Please find below links to some aspects of disaster resilience that were in the news recently…
Recent emergencies/disasters
Shaheen claims at least 13 lives in historic Oman landfall https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/10/shaheen-claims-at-least-13-lives-in-historic-oman-landfall/
India – Thousands Evacuate Floods in West Bengal, 400mm of Rain in 24 Hours https://floodlist.com/asia/india-floods-west-bengal-october-2021
La Palma island’s volcano roars again, spewing thicker lava https://phys.org/news/2021-10-la-palma-island-volcano-roars.html
Italy – Floods and Landslides in Liguria Region After 181mm of Rain in 1 Hour https://floodlist.com/europe/italy-liguria-floods-october-2021
Indonesia – Floods and Landslides Leave 4 Dead in South Sulawesi https://floodlist.com/asia/indonesia-floods-sulawesi-october-2021
Alabama flash flooding kills 4 and spurs rescues from homes and cars https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/06/weather/alabama-flash-flooding-birmingham/index.html
Volcanic activity worldwide 6 Oct 2021: Fuego volcano, Popocatépetl, Reventador, Kilauea, Sangay https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/143535/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-6-Oct-2021-Fuego-volcano-Popocatepetl-Reventador-Kilauea-Sangay-L.html
Over two feet of rain fell in Italy in only half a day, something not seen in Europe before https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/06/weather/italy-flood-oman-climate-change/index.html
Mexico – Severe Floods Hit Querétaro for Second Time in 2 Weeks https://floodlist.com/america/mexico-floods-queretaro-october-2021
Extreme Weather and Climate Change
While the 2050 battle rages in Australia, the world is talking 2030 https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/while-the-2050-battle-rages-in-australia-the-world-is-talking-2030-20210929-p58vup.html
Exposure to Deadly Urban Heat Worldwide Has Tripled in Recent Decades, Says Study https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2021/10/04/exposure-to-deadly-urban-heat-worldwide-has-tripled-in-recent-decades-says-study/
“Climate Change Disinformation Is Spreading Rapidly” on Facebook https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2021/09/facebook-climate-misinformation-lies-trump-propaganda-spreading-rapidly/
The imperative of climate adaption for Africa: building resilience across societies in an inclusive manner https://esaro.unfpa.org/en/news/imperative-climate-adaption-africa-building-resilience-across-societies-inclusive-manner
Building Climate Resilience in Cities through Insurance https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/building-climate-resilience-in-cities-through-insurance/
What climate scientists can teach us about dealing with climate change doom https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-58756143
Canadians are unknowingly buying homes in climate change danger zones, report finds https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/climate-risks-1.6196450
UK High Commissioner urges Australia to bring more ambitious emissions target to COP26 https://www.sbs.com.au/news/uk-high-commissioner-urges-australia-to-bring-more-ambitious-emissions-target-to-cop26/f7d11db8-eac7-4774-ae4c-e9cc071b1f29
Third new coal project approved by Australian environment minister Sussan Ley in just one month https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/05/new-coalmine-mangoola-nsw-muswellbrook-approved-australia-environment-minister-sussan-ley
Change the Game of Climate Change – the story of a collaborative climate board game as a climate communication innovation https://dayad.org/change-the-game-of-climate-change-the-story-of-a-collaborative-climate-board-game-as-a-climate-communication-innovation/
Trillions of dollars a year are ‘adding fuel to the fire’ of the climate crisis, experts say https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/06/fossil-fuel-industry-subsidies-of-11m-dollars-a-minute-imf-finds
‘Eye-watering’: climate change disasters will cost Australia billions each year, study finds https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/06/eye-watering-climate-change-disasters-will-cost-australia-billions-each-year-study-finds
September 2021 was one of the four warmest Septembers globally https://climate.copernicus.eu/surface-air-temperature-september-2021
The Best Way to Prepare Our Coasts for Climate Change? Nature Itself https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/climate-change-coral-reefs-seahive-miami/
Australia’s coal exports to ‘halve by 2050’ if climate goals are met https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/australia-s-coal-exports-to-halve-by-2050-if-climate-goals-are-met-20211006-p58xuc.html
California chronically undercounts the death toll and has failed to address the growing threat of heat-related illness and death https://www.latimes.com/projects/california-extreme-heat-deaths-show-climate-change-risks/
Disaster risk reduction
Virginia addressing flood crisis, but more work is needed https://www.pilotonline.com/opinion/columns/vp-ed-column-steinhilber-1003-20211002-yicg5qps6nbztcfmn5vrgmfwpi-story.html
Flooding disasters are on the rise: Here’s how to proactively prepare https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/572786-flooding-disasters-are-on-the-rise-heres-how-to-proactively
On Borrowed Time: Earthquakes don’t kill people, buildings kill people, warns author https://www.citynews1130.com/2021/10/03/earthquakes-buildings-author/
The Future of Cities After the Pandemic https://urbanland.uli.org/development-business/the-future-of-cities-after-the-pandemic/
The town that flood-proofed itself https://www.circleofblue.org/2021/world/the-town-that-flood-proofed-itself/
Fire risk and severity decline with stand development in Tasmanian giant Eucalyptus forest https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S037811272100815X
Latest edition of Molino Stewart’s Floodplain Manager newsletter https://www.molinostewart.com.au/editorial/floodplain-manager-september-2021/
Project that used flood impact reports to assess the accuracy of forecasts in Uganda https://www.reading.ac.uk/news-and-events/releases/PR860261.aspx
Can homes be designed to withstand wildfire? https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm
More Americans Are Moving Into Fire-Risky Areas https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2021-moves-into-fire-zones/
Most Americans would rather rebuild than move if natural disaster strikes, poll finds https://maristpoll.marist.edu/polls/npr-pbs-newshour-marist-national-poll-extreme-weather-october-5-2021/
Extreme weather events in Europe https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/extreme-weather-events-europe
Earthquake-strengthening policy for commercial buildings in small-town New Zealand https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/disa.12360
Costs in Melbourne and Brisbane will increase significantly, as major rivers in these cities alongside growing populations will lead to greater costs associated with flooding https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/special-report-update-economic-costs-natural-disasters-australia
Emergency management
You thought the U.S. fire season was bad. Russia’s is much worse https://grist.org/wildfires/you-thought-the-u-s-fire-season-was-bad-russias-is-much-worse/
Confront climate change to stop military being diverted to natural disasters, former ADF chief warns https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/05/confront-climate-change-to-stop-military-being-diverted-to-natural-disasters-former-adf-chief-warns
The flood that drowned American dreams https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58565627
Canadian authorities’ response to deadly heat ‘inadequate’: HRW https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/5/canadian-authorities-response-deadly-heat-wave-inadequate-hrw
How fast is vaccine effectiveness waning? https://www.theage.com.au/national/how-fast-is-vaccine-effectiveness-waning-20211005-p58xcp.html?btis
New job cut figures – firefighters “might not be able to fight all fires” https://www.fbu.org.uk/news/2021/10/05/new-job-cut-figures-firefighters-might-not-be-able-fight-all-fires
Prof Sarah Gilbert says failure to provide jabs to poor countries risks more deaths and dangerous new variants of virus https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/06/covid-still-running-rampant-worldwide-warns-creator-of-oxford-vaccine
How can a community withstand, recover, adapt, and persist in the face of crises? https://www.coe.int/en/web/good-governance/-/how-can-a-community-withstand-recover-adapt-and-persist-in-the-face-of-crises-
The capacity of Emergency management services (EMS) agencies to adapt and be prepared for futures where the changing climate https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/preparing-emergency-services-operations-climate-challenged-world-summary-report
Experts Say Worst Of Covid-19 Is Behind Us, But They’ve Been Wrong Before: Cautious Messaging Is Warranted https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2021/10/05/experts-say-worst-of-covid-19-is-behind-us-but-theyve-been-wrong-before-caution-in-messaging-is-warranted/
Smoke from California wildfires increases doctor visits and blocks sun from crops https://wildfiretoday.com/2021/10/06/smoke-from-california-wildfires-increases-doctor-visits-and-blocks-sun-from-crops/
Disaster education, communications and engagement
August media attention to climate change or global warming in newspapers around the globe increased 6.5% from the previous month of July http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/icecaps/research/media_coverage/summaries/issue56.html
NOAA awards $900,000 to advance community resilience through education https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/news/noaa-awards-900000-to-advance-community-resilience-through-education
Highlighting altruism in geoscience careers aligns with diverse US student ideals better than emphasizing working outdoors https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-021-00287-4?fbclid=IwAR2rHRwPSTW5QqOjkJ6nkSxqe6w2CFK7Osiu-j5vEYd06Y7jKbFK_rJgG7c
Psychology and disasters
Recovering emotionally from disaster https://www.apa.org/topics/disasters-response/recovering
Inside first responders’ struggle with mental health https://www.benefitnews.com/news/first-responders-need-mental-health-support
‘Eco-anxiety’: fear of environmental doom weighs on young people https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/oct/06/eco-anxiety-fear-of-environmental-doom-weighs-on-young-people
Sociology and disasters
Risks and Choices as Populations Surge in Flood Zones, Rich and Poor https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2021/08/06/risks-and-choices-as-populations-surge-in-flood-zones-rich-and-poor/
WHO Slams ‘Heartbreaking’ Inequity As Over 50 Countries Fail To Vaccinate Just 10% Of Population https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/10/05/who-slams-heartbreaking-inequity-as-over-50-countries-fail-to-vaccinate-just-10-of-population/?sh=1f8b0c0815e4
How social networks can save lives when disasters strike https://theconversation.com/how-social-networks-can-save-lives-when-disasters-strike-103131
Disaster Resilience News 