact report, where the city can look for planning advice for seasonal hazards.

Elsewhere in disaster risk reduction, here is an article outlining the new breakthroughs in coastal flood forecasting. This article looks at crossover landscaping and how it is being used to enhance wildfire resistance and help with saving water.

Focusing on First Nations knowledge, here is an article that shows the history of earthquakes in the US through Native American languages and stories which is helping increase the knowledge of disasters. This report shows the emergency preparedness and extreme weather experiences of Indigenous peoples in Northern Canada and surrounds in 2024.

For children and young people, there are new developments in educating young people on disasters, their impacts and how to prepare for them. For example, this board game titled ‘Sismopoli’ that is used to help people and children better understand seismic activity in urban areas.

Recognising inequity, this is a comparative study on promoting gender-equitable leadership in disaster management and empowering women for resilient communities. Here is an interesting article that highlights how hazards are experienced differently and how income drives inequities in disaster risk.

Looking at weather matters and climate change, we are experiencing a rise in disasters like wildfires, with some places not only experiencing warming, but cooling as well. This article shares some statistics that during the Canadian wildfires in 2023, the air in New York cooled by 3 degrees due to the change in air quality.

Much like heatwaves, ‘thirst waves’ are also becoming common. This article explains that with the climate warming, the atmosphere and everything in it is becoming thirstier.

Focusing on extreme heat, here is a more positive article that shows the ways communities can save lives during heatwaves.

In health, a study has emerged from Colorado where the hotter and drier climate has been linked to contributing to kidney disease in agricultural workers. This fascinating report investigates healthcare in a changing climate and how we can invest in resilient solutions. This is an article that looks at how people’s mental health is impacted after facing repeated climate disasters and how this is becoming an issue of social equity.

Looking at governance, leadership and capacity building, here is a United Nations staff course on rethinking capability and unlocking sustainability with contextualised learning. The Natural Hazards Centre in Colorado has been looking into decision frameworks for equitable use of funds across buyout programs.

This article is looking at risk ownership for transboundary climate risks across global supply chains.

In looking at knowledge development and translation, here is a new all-in-one cyclone identification framework being used across the globe. Here is research from an engagement workshop on how to motivate for disaster preparedness. This is an article on the dynamics of collective information processing for risk encoding in social networks during crises.

Examining the frontiers in technology, the national preparedness commission in the UK has prepared a report on the growing reliance on digital technologies and interdependencies.

New fiber-sensing technologies are being used to provide early warnings for volcanic eruptions. Another 3D model is offering more accurate hazard assessments for earthquakes. And a forecasting technology called ‘iDust’ is helping the renewable energy industry manage solar losses.

AI models are helping detect multiple climate hazards relevant to agriculture.

WNIK TV

Here is a London based webinar on preparing for summer, run by the London Communities Emergency Partnership.

WNIK radio

Here is an interesting podcast called Pacific Prepared. Their latest episode explores the lessons learnt and how they were put into action following the Tonga earthquake and tsunami in 2022.

The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Hub have released a new episode of their heartbeat of humanity podcast looking at digital MHPSS and the new digital toolkit.

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