Climate Disaster Research Articles

OM Forum—Asset-Level Perspectives on the Clean Energy Transition

Problem definition: The clean energy transition is an important component of the net zero transformation, which aims at averting potentially disastrous climate change related to excessive global warming by practically eliminating new global greenhouse gas emissions within 2050. The resulting move toward decarbonized energy systems is projected to encompass massive investments in assets that employ technologies with low environmental impact, some of which are innovative or yet unproven or even undeveloped, an area known as CleanTech. The typical analyses that are informing the dialogue on this process in practice provide insights into decarbonization paths at the technology level. In contrast, managers need to make decisions about assets. Methodology/results: Taking an asset-level view of the clean energy transition that complements its technology outlook, this essay provides a concise entry point into this topic based on both the practitioner literature and personal reflections, highlighting CleanTech innovations and related operational considerations in carbon capture, use, and storage; sustainable fuels; hydrogen; electricity; and concomitant government support activities. Managerial implications: Further, this work advocates for potential CleanTech research or teaching pursuits, especially ones aimed at directly supporting managerial decision making, for which it provides an example from the literature.

Analisis Isu Strategis Rancangan Teknokratik RPJMD Kabupaten Badung Tahun 2025-2029

The writing of this policy paper is to describe the formulation of strategic issues for medium-term development planning in Badung Regency in 2025-2029. This study uses a qualitative method, namely an in-depth data processing method with data from observations, and literature. There are ten strategic issues of the 2025-2029 Badung Regency RPJMD technocratic design which are produced through weighting based on their linkage with global, national and Bali Province strategic issues, namely: geopolitics and geoeconomics; conversion of agricultural land; blue economy; Environment; technological developments; population explosion; climate change and disasters; public service infrastructure; green workforce; and talent management. The suggestion that can be implemented is that the Badung Regency Government needs to carry out a more in-depth discussion on the strategic issue of the 2025-2029 Badung Regency RPJMD technocratic design together with all regional apparatus and related stakeholders so that the development of Badung Regency has the right goals and objectives and can answer development problems in the next five years.

Predictors of Cholera and Acute Watery Diarrhea among Climate-Vulnerable People Living in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Climate change, driven primarily by greenhouse gas emissions from the Global North, is increasing the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones in Mozambique. After Cyclones Idai and Kenneth in 2019, Cabo Delgado experienced its most severe cholera outbreak in decades. This study explores the factors associated with the prevalence of acute watery diarrhea (AWD) and cholera among people exposed to both climate disasters and armed conflicts in Mozambique. This cross-sectional, community-based study assessed the prevalence and predictors of cholera and AWD in Cabo Delgado Province. Trained community health workers conducted a structured face-to-face survey in December 2023. Associations between variables were investigated using the χ2 test or Fisher's exact test, and a logistic regression model identified independent risk factors for cholera-like events. The study included 1,615 households and 8,366 people from six districts of Cabo Delgado Province. Children under 14 years old comprised 88% of the population, and 37.9% of households included internally displaced people. Overall, 4.3% of households experienced AWD or cholera within 3 months. Multivariable analysis identified factors associated with AWD, including study district (P <0.0001), overcrowding (P = 0.02), access to safe water (P <0.0001), and handwashing (P = 0.004). Among people exposed to climate disasters, factors associated with cholera or AWD were overcrowding and lack of access to safe water and handwashing facilities. These findings can guide policymakers in designing targeted climate adaptation interventions.

"Whoever You Are, We Too Lie in Drifts at Your Feet": Walt Whitman's Mystic Self in Jorie Graham's Water Poetry

This essay traces Whitman’s transcendental legacy as a mystic interlocutor between the divine and the eternal Universal Being and its reception in contemporary ecopoetic water poetry. Through a close study of “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” and “As I Ebb’d with the Ocean of Life,” I chart Whitman’s move away from viewing nature as a resource for human domination and exploitation towards a sense of our interconnectedness within nature as part of this Universal Being. Comparing Whitman’s transcendentalist American poetry with Graham’s contemporary ecopoetry, I examine how the different historical contexts of frontier expansion (Whitman) and erasure caused by the late-stage climate disaster (Graham) exert their different influences on the mystic, transcendental speakers of these poems. Consulting Graham’s “The Wake Off the Ferry” and “Ebbtide” in answer to Whitman’s poems, I explore how the climate crisis negates the possibility of eternity or any assurance of our value or place within the divine or eternal, and instead offers only the certainty of the moment, before that too begins to crumble.&amp;nbsp;

Artificial intelligence in environmental monitoring: in-depth analysis

This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric and in-depth analysis of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications in environmental monitoring, based on 4762 publications from 1991 to 2024. The research highlights a notable increase in publications and citations since 2010, with China, the United States, and India emerging as leading contributors. Key areas of research include air and water quality monitoring, climate change modeling, biodiversity assessment, and disaster management. The integration of AI with emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and remote sensing, has significantly expanded real-time environmental monitoring capabilities and data-driven decision-making. In-depth analysis reveals advancements in AI/ML methodologies, including novel algorithms for soil mapping, land-cover classification, flood susceptibility modeling, and remote sensing image analysis. Notable applications include enhanced air quality predictions, water quality assessments, climate impact forecasting, and automated wildlife monitoring using AI-driven image recognition. Challenges such as the “black-box” nature of AI models, the need for high-quality data in resource-constrained regions, and the complexity of real-time disaster management are also addressed. The study highlights ongoing efforts to develop explainable AI (XAI) models, which aim to improve model transparency and trust in critical environmental applications. Future research directions emphasize improving data quality and availability, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations across environmental and computer sciences, and addressing ethical considerations in AI-driven environmental management. These findings underscore the transformative potential of AI and ML technologies for sustainable environmental management, offering valuable insights for researchers and policymakers in addressing global environmental challenges.

Analyzing dynamics of extreme weather events (EWE) in India: unfolding trends through statistical assessment of 50 years data (1970–2019)

ObjectiveOver the last five decades, extreme weather events (EWEs) have made a substantial contribution to the overall climate change impacts in India. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted that India will experience an increase in extreme weather events in the future. The primary aim of the study was to gain insights into India’s overall occurrence of EWEs between 1970 and 2019 across different states.MethodsIn the present study, data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) spanning the last five decades (1970–2019) was examined to understand how specific EWEs have changed in India over varying regions and time spans. The analysis involved descriptive statistics using heatmaps, and trend analysis using the Mann- Kendall test.FindingsIn the past 50 years (1970–2019), around 11,158 EWEs occurred in India. EM-DAT data shows a rise from 4 + events in the 1950s to 20 + in 2018, while IMD data indicates an increase from 50 + events in the 1970s to 400 + in 2019. The event-wise trend analysis of 50 years of data on EWEs in India revealed a consistent increase in the incidence of each EWE. The Mann–Kendall test, conducted to detect trends in EWEs over 50 years revealed a significant upward trend at 1% level for total EWEs, including heat waves, floods, heavy rains, and thunderstorms. Heat map and spatial analysis revealed that significant regions for heat waves include Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand. Cold waves have increased in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Jharkhand. Floods, heavy rains, thunderstorms, and lightning are common in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Karnataka.ConclusionThe findings of the study have critical implications for climate resilience strategies and disaster management in India. The increasing frequency and geographical concentration of EWEs call for region-specific preparedness and mitigation plans. By knowing the trends of EWEs and hotspot states through retrospective data records, the Government can proactively plan for future adverse events to prioritize high-risk areas, implementing targeted preparedness and mitigation strategies to prevent significant mortality and morbidity.

Climate change, climate disasters and oncology care: a descriptive global survey of oncology healthcare professionals.

Climate disasters and climate change have implications for healthcare globally. As the number and intensity of climate disasters increase, it is important to understand the effects on healthcare. We conducted a global survey of oncology healthcare providers to identify awareness, experiences, and educational needs related to climate change. An existing climate and health survey was adapted to oncology. This IRB- approved, 30-item survey measured demographics, climate disaster awareness, effects on cancer care and educational needs. Healthcare professionals employed in oncology settings (practice, research, or academic) were eligible. The survey was disseminated via social media and professional organizations. Descriptive statistics were computed using SPSS. 154 responses from 26 countries were received from nurses (56%), physicians (19%), and other healthcare professionals (25%). Common climate change-related events impacting oncology care were extreme heat (63.8%) and heavy rains (52.2%). Respondents reported their workplace has a disaster plan for climate-related weather events (50.4%) or has taken steps to prepare for a climate-related weather event (48.5%). Respondents were aware that the planet has warmed significantly (98.7%), that healthcare contributes to greenhouse gas emissions (98.6%) and reported wanting to learn more about how climate change affects cancer care (88.3%). Preferred educational modalities include webinars (69%), e-learning (55%), journal articles (48.3%), conferences (46.3%) and podcasts (38.9%). This global survey is the first to identify the awareness, experiences, and educational needs of oncology healthcare professionals related to climate change and climate disasters. Healthcare providers are positioned to take leadership roles related to climate and health.

Colonial Exiles: The Tambora Volcanic Explosion, Environmental History, and Swiss Immigration to Nova Friburgo, Brazil, 1815–1821

The 1815 eruption of the Indonesian volcano Mount Tambora triggered a subsistence crisis in Europe, especially in Switzerland. This article retraces the founding of Nova Friburgo, a colony in the mountains near Rio de Janeiro composed of several hundred Swiss families, mostly from the rural canton of Fribourg. This study shows how the unusual central European settler migration to the Brazilian tropics was facilitated by a new class of entrepreneurial go-betweens, acting as dynamic mediators between the effects that the climatic catastrophe caused by Tambora had on Swiss agriculture and politics and the development requirements for building new settlements in a metamorphosing South American continent. By positioning Brazil in the broader environmental history of Tambora, as well as the fallout from the Napoleonic Wars, this article sheds light on how the study of climatic teleconnections requires multiple scales of analysis to understand better how the different politics and scopes of action, and sets of unlikely processes, move into play. These teleconnections were, in fact, socially mediated with eventually wide-reaching social and racial transformations that became foundational prototypes for Brazilian land colonization throughout the nineteenth and into the twentieth century.

Global Climate Change and Disasters by Prof. V. Jayarama Reddy and Dr. Shivanna, S. Publisher: Kaustubha Publications, ISRO Layout, Vittal Nagar, Bangalore - 560 078, 2024, Total Pages: 169, Price: Rs. 350, ISBN: 978-81-975605-9-0

<b>Global Climate Change and Disasters</b> by Prof. V. Jayarama Reddy and Dr. Shivanna, S. Publisher: Kaustubha Publications, ISRO Layout, Vittal Nagar, Bangalore - 560 078, 2024, Total Pages: 169, Price: Rs. 350, ISBN: 978-81-975605-9-0

Integration of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) into climate change mitigation and adaptation endeavours: milestones and gaps in South Africa and Zimbabwe’s climate policy frameworks

This article was poised to unravel the merits of integrating IKS and the demerits of its exclusion in climate change programmes and policies. The harrowing impacts of climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa make adaptation and mitigation unescapable discourses. As such, climate change policies demonstrate governments’ commitment to fostering adaptation and mitigating climate change impacts evident in every sector of society. The effectiveness of climate policies is measured by their responsiveness to the different needs, aspirations and circumstances of populations plagued by climate change. In the absence of technoscience-based adaptation and mitigation mechanisms, African communities still rely on the repository of indigenous knowledge systems as a source of information, decision-making, and prediction tools for predicting weather changes. For this reason, in formulating climate change mitigation and adaptation endeavours at policy level, it is critical to identify specific strategies where IKS has been used as a warrant towards its usage. This study was qualitative and operated within the traditional descriptive, analytical and interpretive approaches. It relied on a desktop review of journal articles on climate change and IKS, and climate change policies of South Africa and Zimbabwe. These were purposively sampled based on their relevance to the aim of the study. The Discourse Content Analysis was utilised to analyse data from which the findings were derived. The article established that despite the wide recognition of the role played by IKS in climate change adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk reduction, IKS has not featured predominantly South Africa’s climate change policies as compared to Zimbabwe’s climate policies. Notably, disregarding IKS in climate change policies makes them bereft of effectiveness in vulnerability reduction, fostering adaptation and resilience building for African communities that rely on IKS, among other capitals essential in fostering mitigation and adaptation in the face of climate change.

COP29 host faces climate disaster

COP29 host faces climate disaster

Depiction of Drought Over Africa in the Light of Changing Climate from CMIP6 Models

Drought stands as a prevalent weather-related natural climatic disaster on a global scale. This study employs twenty GCMs from CMIP6 to investigate hydrological drought characteristics (frequency, duration, and intensity) across Africa under four SSPs (shared socioeconomic pathway) scenarios: SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5 spanning three designated periods: 2021–2040 (near-term), 2041–2060 (mid-term), and 2081–2100 (long-term). The (SPEI) at a 12-month scale and employs bias correction on the multi-model ensemble mean extracted from GCMs of the CMIP6 project via cumulative distribution function (CDF). Mann–Kendall approach was implemented for trend and the SPEI-12-based drought trend from 1979 to 2014 displays a negative trajectory of − 0.05/a for Africa, with similar figures for specific regions: Northern Africa (NAF) at − 0.06/a, Sahara (SAH) at − 0.05/a, Western Africa (WAF) at − 0.01/a, Central Africa (CAF) at − 0.02/a, Eastern Africa (EAF) at − 0.06/a, and Southern Africa (SAF) at − 0.03/a. Notably, the severe drought characteristics are manifested as a 6-month duration, 12 occurrences, and an intensity of − 1.9 events over Africa. The highest duration and frequency are observed over NAF at 7.5-month and 15.1 occurrences, respectively, while the most extreme intensity of − 2.3 events is noted over SAH. In addition, future droughts are expected to be lower frequency, extended duration, and more intense. Extreme scenarios indicate values of − 2.1, − 2.2, and − 2.6 events for Africa in the periods 2021–2040, 2041–2060, and 2081–2100, respectively, compared to − 1.99 in the historical period. The intensity of the drought is expected to increase across all sub-regions, with SAH and NAF projecting the worst conditions with − 2.4, − 2.8, and − 3.0 events respectively for SAH and − 2.2, − 2.7, and − 3.0 events for NAF. Africa’s droughts are predicted to last 6, 8, and 13 months, significantly longer than the usual 4-month period. As the historical events of 17 times is anticipated to drop to 6, 5, and 3 times, respectively. The insights derived from this study could provide a foundational basis for devising effective drought adaptation strategies in Africa. Given the anticipated severity of drought events, prioritizing plans to cope with such challenges is of paramount importance.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends in Hazard Mitigation Studies in Korea: Based on Articles from the Journal of Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation

This study conducts a bibliometric analysis to identify research trends in hazard mitigation, based on 3,074 papers published in the Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation between 2010 and 2023. The findings revealed that research on climate change and disaster response was the most active, with key topics including natural disaster management, urban water resource management, fire analysis and prevention, and AI-based disaster management. A keyword analysis highlighted “disaster” and “climate change” as having the highest frequency and centrality within the network. Institutional analysis identified the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology as the leading institution in co-authorship, with high research productivity and a key role as an intermediary. The authors’ analysis revealed that certain authors were central to expanding the field through diverse cooperation. These insights highlight the evolution of hazard mitigation research in Korea and offer guidance for future research to tackle emerging challenges in disaster management.

A Study on the Indoor Heating Effect of Blue Green Roofs during Cold Waves

With the increasing frequency of heat-based climate disasters due to recent climate change, various technologies are being developed to mitigate their impacts. Blue-green roofs (BGR) is a technology that consists of rainwater storage tanks and grass layers installed on building rooftops to reduce the infiltration of cold or heat into the building interiors. This study analyzed the indoor temperature changes between two buildings with equal rooftop area, one equipped with a BGR and the other without, during winter season to evaluate their heating effects. The results indicated an average heating effect of 0.56 °C across the entire monitoring period for the building with a BGR. The heating effect was observed only at temperature ranges below 6.5 °C, with no effect at higher temperatures. This study suggests that even installing a roof-based system can provide some degree of heating benefits. Further research and development are needed to improve the heating efficien through additional technological advancements.

Anthropocenic Futures and Precarious Bodies. A Reading of "Mugre rosa" (2020) by Fernanda Trías

Mugre rosa (2020), by Uruguayan author Fernanda Trías, depicts a near-future Montevideo, where the population is confronted with climatic disaster and the propagation of a devastating disease. In this article, I explore the representation of bodily precarity in the context of environmental catastrophe, arguing that this vulnerability constitutes a point of resistance from which to rethink human identity. On the one hand, exposure to an anthropogenic environment is interpreted as instrumental to late capitalist biopolitics. This is revealed through the cartographies of precarity emerging from the novel, which reflect not only the chasm between Global North and Global South but also local inequalities. On the other hand, this corporeal exposure constitutes a challenge to traditional representations of the human. Through the analysis of the depiction of the illness, I discuss how this deconstruction of the body favours the emergence of a new, interconnected identity. Ultimately, I suggest that a destabilising age such as the Anthropocene constitutes not only a profound moment of crisis but also a privileged space to rethink human subjectivity and its modes of representation.

An Impact-Based Flood Forecasting System for Citizen Empowerment

This work addresses the critical issue of flooding, a significant natural hazard, consistently ranked highest in the 2023 World Risk Index. The annual onslaught of tropical cyclones and the associated abnormal rainfall threaten lives, and destroy crops and property, thereby causing great economic damage, demanding urgent and science-based decision-making. We introduce an impact-based flood forecasting system as a proactive anticipatory action (i.e., AA) measure, linking climate services and disaster risk management to mitigate extreme weather impacts. Developed by the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute, the National Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center, and Gerry Bagtasa of the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology, this system advances disaster resilience efforts, leveraging science-based forecasts to prioritize vulnerable barangays (villages). Unlike traditional early warning systems, the proposed automated system predicts flooding one day in advance and assesses exposure levels based on population distribution. By utilizing global weather forecast models locally calibrated for Philippine conditions and 100-year rain return flood hazard maps for the Philippines, the system forecasts river inundated areas, enabling local government units (LGUs) and humanitarian organizations to prioritize preparations for communities and allocate resources during flooding events effectively. This system enhances the efficiency of disaster response planning, fostering a proactive and impactful strategy to address the recurring threat of flooding in the country. The system also underscores the role of open data in disaster resilience, exemplified by NOAH’s system to disseminating big data, which aligns with open governance principles. By encouraging transparency and stakeholder collaboration, data exchange is promoted, providing actionable information that fosters collaboration between the LGUs, humanitarian organizations, and other stakeholders. Cognizant of the importance of community engagement in disaster resilience, the newly developed impact-based flood forecasting system encourages community involvement by providing easily accessible information, which can be used to validate the forecasts based on local knowledge and experience. This research contributes to the urgent call for anticipatory action in the face of escalating extreme weather events globally.

The measurement of agricultural disaster vulnerability in China and implications for land-supported agricultural resilience building

Climate change has recently induced an increase in natural disasters worldwide, which has affected agriculture, a sector highly sensitive to climatic alterations. The paper measures agricultural disaster vulnerability of China in the period 2000–2020 by establishing vulnerability assessment system, and examines how agricultural infrastructure correlates with agricultural disaster vulnerability by constructing grey relational analysis model. Research results indicate that China's agricultural disaster vulnerability presents an overall decreasing trend during the research period. This is mainly attributed to the decreased disaster exposure and increased adaptability to disaster. Spatially, the agricultural disaster vulnerability in the northeastern, central and southwestern regions of China is higher than other regions. Agricultural transportation and communication infrastructure are found to be more influential to agricultural disaster vulnerability followed by irrigation and power facilities. Implications are proposed to enhance agricultural resilience to climate disasters in China.

The impact of economic, social and health crises on victims of domestic violence

Aim: The situation of victims of domestic violence and partner abuse becomes even more serious in crisis situations. There have been and are ongoing conflicts in the world, which have been scrutinised by economists, sociologists, criminologists, health professionals and lawyers alike in recent years. The latest related research worldwide provides a lot of important new information that can help prepare for the problem and provide professionally competent answers. Methodology: A selection of research conducted in different parts of the world. Summary reports were prepared to shed light on similarities and differences. Findings: It is clear from the processed literature that the individual forms of violence are connected in crisis situations and pose an even greater danger. Violence at the macro level, such as war, also increases violent conflict at the micro level. The crises caused by the fear of COVID, the lockdown, war conflicts, hunger, and the climate disaster spill over into family homes and make the victims of domestic violence and partner abuse even more vulnerable. Most of the processed materials analyse research born after COVID. The COVID–19 epidemic also provided many lessons regarding the management and prevention of the economic effects of future natural disasters and the associated increased domestic violence. Value: Analyses point to relationships that need further research and evaluation. In the future, macro- and micro-level violence research must be continued, common global results must be aggregated, and complex, global solutions must be developed. International organisations must continue to collect data and provide clear guidelines to public bodies and social organisations for the joint management of macro- and micro-level problems.

A gazdasági, társadalmi és egészségügyi válságok hatása a családon belüli erőszak áldozataira

Aim: The situation of victims of domestic violence and partner abuse becomes even more serious in crisis situations. There have been and are ongoing conflicts in the world, which have been scrutinized by economists, sociologists, criminologists, health professionals and lawyers alike in recent years. The latest related research worldwide provides a lot of important new information that can help prepare for the problem and provide professionally competent answers. Methodology: A selection of research conducted in different parts of the world. Summary reports were prepared to shed light on similarities and differences. Findings: It is clear from the processed literature that the individual forms of violence are connected in crisis situations and pose an even greater danger. Violence at the macro level, such as war, also increases violent conflict at the micro level. The crises caused by the fear of COVID, the lockdown, war conflicts, hunger, and the climate disaster spill over into family homes and make the victims of domestic violence and partner abuse even more vulnerable. Most of the processed materials analyse research born after COVID. The COVID-19 epidemic also provided many lessons regarding the management and prevention of the economic effects of future natural disasters and the associated increased domestic violence. Value: Analyses point to relationships that need further research and evaluation. In the future, macro- and micro-level violence research must be continued, common global results must be aggregated, and complex, global solutions must be developed. International organizations must continue to collect data and provide clear guidelines to public bodies and social organizations for the joint management of macro- and micro-level problems.

Integrated understanding of climate change and disaster risk for building resilience of cultural heritage sites

AbstractHeritage assets are vulnerable to climate change and disaster risks. However, existing literature has long been separating climate change from disaster risks, which were mainly considered as natural disasters. Recently, the framework of integrated understanding of climate change and disaster risk reduction in international policies started to be discussed in sustainable development discussion, while mentioning opportunities to build resilience of cultural heritage sites (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction 2020). But this framework is yet to be implemented and detailed in the context of heritage sites. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze how the integrated understanding of climate change and disaster risk reduction policies can contribute to building climate resilience of cultural heritage sites by reviewing the key themes emerging from the literature. The question this paper answers are how can the integrated understanding of climate change and disaster risks reduction tackle barriers to the resilience of heritage sites? And what can be done to fill the gaps identified in the literature? To understand it, four elements from the literature are analyzed, including methodological contributions, temporalities, challenges and gaps, and opportunities. The findings of this review help in understanding the gap and interplay between science and policy in decision-making processes. We conclude by discussing the ways forward for the applicability of the framework in building resilience of cultural heritage sites.