Embedding climate action and sustainability in emergency management education

Emergency management practice in Australia is increasingly shaped by climate change, social vulnerability and complex governance environments. At Charles Sturt, the subject Contemporary Practice in Emergency Management was redesigned to move beyond linear emergency models and adopt a systems-thinking approach. The subject aimed to equip future emergency leaders with the skills needed to understand disaster risk as an outcome of interconnected environmental social and policy drivers.

The redesigned subject, led by Dr Astrid Vachette, introduced substantial modules on climate change, sustainability, and socio-economic considerations alongside foundational content on emergency governance and policy. Students examined how climate change influences hazards such as bushfires, floods, and extreme heat, and how policy and governance frameworks respond to these risks. Applied learning activities and assessments required students to analyse real-world community vulnerability using systems maps that linked climate pressures, inequality and disaster risk.