What's New in Knowledge | September 2025
Here is a new comprehensive guide for nature-based solutions for disaster and climate risk management produced by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
In understanding consequences and recovery, the latest edition of the Disaster Recovery Almanac created by the team at How We Survive, includes contributions that discuss issues in recovery from leaders, practitioners, researchers and policymakers from across the sector. The consequences of earthquakes and their aftershocks are becoming increasingly apparent, especially in Queensland after the most recent earthquake. This ABC news article highlights what Geoscience Australia is doing to combat this in the form of temporary seismic detectors that have been deployed across Queensland. This research paper looks at transitions to recovery and the shelter and housing journey following disaster.
In thinking about systemic risk, the Australian Strategic Research Agency Systemic Risk Response Working Group have written an analysis of the systemic risks we are facing and their responses in the age of the polycrisis. This article on existential risk takes an interesting look at how global inequalities could lead to a societal collapse.
This Conversation article explores how whilst insurance companies are aware of the growing risk of floods, research indicates many households are still unaware of the risks to their homes. On a similar note, research suggests that over one-third of Townsville residents in Queensland are unprepared for flood emergency.
In disaster risk reduction, here is a brand-new resilience readiness scorecard tool that was created to help communities understand their resilience position and how they can further strengthen their resilience. Another tool that has been developed is the Australian Adaptation Database. The database is a stocktake of adaptation activities that are occurring across the country. This PrepareCenter article showcases the creation of a new urban resilience tool called The Resilience Standards Database, which aims to serve as a practical resource to help cities move from assessment to implementation.
Focusing on First Nations knowledge, Monash University have released a planning guide to promote resilience and enhance preparedness in Aboriginal communities in South Australia. Royal Roads University in Canada has recently released a month-long course in indigenous knowledge and perspectives of climate adaptation for their students as part of wider courses available at the university in climate adaptation and resilience planning. Also in Canada, the team from Domestic Preparedness have written an article on lessons from indigenous emergency response in Canada.
For children and young people, here is a study that delves into the issues of extreme weather and climate related adverse childhood experiences and how these are quickly becoming a new humanitarian crisis in the 21st century. Here is a similar article written by Save The Children Australia where they explain why the climate crisis is a child rights crisis and what we can do about it.
Recognizing inequity, this is how the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are addressing climate and disaster displacement across the Asia Pacific Region. This journal article looks at inequality in human exposure to future climate extremes and the disparity between high income and lower income countries. The UNDRR has published an addendum to the UNDRR Gender Action Plan: strengthening the inclusions of gender and sexual minorities in disaster risk reduction.
Looking at weather and climate change, this research investigates how wildfires are made 10 times more likely due to climate change. This article that dives into what climate science can teach companies about resilience. In Australia climate change is having a huge impact on our train networks, with torrential rain halting train services across Sydney and causing floods resulting in the closure of several main trainlines across different states on the east coast.
There has been quite a focus on many different hazards this month, the International Maritime Rescue Federation has a new article that looks into addressing the challenges of lithium-ion battery fires on board ships and a collaborative approach to preventing these incidences. On another note, here is an ABC news article examining what causes earthquakes and research into how common they are in Australia.
Focusing on extreme heat, there is a global competition occurring on heat adaptive architecture design that is open to all higher education students studying architecture or urban design. The World Bank have produced a handbook on urban heath management in the global south. This research paper created by Nature Climate Change explores the links between tropical deforestation and heat-related mortality.
In health, here is a toolkit that has been developed for health service continuity planning. This report looks at integrating mental health into climate change adaptation policies due to the direct and indirect impacts climate change is having on peoples mental health, both in the short term and in the long term.
Looking at knowledge development and translation, this article looks at the impact of knowledge and deliberative processes on local spending preferences for climate action. This new toolkit focuses on navigating human impacts of disasters. In China a new urban sustainability assessment level has been developed.
Examining the frontiers in technology, this is article looks into the impact of emerging technology on safety at work. ABC News have released an article that discusses how emergency services in Western Queensland have turned to Starlink technology to gain communications during a flood emergency. The global Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite was able to detect the large tsunami wave that occurred after the Kamchatka earthquake at the end of July this year.
Over in Italy, university teams have been working on 3D models of the internal structures of active volcanos which has marked an extreme advance in risk management and anticipation of volcanic eruptions with a better understanding of what is occurring under the surface.
Back in time, August 2025 marked 20 years since the devastating Hurricane Katrina in the US that lead to 1,800 fatalities and approximately 103 billion dollars in damages.
WNIK radio
Here is a new podcast series called ‘Mics and Sirens’. This podcast series developed by Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services that takes a deep dive into the behind the scenes of the department where there are many stories of hope and resilience.
WNIK TV
This month’s interesting webinar is called ‘Disaster through a social media lense’ by Natural Hazards Research Australia.
Sources: Prevention Web, The Conversation, UNDRR, International Journal on Disaster Risk Reduction, LinkedIn, Sandra Whight, Isabel Cornes, Darryl Glover.