Teacher Preparation

Students will...

… understand that natural hazards are part of the cycle of nature and serve a purpose
… understand that human interactions with natural hazards are what can make them seem only negative
… understand that there are people in the community with knowledge about natural hazards
… understand that there are community, ecological and cultural views on natural hazards.

Students can...

… identify positive effects of natural hazards
… communicate with a local expert on natural hazards in the community
… explain steps they can take to inform themselves and others about the positive impacts of natural hazards.

Make the learning intentions and success criteria visible for students throughout this lesson.

Teacher content information:

The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) develops, maintains and shares knowledge and learning to support a disaster-resilient Australia. Disaster resilience education is linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to reduce the impact of natural hazards and disasters (including those that are climate-related) in all countries. Australia has many natural hazards that pose a risk as there are a wide range of climatic conditions across the country. As climate change increases the frequency of extreme weather events it is becoming increasingly more important to educate the population on how to reduce the risk of natural hazards becoming disasters. A map of historical Australian disasters can be found here.

It is estimated that each year 175 million children around the world are affected by disasters. Disaster resilience education upskills young people and helps them respond calmly to natural hazards and disasters in their local area. Educating young people on the risks, prevention, response and recovery from natural hazards and disasters means they are involved in problem-solving and creating positive change in their community.

It is very important for students to understand that natural hazards do not need to become disasters if we prepare, reduce risks and respond to them effectively.

It is also important to understand that natural hazards can have positive impacts on environments. For example, some Australian trees require fire or smoke to begin seed germination, volcanoes can create nutrient-rich soil, and floods can aid in the fertility of soil as well as providing safe spawning grounds for fish and cyclones help distribute heat around the Earth.

It is recommended to use local advice and information to help prepare and respond to natural hazards. This can include fire and emergency services, local or regional councils, land councils, parks and wildlife services, among others. A list of organisations by state can be accessed here.

Preparation for natural hazards should involve community action and consider the diverse needs of people in the community. For example, people for whom English is not their first language, people with disabilities, gender diverse communities, the elderly and residents new to the area should be included in the planning. Communities should not rely solely on emergency services to prepare and respond to natural hazards as emergency services may not have the resources to respond to every person. Fewer disasters will happen when a community reduces risks, prepares for and responds effectively to a natural hazard.

Emergency plans and procedures should use simple language (and consider accessibility), and step-by-step instructions as the brain under stress struggles to comprehend and prioritise action. Regularly reviewing plans and conducting drills makes it easier to respond under stress.

Definitions

Hazard: A process, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation. Hazards may be natural, anthropogenic or socio-natural in origin (UNDRR).
Risk: A risk is the likelihood of the hazard causing harm and turning into a disaster. Risk is influenced by vulnerability (how likely a person, community, city or country is likely to experience the harmful effects of a hazard). Poor communities are more likely to be the most vulnerable as they have fewer choices about where to live, are less likely to have strong building design and less likely to have the education or understanding about how to prepare for a hazard. Risk is also influenced by exposure (the number of people and their belongings who face risks in a hazard zone). Climate change and denser populations increase exposure.
Disaster: A serious disruption to the functioning of a community or a society at any scale due to hazardous events interacting with conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity, leading to one or more of the following: human, material, economic and environmental losses and impacts. The effect of the disaster can be immediate and localised, but is often widespread and could last for a long period of time. The effect may test or exceed the capacity of a community or society to cope using its own resources and therefore may require assistance from external sources, which could include neighbouring jurisdictions or those at the national or international levels (UNDRR).
Resilience: The ability of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate, adapt to, transform and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient manner, including through the preservation and restoration of its essential basic structures and functions through risk management (UNDRR).

The IPCC:

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was created to:

provide policymakers (governments) with regular scientific updates about climate change;
highlight the impact climate change will have on the planet in the future; and,
offer some ideas about how to tackle the challenges of climate change's potential effects on the planet.

In 2021-22, the IPCC released their sixth assessment report. This is the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change.

The report makes a number of important points:

It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.
Global surface temperature will continue to increase until at least mid-century under all emissions scenarios considered. Global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades (B1). The report describes five possible climate futures, where #1 is not great and #5 is extremely bad. If we want to keep global warming at less than two degrees, which the IPCC says is the best-case scenario, we need to reduce our CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions significantly and start right away.

'Net zero' or 'carbon neutral' are terms that refer to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere. Getting to net zero means we can still produce some emissions, so long as we're doing something else to reduce the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere at the same time, kind of like balancing a set of scales (more info).

Psychological safety. The IPCC Report sets a hard challenge. While this real-world issue is essential for students to understand, there is no doubt it can make them feel sad or anxious about the future is becoming darker and scarier by the day.

So, reassure students that we can have a hopeful and optimistic outlook on this report, rather than one of doom and gloom. Explain that optimism involves looking objectively at a situation and making a conscious decision to focus on the good (more info), and that hope is the belief that you can make an impact (more info). Explain to students that you are going to look ahead, identify what needs to be improved, and then work on the skills and confidence so that they can go out and do it.

If you're interested in learning more about how to approach challenging topics around climate change and sustainability in your classroom through a Hope and Optimism lens, consider our PD course.

Resources

To learn more:

Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience - Knowledge Hub for understanding hazards
Disaster resilience education - additional education resources from AIDR
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction - The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015- 2030 (the Sendai Framework) is the central global framework for UN nation-states (including Australia) as they seek to mitigate risk and enhance resilience
RediPlan - Red Cross disaster preparedness guide for families/individuals.

Cultural Safety and Respect

Some non-Indigenous people are fearful of approaching content relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Providing an environment that is culturally safe is an important first step. This safe space allows cultural issues and expressions to be shared freely, whilst also minimising the risk of racist responses and improving feelings of being listened to, respected and made to feel welcome. Using appropriate language, acknowledging histories and perspectives and practising deep listening can all go a long way to creating cultural safety. To learn more, refer to these resources:

If your school has a relationship with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community members invite students to recall who some of these people are and remember the significance of times they have spent with them and things they may have learned from them.

If your school does not yet have an established relationship with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, consider opportunities for building relationships with relevant communities prior to the lesson.

To assist you in building relationships, it is advisable that you review this content from Reconciliations Australia's Narragunnawali:

Narragunnawali's online platform is free to access and provides practical ways to introduce meaningful reconciliation initiatives in the classroom, around the school and with the community.

Before creating a login for Narragunnawali you will be able to preview an overview of the content. By creating a free account you will then have access to ideas for action and professional development.

The IPCC:

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was created to:

provide policymakers (governments) with regular scientific updates about climate change;
highlight the impact climate change will have on the planet in the future; and,
offer some ideas about how to tackle the challenges of climate change's potential effects on the planet.

In 2021-22, the IPCC released their sixth assessment report. This is the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change.

The report makes a number of important points:

It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.
Global surface temperature will continue to increase until at least mid-century under all emissions scenarios considered. Global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades (B1). The report describes five possible climate futures, where #1 is not great and #5 is extremely bad. If we want to keep global warming at less than two degrees, which the IPCC says is the best-case scenario, we need to reduce our CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions significantly and start right away.

'Net zero' or 'carbon neutral' are terms that refer to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere. Getting to net zero means we can still produce some emissions, so long as we're doing something else to reduce the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere at the same time, kind of like balancing a set of scales (more info).

Psychological safety. The IPCC Report sets a hard challenge. While this real-world issue is essential for students to understand, there is no doubt it can make them feel sad or anxious about the future is becoming darker and scarier by the day.

So, reassure students that we can have a hopeful and optimistic outlook on this report, rather than one of doom and gloom. Explain that optimism involves looking objectively at a situation and making a conscious decision to focus on the good (more info), and that hope is the belief that you can make an impact (more info). Explain to students that you are going to look ahead, identify what needs to be improved, and then work on the skills and confidence so that they can go out and do it.

If you're interested in learning more about how to approach challenging topics around climate change and sustainability in your classroom through a Hope and Optimism lens, consider our PD course.

Disaster Resilience - Positive Impacts Of Natural Hazards

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