Editorial: Inclusion in Climate-Related Disaster Studies

Miguel Angel Trejo-Rangel^1*Cristian Camilo Fernandez Lopera²Jesica Viand³

• ¹University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
• ²University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
• ³University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Evidence and projected impacts and risks associated with climate-related hazards show increased exposure and vulnerability with many impacts attributed to climate change (IPCC, 2022). Being the Global South countries among the most affected, vulnerable and under-prepared areas for the impending impacts of climate change (Sen Roy, 2018). The climate and environmental changes of countries in the Global South have devastating effects on vulnerable populations, which have been perpetuated by socio-economic and political as well as gender inequalities and non-existent interventions to adapt and mitigate their adverse effects (Ngcamu, 2023).Therefore, integral solutions are key to prevent and mitigate the negative impacts of climate-related disasters. According to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015) to achieve that, it is required:"an all-of-society engagement and partnership. It also requires empowerment and inclusive, accessible and non-discriminatory participation, paying special attention to people disproportionately affected by disasters, especially the poorest. A gender, age, disability and cultural perspective should be integrated in all policies and practices, and women and youth leadership should be promoted."Facilitating engagement, empowerment and partnerships with the stakeholders affected by disasters is key for ensuring effective and inclusive participation, which involves the participants in every stage of an initiative, starting with the identification of the goals to shaping the decision-making (Bubb & Le Dé, 2022). However, as Gaillard & Peek (2019) point out that when working on disaster-prone areas, researchers must interact sensitively with locals without adding to those people's problems and to avoid the influx of foreign scientists who can anger and fatigue locals and who may decline to participate in the research initiatives.Given the importance of managing climate-related disasters with an inclusive approach in vulnerable areas, this Research Topic aimed to draw emerging researchers from countries in the Global South who prioritised inclusive methods to engage and empower vulnerable groups to propose solutions for building a more resilient future. The Research Topic incorporated four original research articles that present research findings of study areas in Brazil, Chile and South Africa, discussing different ways to ensure inclusiveness.Communities exposed to the impacts of climate change are often approached as the subject of study rather than active collaborators. Therefore, that approach is being shifted to more inclusive and people-centred approaches such as the ones considered in the research works led by Mugari et al. (2025) and Pereira et al. (2023).The research paper conducted by Mugari et al. (2025) aimed to identify challenges, gather current perspectives, knowledge and capacity gaps and connect different stakeholders to collaborate in an inclusive flood risk management in Vhembe district, South Africa. The researchers conducted participatory workshops, which were attended by a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss flood management and adaptation measures in South Africa's Vhembe district. The outcomes of this research show that stakeholders are available to identify drivers, challenges, and potential solutions to mitigate flood risk with a more bottom-up approach that enables the democratisation of risk management.The other research led by Pereira et al. (2023) aimed to co-design local-scale observations with traditional and local communities to characterise their local context regarding the impacts of climate-related disasters. It was done by adopting a citizen science approach that involved the active participation of local members of two traditional communities in Southeast Brazil. Participants used georeferencing and data collection tools to conduct a quantitative survey and interviews to collect qualitative information. Therefore, they became community researchers who investigated climaterelated impacts in their community. As outcomes, community researchers were able to quantify socioeconomic and cultural, climatic, physical and biological impacts linked to climate-related disasters, but also to understand details of how those impacts were affecting local communities and what communities are adapting to climate-related disasters.While focusing on preventing and mitigating disasters is key to enhancing resilience, it is also important to look back at previous experiences to identify what did not work and what did work. Sandoval-Díaz et al ( 2023) in their research looked for characterising the lessons learned, implications and social support perceived by the older people in disaster risk situations. The study was conducted with focus groups of older people in Ñuble, Chile. The research team used a mixed-method approach that considered a SWOT (Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Threats), life stories, focus groups, photo evocation, and the "Recognising my community" exercise. The results show that methods were effective in identifying disaster aftermaths among the participants involved, but also learning after experiencing distressful episodes, which can influence risk perceptions and coping capacities.Climate-related hazards impact communities in different ways and how those impacts are observed, and faced depends on the local context and how they may be directly impacted. In that regard, Ramirez-Loaiza ( 2023)'s research focused on exploring the healing practices of indigenous communities in Upper Xingu, Brazil, to recover from climate impacts. The research was conducted by analysing Takumã Kuikuro's documentaries and records (short videos) from the decolonial panorama and interviewing the filmmaker and People's Palace Projects members. The research results highlight the importance that rituals have within the indigenous communities as a technique to heal, the collectivism and weaving networks from reciprocities.Overall, the research papers highlight different ways to promote inclusiveness and visibility of groups which are often ignored or merely looked at as a subject of study in disaster studies. Mugari et al. (2025) and Pereira et al. (2023) involved local actors to actively participate in identifying and co-designing disaster risk management strategies. Sandoval-Díaz et al ( 2023) facilitate dialogues and exchanges with older people to better understand the impacts of previous disasters and identify the aftermaths and learned lessons. Last but not least, Ramirez-Loaiza (2023) analysed audiovisual materials of indigenous communities produced by an indigenous filmmaker and interviews, which were key to understanding how indigenous communities perceive their environment and how they cope with the climate crisis.