People feel more secure knowing there’s a levee nearby - but this can backfire, leading to more development on floodplains. Australia needs to tackle the incentives behind these risky developments.
Again, thousands of residents in Western Sydney face a life-threatening flood disaster. Obviously, nature is a major culprit – but other drivers are also at play.
Engineers, architects and builders can design and construct affordable new buildings that can resist tornadoes, floods and wildfires, but do not. We have that opportunity now.
The collapse of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation would profoundly alter the anatomy of the world’s oceans and climate. New research explores the consequences.
Some Niger Delta residents are less concerned about oil-induced hazards and risks, or floods and erosion. They are more worried about a lack of sanitation amenities.
The federal election presents an opportunity to promote plans for improving national disaster governance and resilience. But the silence on these issues in political debates has been remarkable.
Disaster victims in Australia can wait months or years for insurance payouts – or can’t afford the premiums at all. As climate change worsens, we need a radical rethink.
Juno Thomas, National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Linda Erasmus, National Institute for Communicable Diseases
The displacement of people and overcrowding that often results from flooding provide optimal conditions for outbreaks of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness.