IDRiM Podcast

Summary: This podcast episode explores the International Awareness Day for Avoidable Deaths (IAD4AD) through a discussion with Vishal Pathak from the All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) in Ahmedabad, India. As a member of the Avoidable Deaths Network (ADN), AIDMI focuses on extreme heat as a highly preventable public risk. Vishal shares how Ahmedabad became a leading example through ea...

Summary: This episode explores the global initiative International Awareness Day for Avoidable Deaths (IAD4AD) and the work of the Avoidable Deaths Network (ADN), which aims to reduce preventable deaths linked to disasters and extreme events. Launched in 2023 in Japan, the campaign runs annually and is designed as a long-term effort, with activities taking place throughout March to allow global pa...

Abstract: In this 50th-episode anniversary special, hosts Haris Rahadianto and Mark Ashley Parry reflect on the first year of the IDRiM podcast, tracing its origins, early uncertainties, and unexpected growth from a tentative experiment into a sustained international platform for disaster research discussion. They revisit the original aims, making research more accessible, spotlighting early-caree...

Abstract: Conventional, top-down approaches have dominated disaster risk reduction (DRR) initiatives for decades, with central governments coordinating disaster preparation and recovery efforts, fortifying coasts, and building large-scale gray infrastructure such as levees and seawalls to mitigate potential threats. Critics have questioned the usefulness and applicability of this strategy, especia...

Abstract: This discussion examines the catastrophic floods and landslides that struck Sumatra, Indonesia in late 2025, affecting millions across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. Joined by members of U-INSPIRE Indonesia, the conversation traces how prolonged heavy rainfall escalated into large scale flash floods and landslides, overwhelming infrastructure, isolating communities, and destroyin...

Abstract: In this episode of the IDRiM podcast, we explore the devastating floods and landslides that struck Sumatra, Indonesia in late 2025, affecting millions of people across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. Joined by members of U-INSPIRE Indonesia, the discussion traces how prolonged heavy rainfall escalated into widespread flash floods and landslides, destroying homes, cutting off commu...

Abstract: This podcast episode examines the rare and devastating floods that struck Sumatra between 21 and 30 November, bringing together experts from the Bandung Institute of Technology to explain the event from meteorological and disaster risk perspectives. The discussion explains how a tropical disturbance that first formed on 21 November developed into an unusually rare cyclone near the equato...

Abstract: Catastrophic flooding has been noted to occur with greater frequency following deforestation, but limited observations have been available to test this connection over large spatial scales. Here we used the data of mega forest fires impacting a region of 25,000 km2 in Australia exhibiting rapid loss in forest canopy, where the runoff generation has been carefully observed with minimum an...

Summary of Episode: The episode features Dr. Haris Rahadianto and Dr. Mark Ashley Parry reflecting on the 2025 IDRiM Conference held on the Greek island of Samos. They begin by describing the challenging travel logistics and storms that highlighted Samos’s isolation, an appropriate context for a conference centered on island resilience five years after the island’s major earthquake. Both note the...

Background: Prof. Nibedita Ray-Bennett is a Professor of Risk Management at the University of Leicester, United Kingdom, and the founding President of the Avoidable Deaths Network. Her research focuses on disaster risk reduction, public health emergencies, and the social dimensions of avoidable deaths. She has worked extensively on improving policy and practice in disaster and health systems, part...

Abstract of Paper: A key element in risk management in countries susceptible to experiencing natural hazards is facilitating preparedness. While several theories of preparedness have been developed, they have emerged in countries that are culturally individualistic. Recognition of the fact that the majority of disasters occur in countries that are predominantly collectivistic has identified a need...

Background: Fengyi Sun is a researcher and sustainability professional trained at Kyoto University, where he completed his Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering with a focus on disaster risk management and environmental economics. During his time at the university’s Disaster Prevention Research Institute, he contributed to projects on Natech risk and social vulnerability, including developi...

Background: Dr. Dimitrios Tzioutzios is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, working in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering within the RAMS research group. His research focuses on technological risk, community resilience, and sustainable energy systems, with particular interest in Natech accidents, risk communicati...

Background: This episode celebrates three of the top winners from last year’s YSS competition. We discuss their research, how it has developed over the past year, the benefits they received from winning the award, and their tips for this year’s participants. Guests: Mr. Pritam Ghosh [University of Twente, Netherlands] Dr. Haris Rahadianto [Lund University, Sweden] Mr. Akihiro Suzuki [Hokkaido Univ...

Background to the Conference: The 15th International Conference of the Integrated Disaster Risk Management (IDRiM) Society (IDRiM2025), titled “Advancing disaster risk reduction in islands and remote areas”, highlights the distinct risk environments and multifaceted challenges faced by islands and remote areas. In this context, the conference places accessibility (physical, social, economic, insti...

Abstract: This paper discusses the multifaceted perceptions of climate change within the United Kingdom. Whilst the understanding of anthropogenic climate change has gained prominence in more recent decades, especially in relation to greenhouse gas processes, its conceptual roots can be traced back to ancient Greek observations. Today, climate change is recognised as a significant environmental, s...

Abstract: This paper discusses the multifaceted perceptions of climate change within the United Kingdom. Whilst the understanding of anthropogenic climate change has gained prominence in more recent decades, especially in relation to greenhouse gas processes, its conceptual roots can be traced back to ancient Greek observations. Today, climate change is recognised as a significant environmental, s...

Abstract: The emphasis of integrated disaster and risk research has shifted from topical analysis, such as dealing with natural hazard-related disasters, technological accidents, or environmental crises, to a comprehensive analysis of interconnected and mutually interactive risk sources and crises. This interaction has often been framed in the language of “polycrisis” indicating the potentially am...

Abstract: The emphasis of integrated disaster and risk research hasshifted from topical analysis, such as dealing with natural hazard-related disasters, technological accidents, or environmental crises, to a comprehensive analysis of interconnected and mutually interactive risk sources and crises. This interaction has often been framed in the language of “polycrisis” indicating the potentially amp...

Summary: In this concluding episode of the IDRiM Podcast’s GADRI2025 recap series, Ashley Parry sits down with Professor John van de Lindt, local host and Co-Director of the NIST-funded Center of Excellence for Risk-Based Community Resilience Planning, to reflect on a landmark summit held for the first time outside of Japan. The episode opens with a discussion of the significance of hosting GADRI...

Background: The UK Alliance for Disaster Research (UKADR) is a national network that brings together researchers, institutions, and stakeholders working on disaster risk, resilience, and reduction. It is an independent, voluntary alliance supported by contributions from academia, government agencies, civil society, think tanks, and research institutions that focus on disaster-related research in t...

Summary: Today's summit was rich with collaboration, regional insights, and forward-thinking conversations on disaster risk reduction. A key moment from the day was the presentation of regional alliance reports from across the globe, including North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, Africa, and the UK. Each shared their progress and challenges, underscoring the importance o...

In this episode, we dive into the highlights from Day 1 of the GADRI 2025 Summit, where global leaders, researchers, and policymakers gathered to explore innovative pathways toward disaster resilience. The conversation opened with a look at the vision driving this year’s summit, focusing on how GADRI continues to evolve as a platform for scientific collaboration, policy dialogue, and actionable st...

This week marks the 10th anniversary of GADRI and the 7th GADRI Global Summit. To commemorate this milestone, we will be running a series of episodes exploring various aspects of GADRI and discussing key developments taking place at this year’s summit. First established in March 2015 as an outcome of the 2nd Global Summit of Research Institutes for Disaster Risk Reduction, GADRI is a collaborative...

Summary: This episode highlights the work of U-INSPIRE Indonesia, a youth and young professional platform dedicated to integrating science, engineering, technology, and innovation (SETI) into disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate resilience efforts. The discussion explores how young leaders are shaping DRR strategies at local, national, and global levels through participatory approaches and co...