Accepted abstracts

Co-authors: 1) Jenny Friedl, Independent researcher, Behavioral sciences, Risk & Resilience, Sweden, and 2) Lars Eriksson, Senior lecturer, Karlstad University, Department of Social and Psychological Studies, Sweden

Abstract: Natural hazards such as heavy rainfall are becoming more frequent and severe, posing significant risks to municipalities. While research has predominantly focused on governance and general solutions, less is known about how civil servants at the sharp end make decisions in the dynamic, constraint-rich context of heavy-rainfall adaptation. Consequently, we investigated municipal civil servants’ decision-making through two complementary studies (Friedl and Eriksson, 2025, 2026). In Friedl and Eriksson (2025) descriptive phenomenological analysis is applied to interviews with eight Swedish civil servants working with heavy rainfall adaptation. In Friedl and Eriksson (2026) a cross-sectional survey (n = 101) was analyzed with multiple regression analysis to examine how adaptation intention relates to appraisals of risk and coping capacity (with Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) as conceptual scaffold). The results of the latter study showed a modest positive association between outcome efficacy and adaptation intention, while other PMT components had limited explanatory power. The qualitative findings of Friedl and Eriksson (2025) indicate that the civil servants describe decision-making as a dynamic and situated process that is coordinated among actors to continuously assess what is feasible and justifiable, and how their judged actions may unfold in practice. The two studies combined show that managing heavy rainfall adaptation is not primarily driven by static risk assessments or motivational factors but by the continuous calibration of judgments about feasible and appropriate actions under changing constraints and evolving situations. The main conclusion is that adaptation to heavy rainfall can be understood as the continuous calibration of judged possible and suitable actions, constrained by the dynamics of the situation and governance structures. To support efforts to build municipal resilience and adapt to natural hazards, there should be a greater focus on evolving situated judgments and on implementing support systems for the ongoing judgment-calibration process.

Co-authors: 1) Peter Önnby, Ramboll, Sweden; Nina Rubensson, Hållbarhetsstrateg, Uppsalahem, Sweden; and 2) Joel Grauman, Hållbarhetschef, LF Uppsala, Sweden.

Abstract: Extreme weather and climate-driven natural hazards, particularly cloudbursts and urban flooding, are increasingly challenging both cities and rural areas and its critical dependencies, including transport access, energy supply, and water infrastructure. While many climate adaptation measures are already known, implementation remains slow. A key barrier is governance friction between public and private actors: climate adaptation often requires coordinated action across sectors, while costs, benefits, mandates, and incentives are unevenly distributed. This presentation draws on a Swedish pilot project where Uppsala municipality, Uppsalahem, Uppsala Vatten, Länsförsäkringar Uppsala and Wasa Kredit jointly tested a collaboration model for accelerating climate adaptation in dense urban areas. Using a recurring cloudburst flooding scenario affecting residential buildings and surrounding infrastructure, the project explored how risk data, financing principles, mandates, and contractual structures can be integrated into a decision-making process that remains workable despite differing institutional incentives. The pilot combined risk and vulnerability analysis, development of climate adoption measures, property-level cost-benefit analysis, and development of a collaboration process including decision gates, data sharing, financing, and accountability. The outcome was a transferable collaborative toolkit consisting of: 1) A collaboration model defining roles, mandates, coordination structures, and decision processes; 2) A business model linking adaptation measures to financing, implementation, operation, and maintenance; 3) A cost-benefit framework with a distribution perspective, clarifying how costs and benefits are shared between actors to support co-financing and legitimate decision-making. The project demonstrated that climate adaptation can move from fragmented analysis to operational implementation when collaboration structures are designed explicitly for cross-sector coordination. The approach strengthens long-term implementation capacity, improves financing dialogue, and creates a scalable model that can be applied to other natural hazards and urban contexts. For RisCon26, the contribution offers practical and transferable lessons on how municipalities, real estate companies and stakeholders can turn climate risk into coordinated decisions, investments, and action.

Co-authors: Venkanna Babu Guthula, Mary Hahm, Venkanna Babu Guthula, Remigio Chilaule, Dimitri Gominski, Alex Limwagu, Exavery Chaki, Fredros Okumu, Leka Tingitana, Anders Hermund, Lucy S. Tusting, Rasmus Fensholt, Gustavo Riberio, Jakob Brandtberg Knudsen, Johan Mottelson, Yeromin Mlacha, Mary Cameron, and Christian Igel.

Abstract: Larval source management is a key strategy to control the spread of Aedes-borne viral diseases including dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. However, locating potential larval habitats through traditional field methods is challenging and labor-intensive at scale. Here, we demonstrate a scalable, high-resolution drone imagery and supervised machine learning approach to map potential Aedes larval container habitats across Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, a dense urban environment with informal settlements. Local larval surveillance and existing literature confirm epidemiological relevance of buckets and jerry cans, tires, and water tanks as key potential habitats. Drone images revealed rooftop tires, a container type likely overlooked during ground surveillance. We trained a U-Net deep learning model on very-high-resolution drone imagery (3-5 cm resolution) which was manually annotated across 4.6 sqkm, and applied it to predict containers across 27.27 sqkm, spanning 20 neighborhoods. The model predicted over 135,000 containers with detection accuracies of 75% for water tanks, 72% for tires, and 54% for buckets. Bucket and tire densities were strongly and positively correlated with population density across neighborhoods, whereas water tank density was not, suggesting the distribution of these container types reflect distinct underlying drivers. This study reveals otherwise difficult-to-observe container types, highlights the abundance and spatial heterogeneity of potential Aedes larval habitats across Dar es Salaam, and demonstrates a scalable approach for improving detection of potential Aedes larval container habitats in a dense urban environment.

Co-authors: 1) Susanne Skyllerstedt, Utredare, Sekretariatet till det Nationella expertrådet för klimatanpassning, SMHI, Sverige; 2) Lundgren Kownacki, Karin, Sekretariatet till Nationella expertrådet för klimatanpassning, SMHI, Sverige; 3) Malin Niemi, Sekretariatet till Nationella expertrådet för klimatanpassning, SMHI, Sverige; and 4) Sjöberg, Therése, Sekretariatet till Nationella expertrådet för klimatanpassning, SMHI, Sverige.

Abstract: Klimatförändringen påverkar redan Sverige, och påverkan väntas öka med fortsatta utsläpp av växthusgaser – det blir varmare, torrare, blötare och extremhändelser väntas bli vanligare. För att förstå konsekvenserna har Nationella expertrådet för klimatanpassning tagit fram Sveriges första nationella klimat- och sårbarhetsanalys (NKSA). Analysen identifierar de klimateffekter på samhälle, människor och naturmiljö som innebär högst risk – idag och i framtiden – samt övergripande behov för att hantera dessa risker. Arbetet har involverat ca 125 experter från 80 organisationer, verksamma inom systemområdena Bebyggd miljö och infrastruktur, Ekosystem, Hälsa, Näringsliv och naturresurser, Livsmedelsproduktion samt Vatten. Totalt bedöms klimatrisken för 359 klimateffekter i 29 delsystem. Riskbedömningen väger samman sannolikheten för att en klimatrelaterad fara inträffar med dess konsekvenser, vilka i sin tur beror på exponering, sårbarhet och allvarlighetsgrad. Analysen bygger på tillgängliga data och kvalitativa expertbedömningar som sammanvägts i en multikriterieanalys. NKSA släpps i juni 2026 och besvarar frågor som: Vilka klimateffekter leder till högst risk idag och mot slutet av seklet? Vilka system är mest utsatta? Vilka faktorer driver riskerna – sårbarhet, exponering, allvarlighetsgrad eller sannolikhet? Vilka behov finns för att minska riskerna? NKSA ger en viktig kunskapsgrund för förståelsen av klimatförändringens effekter och Sveriges risker. Analysen är den första av tre delrapporter som expertrådet presenterar under 2026, och utgör underlag till den rapport som överlämnas till regeringen i december 2026 – och som utgör grund för regeringens strategi och handlingsplan för klimatanpassning.

Co-authors: 1) Moglia, Magnus, La Trobe University, Australia; 2) Wang, Yujie, La Trobe University, Australia; 3) Alahakoon, Damminda, La Trobe University, Australia; 4) Dissanayake, Ranjan, La Trobe University, Australia; and 5) Rickards, Lauren, La Trobe University, Australia.

Abstract: Systemic climate risks across complex systems can act as powerful risk multipliers through cascading, compounding, and cross-sector interactions. However, such risks are difficult to identify ex ante or even reconstruct after the fact. From a risk governance perspective, this creates significant challenges, as current approaches remain fragmented, hazard-centred, and episodic, limiting the ability to detect risk propagation, anticipate emerging disruptions, and support timely intervention. While conceptual understanding is advancing fast, a persistent gap remains: these risk pathways are rarely observed empirically. In this study, we report on the application of a technology developed to address this gap, applied to the June 2021 storms and floods in Victoria, Australia, one of the largest multi-system emergency events in the state’s history. The event involved widespread infrastructure disruption, including power outages affecting over 330,000 customers, telecommunications failures, transport network disruption, and cascading impacts across water, health, and supply systems. These dynamics illustrate how climate hazards propagate across tightly coupled systems, generating complex and prolonged societal impacts. Specifically, we present an AI-enabled observation approach using large language models (LLMs) to extract and structure climate-relevant events from unstructured sources, including news media, government reports, and operational updates. The approach combines Situation Model Theory with an ontology based on the IPCC-grounded hazard–exposure–vulnerability–impact framework. The system provides a rich picture of the event and how it unfolded, including reconstructing event graphs that reveal causal chains and cross-sector dependencies otherwise latent in narrative data, enabling systematic and scalable reconstruction of empirical systemic risk pathways from unstructured data. We argue that such observational capability is a critical and currently missing component in climate risk systems. By enabling continuous sensing and interpretation of systemic risk dynamics, AI-supported approaches can complement modelling and scenario methods, strengthening the evidentiary basis for anticipatory and adaptive climate risk governance.

Co-authors: 1) Bjørn Tallak Bakken, Associate Professor, University of Inland Norway (INN), Norway; and 2) Ole A. Lindaas, Associate Professor II, Innlandet School of Business INN, Norway.

Abstract: Current approaches to risk assessment are increasingly inadequate for capturing the vulnerabilities introduced by emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI). This paper develops a novel conceptual framework for risk assessment that accounts for the interactive and evolving nature of technological control systems, which are becoming progressively more autonomous. Drawing on Charles Perrow’s Normal Accidents theory, we argue that systems characterized by tightly coupled, complex interactions represent a distinct source of vulnerability, where risk escalates nonlinearly with the number and interdependence of interconnected components. We further contend that the efficiency gains associated with standardization, centralization, and automation—typically measured as reduced cost per unit—are far outweighed by the systemic risks introduced through such interconnectivity. The growing deployment of fully and partially autonomous AI systems amplifies these risks, as minor disruptions can propagate through tightly coupled networks, triggering cascading failures with consequences that are difficult to anticipate or contain. Paradoxically, however, AI technologies may also offer tools for identifying, predicting, and mitigating the very vulnerabilities they tend to create. Exploring these possibilities constitutes a secondary objective of this work.

Author: Kristian Petrov, Ph.D. and Docent in the History of Ideas and Science, Karlstad University, Sweden.

Abstract:  On November 30, 2022, a millennia-old era came to an end. Open AI launched ChatGPT, and the ultimate purpose of technology – to support humans and release time and energy for their intellectual, creative and communicative abilities – was fundamentally redefined. The door opened to a brave new world, where the role of technology became to imitate and replace what since Aristotle had been seen as uniquely human. As a measure of the paradigmatic significance of generative AI, almost half of the members of Donald Trump’s business delegation to China in May 2026 were tech moguls. Technological development has thus not only changed people’s everyday lives but seems to be the driving factor in world politics, which is also reflected in Sweden’s official policy to become one of the world’s leading AI nations. However, AI does not only solve problems – the solutions, in their turn, give rise to a number of new problems, not least regarding security. This has led political scientists Rönnblom and Öjehag-Pettersson, together with informaticians Eneman and Ljungberg, to aptly talk about the tech-capitalist (in)security paradox. While AI is increasingly seen as the universal solution for competitiveness and societal development – rhetorically portrayed as an uncontrollable force majeure – the very technology is also described as a key component of societal risks. In this paper, the question is asked what actually happens when humans and machines change places, and the ability to think, create and communicate is outsourced to the latter. What are the consequences of automated text and image generation for society’s resilience and emergency preparedness? With reference to the phenomenological and social theory of lifeworld and system (technological instrumentality), critical perspectives are drawn from fiction and the history of philosophy and applied to instructive examples in politics, academia, healthcare and suicide prevention.

Co-authors: 1) Åsa Davidsson, Forskare, Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut, Sweden; 2) Winterdahl, Mathias, FOI, Sverige; 3) Söderman, Ulf, FOI, Sverige; 4) Severin, Minna, Svenska Kraftnät, Sverige; 5) Mittermaier, Eva, FOI, Sverige; 6) Stjernlöf, Sofia, Lantmäteriet, Sverige; and 7) Ciepielewska, Maria, tidigare Lantmäteriet, Sverige.

Abstract: Under 2022 trädde lagen (2022:818) om den offentliga sektorns tillgängliggörande av data, i kraft. Lagen ställer krav på riskbedömning utifrån Sveriges säkerhet innan data tillgängliggörs som öppna data. I förarbetet uttrycks dessutom att riskbedömningen ska ta hänsyn till aggregering, en relevant utmaning då antalet aggregeringar som kan ske är oändligt. För att stötta riskbedömningen av geodata har Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut (FOI) och Lantmäteriet tagit fram ett förslag till Metod för riskbedömning vid tillgängliggörande av geodata som öppna data avseende Sveriges säkerhet – MEGS. För att arbeta fram MEGS har litteraturstudier och workshops med företrädare för offentliga aktörer genomförts. Riskbedömningar utgår ofta från bedömning av sannolikhet och konsekvens. Men för komplexa risker, är detta tillvägagångssätt inte tillämpbart. Den risk som ska bedömas i detta sammanhang är dessutom relaterad till Sveriges säkerhet, och för Sveriges säkerhet finns varken tydliga kriterier eller konsekvenser definierade. För att bemöta detta har här istället för sannolikhet begreppet relevans införts. För konsekvenserna har projektet testat en ansats med konsekvensnivåer utifrån en möjlig innebörd av Sveriges säkerhet. I den föreslagna riskbedömningsmetoden används relevans, konsekvensnivåer och utkast till kriterier för dessa nivåer. MEGS bestar av sex steg som leder fram till ett underlag inför ett beslut om en specifik uppsättning geodata kan utgöra en risk för Sveriges säkerhet eller ej, och om denna geodata därmed kan tillgängliggöras. Till hjälp vid riskbedömningens genomförande vid workshoppen finns även en dokumentationsmall. MEGS, bidrar till att underlätta för offentliga aktörer som enligt lag ska riskbedöma inför ett eventuellt tillgängliggörande av öppna geodata. Det innebär också att Sveriges säkerhet stärks när geodata som kan vara användbar för att utföra en antagonistisk handling inte tillgängliggörs.

Co-authors: 1) Lovisa Rosenquist Ohlsson, Doctoral Student, Lund University Sweden; and 2) Eklund, Lina, Lund University, Sweden.

Abstract: Background and aim: Climate-related disasters have increased globally, with temperature extremes becoming more frequent and precipitation patterns more varied. With protracted armed conflicts, large numbers of displaced people, and future predicted increases in climate risks, the Middle East is becoming a hotspot for climate vulnerability. Despite this, the region sees little climate adaptation-focused, scientific attention. We investigate the number of people affected by temperature and precipitation extremes across the region, and map the spatiotemporal variability of these events in areas hosting internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, to help fill the knowledge gap of climate adaptation in conflict settings. Methods: We use global climate datasets to identify hotspots for extreme events over 75 years (1950-2025), and population data (1975-2025) to find the number of people exposed to weather extremes across the region. We then focus our attention to areas with UNHCR Persons of Concern, to assess the exposure to extremes among displaced persons. Preliminary Results: We show that extreme heat and cold, heavy precipitation events and prolonged dry periods have impacted an increasing number of people since 1975, highlighting the need for adaptation. While the spatial extent of cold spells has decreased over time, the number of people experiencing cold extremes have increased. For heat extremes, both the spatial extent of events, and number of people have increased. The number of displaced people in the region has also increased continuously over the past 10 years, further increasing the climate vulnerability for the region’s population. Significance and practical application: Our results demonstrate the presence of weather extremes in an understudied region, and its variability on a spatiotemporal scale. We highlight the need for climate adaptation and preparedness in multicrisis-settings in the first region predicted to run out of fresh water. A region currently accounting for 40% of all conflict-related displacements globally.

Author: Dide Dijkers, PhD candidate, Karlstad University,  Sweden.

Abstract: Improved understanding of outdoor thermal comfort supports the reduction of heat-related health risks. Thermal benchmarks express the relationship between thermal comfort indices and thermal perceptions and are used to interpret these indices. They are also used to study heat adaptation. But while heat adaptation is made up of physiological, psychological and behavioural adaptation, thermal benchmarks offer little insight into the role of behaviour in thermal adaptation. This study determines thermal benchmarks in a street setting with a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) and introduces a method for determining thermal-behavioural benchmarks for shade use. Questionnaires, observations, and micro-meteorological measurements were collected simultaneously during the summer of 2025 in Karlstad, Sweden. Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) was analysed in relation to thermal perceptions and behaviours, using regression analyses. Neutral PET was found to be 17.4°C, corresponding to 48% of pedestrians walking in full shade. Preferred PET was 20.1°C, at which shade use was 51%. At higher PET values, shade use continued to increase significantly, reflecting the finding that shade use was the preferred heat adaptation strategy among questionnaire respondents. An intra-seasonal analysis revealed 3.3°C higher neutral PET values in late summer compared to early summer, suggesting intra-seasonal adaptation. At the same time, the proportion of individuals in the shade at season-specific neutral PET increased by 12.8% from early to late summer, while the proportion of variance in shade use explained by PET decreased. This suggests that shade use became less dependent on thermal conditions, and increased despite reduced thermal sensitivity, which may reflect intra-seasonal behavioural adaptation. These findings suggest that pedestrians in Karlstad not only responded to thermal conditions, but adapted actively and continuously to the warm summer weather.

Author: Moniruzzaman Syed, Senior Lecturer, Karlstad University.

Abstract: Background and Aim: Children spend a substantial proportion of their daytime hours in school and preschool settings, often during the hottest periods of the day, making them particularly vulnerable to extreme heatwaves. Existing literature indicates that exposure to high temperatures is associated with increased emergency department (ED) visits, exacerbation of asthma, heat-related illnesses such as dizziness and nausea, and adverse effects on cognitive functioning and academic performance. A range of adaptation and mitigation strategies has been implemented to protect children’s health and well-being from heat-related risks, with variation across schools and countries. This narrative review aims to explore heatwave adaptation and mitigation strategies applied in school and preschool settings, structured across individual, environmental, and policy levels. Methods: Peer-reviewed literature published from 1 January 2016 onwards was identified using search terms including adaptation, coping strategies, intervention, prevention, heat risk reduction, and resilience. Results: The reviewed literature revealed several recurring themes related to heatwave adaptation and mitigation, including behavioral and organizational measures, environmental and infrastructure-based strategies, education and capacity-building interventions, and governance, planning, and institutional preparedness. Reported interventions ranged from adjustments to daily routines and scheduling, relocation of activities to shaded areas, ensuring access to drinking water, and improving ventilation, to the implementation of health education programs. However, the review identified notable gaps in system-level and policy-driven adaptations within the existing literature. Significance & Practical Application: this review highlights the need for longitudinal research to assess long-term health and educational impacts of heat exposure and to identify effective, evidence-based school- and preschool-level interventions for heatwave adaptation and mitigation.

Co-authors: 1) Abhishekh Barua, Anticipatory Action Lead, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Bangladesh; 2) Popy, Asma Akther, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Bangladesh; and 3) Hossain, Md Rashed, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Bangladesh.

Abstract: Heatwaves are increasingly deadliest climate hazards in Bangladesh, disproportionately affecting vulnerable urban populations, including rickshaw pullers, street vendors, slum dwellers, older persons, women, children, and persons with disabilities. In response to rising heat risks, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) implemented forecast-based localized heatwave anticipatory actions in 2024 to reduce heat-related illness, distress, and livelihood loss. Triggered by forecasts from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department and international sources, interventions were carried out across 25 districts, with intensified support in high-risk urban areas. In this study we focused on Dhaka city as this is more urbanized and heat exposed area in Bangladesh. In addition, the higher portion of slum dwellers live in this city. So, key actions included temporary cooling stations, distribution of safe drinking water, umbrellas, and caps to outdoor workers, early warning dissemination, along with multipurpose cash grants for vulnerable households. The cash interventions reached over 4,000 households. This study asses the effectiveness of early warning dissemination, utilization of cash to support their emergency needs, timeliness of cash expenditure and finally satisfaction level of cash recipients. The findings reveal that 80% of respondents receive early warning and take necessary action to reduce their sufferings during heatwaves. In addition, around 98 % of households are satisfied with the receiving cash as this helps to use this emergency purposes such as food, medical support and livelihoods. This findings demonstrate that localized, forecast-based anticipatory action can significantly reduce the risks, protect livelihoods, and strengthen urban resilience, offering a scalable model for heat-prone contexts in Bangladesh.

Co-authors: 1) Stefan Döring, Assistant Professor, Uppsala University, Sweden; and 2) Klara Petersson, Uppsala University, Sweden.

Abstract: Climate adaptation in high-income countries is typically framed as a technical-administrative problem, with vulnerable populations identified physiologically, most often the elderly, the very young, and the chronically ill. Drawing on more than 60 semi-structured expert interviews conducted with public officials working on extreme-weather adaptation across all administrative levels in Sweden, we examine how vulnerability is constructed in practice and whose vulnerabilities the adaptation apparatus actually protects. Our preliminary findings suggest: First, while inequity is encoded in the legal framework, risk assessments seem to concentrate among comparatively wealthier coastal and waterfront property owners, while regulations on heat remain under, which already produces the only measurable excess mortality and falls disproportionately on the urban poor, the elderly in cramped housing, residents of care facilities, and people without strong information access. Second, framings of what is vulnerability diverge across actors. For some actors vulnerable groups remain physiological as part of long-standing public-health discourses, yet other remains less visible planning and adaption measures. We argue that protective resources flow, by design, toward already-resourced groups, and that meaningful adaptation requires re-engineering the legal and funding architecture.

Co-authors: 1) Sofia Kvarnström Börsbo, Lecturer, Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping, Sweden; 2) Johanna Johansson, Doctoral student Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping, Sweden; 3) Lena Rosenberg, Professor, Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping, Sweden; and 4) Susanne Gustafsson, Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping, Sweden.

Abstract: Background: Climate change increases the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, posing significant societal and health-related risks for older adults. In Sweden, as in many other high-latitude countries, older adults have rarely needed to consider heat when engaging in outdoor activities. However, with climate change, such considerations are becoming increasingly important. Urban environments with limited vegetation and high heat exposure exacerbate these risks and restrict outdoor participation. Understanding these experiences is important for strengthening societal preparedness and developing heat-resilient urban environments. Aim: This study aimed to provide insight into how older adults reason about activities in urban outdoor environments during heatwaves. Methods: This study applied a focus group methodology, where nineteen older adults participated in three focus groups conducted in two Swedish cities. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were created: Individual adaptations to outdoor activities, The significance of social network, Society’s responsibility to address challenges posed by heatwaves, and Opportunities and barriers in the urban outdoor environment. Outdoor activities during heatwaves were affected by influences at individual, group, and societal levels. Significance & Practical Application: This study provide insights into how older adults navigate activities in urban outdoor environments during heatwaves through dynamic interactions between individual capacities, social networks, environmental conditions, and societal responses. This study emphasised that heat adaptation should not be understood solely as an individual responsibility, but as a broader societal and public health issue requiring age-responsive and heat-resilient urban planning, locally adapted support systems, and environments that enable continued participation in activities even during periods of heatwaves. Together, the results point to the importance of holistic and transactional perspectives in promoting resilience, autonomy, and everyday participation among older adults during heatwaves. The results also contribute knowledge relevant for climate adaptation planning and reduction of climate-related health risks.

Co-authors: 1) Mathilde de Goër de Herve, Postdoctoral researcher, Karlstad University, Sweden; 2) Tove Bodland, Karlstad University, Sweden; and 3) Kristin Gustafsson, Karlstad University, Sweden.

Abstract: Background and aim. Establishing coherent climate policies is extremely complex, given the interconnectedness of key sectors that support essential societal functions. Water, notably, is crucial for healthcare, energy supply, food production, and other critical services. Because of limited resources, priorities have to be established. The implementation of strategies to prepare and respond to climate risks can redistribute vulnerabilities across sectors. Therefore, building local climate resilience requires understanding complexity and various stakeholders’ perspectives. This study aims to identify the societal functions that should be safeguarded in priority when facing climate events in general, and droughts specifically, in the Nordic countries. Methods. Workshops are organized during which participants share their experiences and perspectives while playing a serious game called “Riskville”. The preliminary aim of the workshop is to increase the participants’ awareness of drought management complexity. At the same time, research data is collected to identify the societal priorities. To do so, participants are invited to answer a short survey both before and after the workshop, and a structured observation is done by the facilitators during the workshop. Results. The first data collection is planned for end of May 2026, and preliminary results will be presented at RisCon26. Descriptive statistics of the survey results combined with insights from the observation process will be presented, together with the research design and background. Significance and Practical Application. The research process and outputs are expected to support decisionmakers in drought risk management thanks to the research design. The workshop (research process) is expected to encourage participants to think more in systems and promote integrated management in the face of droughts. The findings of the study (research outputs) will help policymakers to establish priorities supporting the societal functions that are deemed most important and therefore implement policies that are more likely to be accepted by communities.

Co-authors: 1) Felicia O.  Akinyemi, Associate Professor, Karlstad University, Sweden; and 2) Valerie Graw, Junior Professor for Urban Systems Remote Sensing, Geomatic Research Group, Institute of Geography, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.

Abstract: Drought is a slow onset natural hazard whose impact on plants’ growth cycle create significant risks for society. When drought reduces soil moisture and limits plant growth, it manifests as agricultural drought. This study focuses on how drought affects agriculture related phenology in Botswana’s croplands and grasslands, a dimension of drought impact that is often overlooked yet critical for anticipating risks to food and grazing systems. Using remote sensing time series data (2000–2020), this study developed indicators of vegetation productivity with the annual sum of the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVIsum) and computed changes as trends (EVIsumtrend). To assess agricultural drought severity, a weighted linear combination (WLC) was applied to the EVI based Vegetation Condition Index (VCIwlc) and compared to the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI). Phenology shifts are quantified through changes in vegetation greenup, peak growth, senescence, and dormancy dates. Croplands and grasslands are examined separately to capture differences in drought sensitivity. Differentiating between croplands and grasslands, vegetation productivity in grasslands was consistently lower than in croplands during droughts. The seasonal agriculture related phenology, such as late vegetation greenup – the start of the season – is correlated with reduced vegetation productivity and severe agricultural droughts as evidenced by lower EVIsum and VCIwlc values, respectively. Notable phenology patterns include delayed greenup in grasslands compared to croplands, while the peak period often overlaps between grasslands and croplands. Overall, phenological shifts detected were about 58 days delayed greenup, whereas for peak, senescence, and dormancy, delays were between 60 and 61 days associated with reduced vegetation productivity and VCI values, particularly in grasslands. Linking phenological disruption to reduced productivity highlights a measurable pathway through which drought becomes a societal risk. That crops and pastures sensitivity relate to drought timing highlights the value of integrating remote sensing indicators into drought monitoring and early warning systems. These phenology based indicators offer practical value for adjusting planting calendars, planning grazing rotations, and anticipating seasonal shortfalls in productivity. Long term phenology metrics can support decisions on planting windows, grazing management, and resource allocation during droughts.

Co-authors: 1) Claudia  Canedo Rosso, Postdoctoral researcher, Karlstad University, Sweden; 2) Suanne Segovia-Tzompa, Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (CNDS) and the Swedish Defense University (FHS), Sweden; 3) Marcia Fernanda de Camargo, UFSCar, Brazil; and 4) Sai Ganesh Veeravalli, Karlstad University, Sweden.

Abstract: This study investigates hydrological and land cover changes associated with water scarcity and drought in indigenous communities in Southern Bahia, Brazil, through an integrated remote sensing and participatory research approach. The research focuses on analysing changes in water- and land-use to better understand the environmental and governance-related drivers affecting the local indigenous communities. Previous participatory studies acknowledged increasing concerns regarding reduced water availability, altered rainy seasons, and expanding human activities within and around indigenous territories. At the same time, limited governmental recognition of land demarcation and restricted access to environmental information have intensified local vulnerabilities and perceptions of (in)justice. The study combined freely available satellite imagery, including Landsat and Sentinel data, with participatory mapping and community-generated narratives. Remote sensing data were used to access temporal changes in surface water bodies, including rivers and lakes, as well as land use and land cover transformations such as deforestation and the expansion of monoculture. The satellite-derived information was integrated with participatory maps and locally identified areas of concern. Through participatory methods such as workshops, fieldwork, interviews, and participatory mapping, this study documented observed environmental changes, institutional governance challenges, and lived experiences of water (in)justice. This approach enables the co-interpretation of hydrological and environmental analyses while strengthening the inclusion of indigenous knowledge in environmental science. Our results show that the primary factors driving water- and land-use changes over recent decades include infrastructure development from demographic growth and expansion of touristic services, rising water demand, deforestation, and the expansion of monoculture associated with industrial activities surrounding the indigenous territory. By linking local observations with spatial analyses, we identified the main water bodies used for water consumption, mapping patterns of water scarcity alongside their relationship to land cover dynamics and human interventions. Concretely, we noted that both internal and external inters competing for water resources operate under an economic logic. The expansion of civil infrastructure altered water body morphology and degraded water quality, while deforested areas were progressively converted into agricultural land and eucalyptus monoculture plantations. These landscape alterations have adversely impacted main watercourses, resulting in reduced water quality and quantity, as well as declining fish populations. These findings enhance the understanding of the complex interactions between environmental change, water governance, and social vulnerability. Furthermore, they provide a foundation to support inclusive water management practices while strengthening local capacity for community-led monitoring, advocacy, and resilience-building.

Author: Mahmood Fayazi, Assistant Professor and Head of Disaster and Emergency Management Program, Royal Roads, University Canada.

Abstract: Flood risk reduction in Indigenous communities requires approaches that are technically robust, locally actionable, and grounded in community values, knowledge systems, and relationships to land. This presentation discusses an ongoing applied participatory research project developed in partnership with the Mi’gmaq First Nation community of Listuguj, located in Gespe’gewa’gi, the seventh and largest district of Mi’gma’gi in Quebec, Canada. The project aims to strengthen local civil preparedness by supporting community-led flood prevention, structural mitigation, and post-flood housing recovery planning. Using participatory methods that respect Indigenous ways of knowing, the project equips young Indigenous community members with practical competencies in flood risk assessment and damage inspection. Through online training and in-person workshops, 12 community members receive trainings to assess housing conditions, document flood impacts from the 2018 flood events, and contribute directly to the research process. This hands-on training aims to enhance local capacity to estimate potential flood impacts, interpret technical findings, and evaluate floodproofing options suitable for Listuguj’s housing context. The project also integrates technical, economic, and socio-cultural analysis. Experienced contractors assess selected houses and estimate the costs of different floodproofing strategies, enabling a comparative benefit-cost analysis against anticipated flood damages. Community Elders participate in focus group discussions to examine how floodproofing measures may support or conflict with Mi’gmaq perspectives, collective identity, social bonds, place attachment, lifestyle, and values. In later stages, Elders review technical and economic findings and help identify culturally appropriate mitigation strategies. The expected outcomes include floodproofing recommendations compatible with Indigenous perspectives, proposed modifications to local housing and zoning regulations, and strengthened community capacity for disaster risk mitigation. By combining technical training, community-based research, and Indigenous knowledge, the project expands conventional disaster risk management tools and contributes to more culturally grounded forms of civil preparedness and crisis readiness at the local scale.

Author Jenni Koivisto, Senior lecturer, Karlstad University, Sweden.

Abstract: Food security and the importance of domestic food production were largely overlooked in Sweden from the 1990s onward. The focus shifted toward just-in-time deliveries and efficient supply chains, making it possible to provide citizens with cheaper food and a wider variety throughout the year. This shift significantly reduced the number of farms and the level of domestic food production in Sweden. In more recent years, Swedish food producers have faced a range of new challenges, including climate change and shifting geopolitical conditions, compounded by crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. However, these challenges have also brought domestic food production back onto the political agenda, thereby highlighting both challenges and opportunities for the food system. Drawing on political ecology and based on interviews with Swedish farmers, this paper discusses the realities that producers face in maintaining and further developing their production, as well as their role in domestic and local food systems and within Sweden’s total defence framework. The results shed light on a variety of challenges related to imbalances in power relations, environmental conditions, and economic circumstances, but also on the opportunities that exist, along with producers’ ability and willingness to develop new ways of thinking and operating.

Co-authors: Sara Lindersson, Giuliano Di Baldassarre, Charles F. Parker, Sara Bondesson, Jenni Koivisto, Leonardo Olivetti, Felicia O. Akinyemi, Gabriele Messori, Riccardo Biella, Steffi Burchardt, Claudia Canedo Rosso, Mathilde de Goër de Herve, Frances Deegan, Stefan Döring, Kévin Dubois, Lina M. Eriksson, Jeanne Fernandez, Bahre Gebru, Malin Göteman, Mikael Granberg, Jan Haas, Beatrice Hedelin, Helena Hermansson, Magnus Johansson, Konstantinos Karagiorgos, Johanna Mård, Claudia Merli, Elena Mondino, Lars Nyberg, Erik Persson Pavlovic, Shakti Raj Shrestha, Anna Rutgersson, Xin Shen, Anastasiya Shyrokaya, Venugopal Thandlam, Valentin Troll, Kenny Turesson, Patrick Wennström, and Daniel Nohrstedt. 

Abstract: Disaster risk related to natural hazards is inherently complex, shaped by the interconnected landscape of coupled human-environmental systems. Navigating this intricate, transboundary space presents significant challenges for disaster risk reduction (DRR) practitioners. For instance, current DRR approaches often fail to navigate these complexities, either by relying on simplified technical solutions or by treating complexity as so intractable it becomes overwhelming to act on. We think that both of these contrasting examples hinder effective DRR management. Our work seeks to conceptually unpack and empirically analyse the role of complexity in DRR. We argue that understanding recurring themes within DRR complexity—which we refer to as dimensions of complexity—and how they interact is essential for studying past disasters and developing more effective risk reduction strategies for the future. First, we identify five key dimensions of complexity, drawing from existing disaster research frameworks. These dimensions can serve as a valuable communicative tool for practitioners and analytical lens for researchers. Second, we collect 58 empirical DRR case studies from around the world, contributed by over 40 experts, to assess how these dimensions influenced disaster outcomes across different hazard types, socio-political contexts, and geographies. We think that our findings provide a comprehensive lens for understanding of DRR complexity, and can offer valuable insights for practitioners and researchers across disciplines. While complexity presents significant challenges, it can also drive learning and adaptation. Certain dimensions emerge as particularly present in the empirical case studies. Finally, we highlight the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in navigating DRR’s complexities.

Co-authors: 1) Stefan Lundborg, Postdoc, Department of Learning in Engineering Sciences, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden; 2) Perkins, Marc. Finnish Institute for Educational Research, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.

Abstract: Background and Aim: Recent years have seen a rising number of large-scale societal crises, ranging from pandemics to international conflicts and economic instability. Crises such as these are framed as empirical events, understood as contextually realised risks. However, not all realised risks manifest as crises – some just turn into problems. Similarly, evaluations of whether something is a crisis or just a problem often diverge. There is a rich body of literature which attempts to make sense of this by constructing various typologies of crises, and defining what differentiates crises from lesser problems. The resulting models form a complex, contradictory, and overlapping conceptual web that ends up obscuring the nature of crisis rather than elucidating it. In this paper, we harness the perceptual nature of crisis to manage the complexity. Methods: Embarking on a journey through the literature, contextualised by empirical datasets from Finnish and Swedish higher education, we trace common elements of crisis definitions and construct a unified model of crisis as a state where perceived challenges to valued outcomes overcome perceived resilience – mediated through evaluations of severity and urgency. Results:  The essence of crisis is traced to the interaction between event and experience, rather than the events themselves. The focus on this interaction highlights the possibility of diverging experiences of the same event – explaining how a problem for one can be a crisis for another – and opens the door for paradoxical perspectives on crisis not only as risk, but also as opportunity, whether manufactured or not. Significance & Practical Application: The shift in perspective motivates a corresponding shift in concrete practices of crisis management from a focus on predicting and chasing events to a focus on the resilience of operating conditions and shaping of perceptions. When storms are brewing, the nature of the brew is determined by the brewer.

Co-authors: 1) Patrik Baard, Researcher, Totalförsvarets Forskningsinstitut (FOI)/Swedish Defense Research Agency; and 2) Sweden Baard, Patrik, Swedish Defense Research Agency, Sweden. 

Abstract: There is a potential contradiction between principles meant to guide the governance of and civil preparedness for crises and disasters. More specifically, the contradiction is between principles stating that responsibility does not change, and its opposite, that responsibility changes, during crises and disasters compared to normal circumstances. The contradiction concerns the core of central action-guiding norms for civil preparedness, likely to have substantial practical repercussions. The Responsibility Principle is a central feature of civil preparedness in Sweden and Norway, which this presentation will focus on. The principle roughly states that the responsibility over a sector or operation remains with the same agent or organisation during normal times as during disasters. The adjacent Similarity Principle expresses that the operations should be conducted as similar as possible during disasters as in normal situations. These principles are supplemented by the Subsidiarity Principle, and calls for cooperation. Jointly, these principles establish that responsibility does not change during disasters. Drawing on applied ethics, it will be shown that arguments in disaster ethics support the opposing principle, that responsibility changes during disasters compared to other circumstances. This conclusion rests on the more general premise that disasters give rise to circumstances in which central action-guiding normative concepts such as valid claims, rights, and duties are transformed. From a normative perspective, this signals a shift from the ethical status of an action being assessed from consequentialist arguments rather than deontological or rights-based. Examples of this shift will be discussed, as well as the underlying normative arguments justifying the shift. I will argue that there is a contradiction, and is problematic due to the intended action-guiding function of the principles. Given the role of such principles in guiding contingency planning and civil preparedness, the contradiction is likely to have severe consequences. I will outline ways of managing the contradiction.

1) Kenny Turesson kenny.turesson@kau.se Doktorand Karlstad universitet, institutionen för samhälls- och kulturvetenskap; CSR – centrum för forskning om samhällrisker, Sverige; 2) Pettersson, Andreas, Risk- och mijöstudier, Karlstad universitet, Centrum för forskning om samhällsrisker (CSR); 3) de Goër de Herbe, Mathilde, Risk- och mijöstudier, Karlstad universitet, Centrum för forskning om samhällsrisker (CSR), Centrum för forskning om hållbar samhällsutveckling (CRS); 4) Gustavsson, Johanna, Risk- och mijöstudier, Karlstad universitet, Centrum för forskning om samhällsrisker (CSR); 5) Hass, Jan, Centrum för forskning om samhällsrisker (CSR), Geomantik, avdelningen för miljö- och hälsovetenskaper, Centrum för forskning om hållbar samhällsförändring (CRS); 6) Koivisto, Jenni, Risk- och mijöstudier, Karlstad universitet, Centrum för forskning om samhällsrisker (CSR), Centrum för naturkatastroflära (CNDS); 7) Karagiorgos, Konstantinos, Risk- och mijöstudier, Karlstad universitet, Centrum för forskning om samhällsrisker (CSR), Centrum för naturkatastroflära (CNDS); and 8) Nyberg, Lars, Risk- och mijöstudier, Karlstad universitet, Centrum för forskning om samhällsrisker (CSR), Centrum för naturkatastroflära (CNDS).

Abstract: Bakgrund och syfte: Susan Cutter visade från ett kulturgeografiskt perspektiv att olika sociala faktorer hade betydelse för hur skador, och allvarlighetsgraden av dessa, kunde uppstå i samband med katastrofer. Cutter tog fram ett index (Social Vulnerability Index) som kunde användas som komplement till riskkartering. Forskning i Norge visade senare på möjligheten att använda indexet efter att anpassat faktorerna till lokal kontext. Det inspirerade MSB att initiera ett pilotprojekt att undersöka möjligheten för en liknande anpassning i Sverige. Den här studien ingick i ett projekt med målet att ta fram ett sårbarhetsindex, och syftade till att undersöka det vetenskapliga underlaget för vilka faktorer som hitintills associerats med social sårbarhet relaterat till klimatrisker. Metod: Det är en översiktsstudie som inkluderar 32 vetenskapliga artiklar som har haft till syfte att undersöka sårbarhet i norden. Inkluderingskriterium har varit att artiklarna ska undersökt social sårbarhet, eller sårbarhet i relation till sociala aspekter; att artiklarna syfta till sårbarhet relaterat klimatrisker. Analys av datamaterialet genomfördes som en kvalitativ innehållsanalys för att identifiera faktorer som tidigare forskning identifierat. Resultat: Studien identifierade flera kategorier som bestod var och en för sig av flera faktorer som associerats med social sårbarhet. Studien visade även att begreppet social sårbarhet saknar konsensus i begreppsdefinitionen. Studien lyfter i både resultatdiskussion och konklusion att social sårbarhet är föränderligt. Trots att vi till viss del känner till vilka som riskerar att drabbas av kriser mer än andra – visar den här studien att det är viktigt att reflektera över sina egna antaganden över vem i samhället man tänker är sårbar, varför och för vilka typer av risker. Praktisk användbarhet: Resultat från den här studien kan bidra till insikt om social sårbarhet som fenomen och till praktiken förmedla vikten av reflekterande processer i bedömning av social sårbarhet.

Author: Carl Englund, Doktorand, Karlstad Universitet, Sweden.

Abstract: Under det kalla kriget stod Sverige i skuggan av ett mer eller mindre överhängande hot. USA och Sovjetunionens kapprustningar hotade vid flera tillfällen att mynna ut i ett krig som med kärnvapnens hjälp skulle kunna få förödande konsekvenser. Spänningarna de båda stormakterna emellan krävde att den svenska beredskapen var hög. För att även allmänheten skulle inse allvaret i situationen utgav Civilförsvarsstyrelsen och närliggande myndigheter en rad filmer vars syfte var att upplysa om hur man skulle uppträda ifall skugghotet någonsin realiserades. Filmerna visades på biografer och sedermera på TV, men även under civilförsvarsövningar, utbildningar och särskilt anordnade temakvällar som ibland lockade tusentals deltagande. Jag kommer att presentera mitt avhandlingsprojekt, som undersöker kalla krigets svenska beredskapsfilmverksamhet. Avhandlingen söker att svara på vilka intentioner som låg bakom filmsatsningen och hur dessa filmer ville förstärka svenskarnas motståndskraft.

1) Cedergren, Alexander, Associate professor, Lund University, Sweden; 2) Bondesson, Sara, Lund University, Sweden; 3) Ingvarson, Johan, Lund University, Sweden; and 4) Frykmer, Tove, Lund University, Sweden; and 5) Hassel, Henrik, Lund University, Sweden.

Abstract: In urban planning processes, actions to address threats related to climate change are implemented through various mitigation and adaptation measures. At the same time, a deteriorating security situation calls for the need to also incorporate defense measures into urban planning processes. However, these threats are traditionally addressed by different actors and follow diverse logics. Current planning trends involve strategies relating to densification, smart cities and transit-oriented development, aiming to contribute to reduced emission levels and shortened travel distances. These planning trends however may create risks of more severe impacts of missile strikes due to density or increased vulnerability to cyber-attacks since critical urban infrastructures rely on IT-systems.  This calls for a need to explore how urban planning professionals perceive the relationships between actions to address these threats in practice. In this study, we present preliminary findings from semi-structured interviews with local planners and infrastructure providers, detailing their views on synergies and conflicting interests that arise in addressing climate-related and security-related threats in municipal land use planning. While the respondents predominantly identify synergies, such as the value of adopting a multi-hazard approach leading to robust and resilient built environments and infrastructures regardless of the type of threats considered, some conflicts and challenges are also pointed out. This includes, for example, planning norms and traditions that are not easily reconciled to address both types of threats. Based on the preliminary findings from this study, we also outline future research directions, complementing the local-level interviews with further research that includes other levels and additional data collection, such as analysis of policy and regulatory frameworks.

Co-authors: 1) Hassel, Henrik, Professor Division of risk management and societal safety, Lund University, Sweden; 2) Ingvarson, Johan, Division of risk management and societal safety, Lund; University, Sweden; 3) Lantz, Emelie, AFRY; and 4) Raquette, Tove, AFRY, Sweden.

Abstract: In Sweden, district heating plays a crucial role supplying more than half of all buildings with heat. Citizens, industries and critical societal functions may suffer severe consequences in case of disturbances, requiring efforts from district heating actors to ensure security of supply. The contextual conditions for district heating are currently changing with increased competition from alternative heat sources and a changing climate which both imply a changing risk landscape but also changed consumption patterns. Additionally, the geopolitical situation in Europe places new demands on district heating systems to withstand and recover quickly from a range of military scenarios. However, developing security of supply in the district heating sector implies several challenges. Although district heating is comprised of local networks, ensuring security of supply requires multiple mutually dependent organizations to work together to protect their systems, share information and invest in common resources, such as common pools of repair supplies and personnel. As a consequence, assessing and achieving adequate levels of security of supply is a complex task. This paper presents a literature review of existing methods for assessing and designing security of supply for district heating. Since much of the literature within the area of energy security focus on electric power supply, this paper provides a complementing perspective though its focus on district heating. Methods in the literature are identified, selected and evaluated based on their suitability for practical application by local district heating actors with a special focus on context of military threats and other extreme scenarios. Finally, points of departure for future method development are proposed with input from research where conditions, challenges and needs in the Swedish district heating sector have been mapped.

Co-authors:1) Ingvarson, Johan, Senior lecturer, Lund University, Division of Risk Management and Societal Safety Sweden; 2) Cedergren, Alexander, Lund University, Division of Risk Management and Societal Safety, Sweden; and 3) Frykmer, Tove, Lund University, Division of Risk Management and Societal Safety, Sweden.

Abstract: Recent geopolitical developments have underscored the need to integrate total defence and preparedness into land-use planning. While Sweden’s total defence framework—combining military and civilian defence efforts to protect society from antagonistic threats—has resurfaced as a national priority, its practical implications for urban development remain insufficiently explored. Based on an empirical case study of how total defence considerations are currently articulated and operationalised within contemporary land-use planning in the city of Helsingborg, Sweden, several future research directions are identified. The findings from the case study indicate that despite being high on the agenda and a deliberate focus area for both politicians and public officials, total defence is only partially and implicitly integrated into urban development processes, often overshadowed by established planning priorities. Building on the Helsingborg case study, this paper presents several directions for future research. Among them is a longitudinal research study that could generate deeper insights into how considerations of total defence in land-use planning evolve over time, particularly if conducted in close proximity to public officials’ day-to-day work, thereby enabling a more detailed and comprehensive mapping of planning practices and inter-actor collaboration. Another potential direction would be to identify relevant decision-making situations in which robust decision-making strategies could be applied, and to examine their suitability across different planning contexts. Yet another valuable line of inquiry would be to explore new forms of collaboration required when a planning process normally characterised by openness must incorporate issues marked by confidentiality and limited transparency regarding key decisions. Finally, examining how trade-offs are made in practice when new types of goal conflicts arise between total defence and other societal interests (a descriptive approach), as well as proposing how such trade-offs ought to be made (a normative approach) also constitutes an important topic for future research.

Co-authors: 1) David Olsson, Docent i statsvetenskap/Associate Professor in Political Science, Karlstad University, Sweden; 2) Persson Pavlović, Erik, Karlstad University, Sweden; and 3) Koivisto, Jenni, Karlstad University, Sweden.

Abstract: Climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of extreme events, which can generate cascading impacts that cross sectoral, administrative, and national boundaries. Addressing and managing such impacts requires an integrative approach to climate resilience, characterized by collaboration between diverse actors under volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) conditions. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into how serious games can be designed to simulate VUCA dynamics and support cross-border and cross-sectoral collaboration for climate resilience. These insights are drawn from a design study of Collaborate or Collapse (CorC) – a serious board game targeting both university students and municipal practitioners. Its design is based on insights from established (serious) game design frameworks, design science, and constructivist learning theories. Accordingly, we used an iterative design process that was informed by theory, empirical data, and repeated playtesting with students and civil servants in Sweden and Norway. The preliminary findings demonstrate how specific game mechanics can authentically represent VUCA conditions and encourage an integrative approach to building climate resilience, including joint risk assessment, co-creation of resilience-building measures, and adaptive responses during crises. The study also highlights key design trade-offs. Overall, the study illustrates key game mechanics that are of relevance to serious game designers with aspirations to simulate climate-related VUCA conditions and support responses that reflect an integrative approach to climate resilience. By detailing the core features of CorC, the study is also of interest to researchers and practitioners interested in further exploring the potential of game-based learning CorC’s particular focus. Future research could for instance examine whether CorC can produce outcomes that build resilience beyond the game environment. This includes outcomes such as individual competence development, network building and new forms of collaboration, co-creation of practice-relevant measures, and organizational capacity building.

Co-authors: 1) Bellström, Peter, Associate Professor, Karlstad University Sweden; 2) Tallak Bakken, Björn, University of Inland Norway, Norway; 3) Alaqra, Ala Sarah, Karlstad University, Sweden; 4) Hindersson, Emelie, Karlstad University, Sweden; 5) Koivisto, Jenni, Karlstad University, Sweden; 6) Magnusson, Monika, Karlstad University, Sweden; 7) Olsson, David, Karlstad University, Sweden; 8) Persson Pavlovic, Erik, Karlstad University, Sweden; 9) Pettersson, John Sören, Karlstad University, Sweden; 10) Venemyr, Geir Ove, University of Inland Norway, Norway; and 11) Wik, Malin, Karlstad University, Sweden.

Abstract: Public organizations, such as municipalities and counties, need to be prepared when a crisis occurs and therefore also need crisis training. A crisis can be described as “an event that affects many people and large parts of society” (krisinformation.se) such as floods and forest fires. Crises training is costly, takes a lot of time and requires a lot of planning. One way to bridge some of these challenges is to use so-called serious games as a complement to traditional exercises. Within INCREDILAB, an R&D project funded by Interreg Sweden-Norway (Project 20363842, IRSN2023-0026), both analogue and digital games for crisis training have been developed and evaluated. The project is carried out as a collaboration between Karlstad University and University of Inland Norway (2024-2026). In the developed games, we focus on cross border climate related crisis and how to use these games for crisis preparedness training. Our presentation will cover the four work packages: WP1 Needs Analysis; WP2 Development of analogue games for cross-border crisis exercises; WP3 Development of digital games for cross-border crisis exercises; and WP4 Collaboration, dissemination and networking. In WP1, an interview study was conducted in which parts of its results provided input to WP2 and the development and evaluation of the analogue board game “Collaborate or Collapse”. Together, WP1 and WP2 provided input to WP3 and the development and evaluation of the digital game “Crisis Lenses”. An AI agent is also under development, to assist game players in decision-making. Finally, during the project WP4 has supported WP1-WP3 and currently, an analog card game is also being developed and evaluated within AP4 which firstly will be used as a tool to raise and discuss challenges in relation to cross border crises and preparedness training.

Author: Alexander Vestin, Adjunkt Karlstads universitet – Handelshögskolan – Informatik, Sverige.

Abstract: Det är låg sannolikhet att krissituationer uppstår, men de kan potentiellt få allvarliga konsekvenser. Detta ställer höga krav på förberedelse och träning av krissituationer, vilket oftast är begränsat på grund av tid, resurser och logistiska hinder. Digitala system har potential att möjliggöra synkrona, asynkrona, flexibla och återkommande övningar. Studiens syfte var, i samarbete med projektet CriseIT-2, att undersöka funktioner och utmaningar inom digitala kollaborativa skrivsystem samt deras möjligheter att användas vid träning av krisövningar. Genom en systematisk litteraturstudie identifierades centrala funktioner och utmaningar. En prototyp av ett kollaborativt skrivsystem har utvecklats, testats och utvärderats med hjälp av intervjuer för att vidare undersöka om ytterligare funktioner och utmaningar finns inom kollaborativa skrivsystem. Prototypen bestod av två kommunikationskanaler, en chattfunktion som också tillåter användare att skicka meddelanden samt att svara på ett specifikt meddelande och ett öppet dokument där alla användare kunde skriva fritt, likt Word, Google Docs eller Box Notes. Kommunikationskanalerna användes för att diskutera en krisövning i chatten och sedan sammanfatta ett beslut i det öppna dokumentet. En blandad induktiv-deduktiv tematisk innehållsanalys genomfördes för att analysera data från den systematiska litteraturstudien och respondenternas intervjusvar efter testerna av prototypen. Studien resulterade i en lista över 26 funktioner och 16 utmaningar inom digitala kollaborativa skrivsystem. Resultatet visar att prototypen uppfyller, eller har potential att uppfylla, de generella kraven som litteraturen identifierat för digitala krisövningar. Studien genomförde synkrona övningar, men indikerar även att prototypen kan stödja asynkrona övningar. Studien bidrar med en ökad förståelse för hur kollaborativa skrivsystem kan stödja digitala krisövningar och potential att minska de begränsningar som är kopplade till tid och resurser, vilket kan stärka samhällets krisberedskap.

Author: Alexander Nieuwborg, Senior consultant PM/Research fellow University of Antwerp, Belgium.

Abstract: In recent years, society has faced a plethora of high-impact disruptions ranging from public health crises and natural hazards to hybrid threats, making resilience a strategic priority for organizations and governments alike. However, translating resilience into actionable interventions remains a challenge. Wargaming emerges as a powerful solution, enabling decision-makers to simulate complex disruptions in a controlled environment while collaboratively developing and testing resilience interventions. Based on the design and execution of multiple wargames involving diverse decision-makers from aviation, public health, and defense, this study explores how these exercises can effectively facilitate operationalization. The preliminary findings suggest that wargaming helps decision-makers to develop a shared understanding of their organization, imagine unknown and ignored knowns, and operationalize resilience while deepening their theoretical understanding of it.

Co-authors: 1) Bhowmik, Caroline Verena, Postdoctoral Researcher,  Karlstad University, Sweden; and 2) Bhowmik, Avit, Assistant Professor, Karlstad University, Sweden.

Abstract: Young people today are growing up amid accelerating planetary crises that increasingly shape how they think about and emotionally relate to the future. Research shows that many adolescents experience eco‑anxiety, heightened worry, and uncertainty about how these developments may affect their personal lives and the wellbeing of the broader society. While this emotional landscape has become a growing focus within education research, teachers still lack clear, practical guidance on how to integrate emotion‑sensitive pedagogy into everyday teaching about global challenges. This study therefore investigates how a didactic tool focused on students’ ability to imagine, evaluate, and act toward multiple possible futures, combined with constructive future scenarios, can strengthen students’ self‑perceived action competence and hope. The long‑term goal is to develop a didactic resource for climate and sustainability education, particulary for the context of geography teaching. This contribution presents the first phase of an intervention study testing and evaluating the didactic tool FutureAct! as a future‑visioning approach. FutureAct! has been inspired by Framtidsbilder, a visualization tool developed by the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) to support municipalities and organizations in climate adaptation. The tool invites participants to envision what a climate‑adapted society might look like 50 years from now. As a first step, the tool was adapted for 14–16‑year‑old students in Swedish secondary schools and subsequently tested among a total of 181 students (aged 14–15) who participated in workshops centered on a scenario involving a prolonged heatwave causing major societal and ecological disruption. Students created visions of a society that had adapted to recurring heatwaves while implementing sustainable transformations to reduce future risks. Data were collected through Likert‑scale questionnaires, written reflections, and observational field notes. Preliminary findings and implications for future research will be discussed.

1) Georgali, Eleni, PhD student, Risk and Environmental Studies, Karlstad University, Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (CNDS), and Centre for Societal Risk Research (CSR), Sweden; 2) Veeravalli, Sai Ganesh, Karlstad University, Risk and Environmental Studies, Karlstad University, Centre for Societal Risk Research (CSR), Karlstad University, Geomatics, Sweden; 3) Georganos, Stefanos, Karlstad University, Geomatics, Sweden; and 4) Karagiorgos, Konstantinos, Karlstad University, Risk and Environmental Studies, Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (CNDS), Uppsala, Karlstad University, Centre for Societal Risk Research (CSR).

Abstract: Windstorms rank among Europe’s most destructive weather hazards, yet the spatial intersection between extreme wind gusts and the built environment remains poorly studied. Existing research focuses on storm climatology and insurance-derived loss models, while exposure rarely receives attention. This limits its utility for spatial risk assessment and emergency planning. This study quantifies building exposure at the event scale across Sweden, a country with strong spatial variability in wind climatology and no dedicated windstorm event database. Observational wind gust records from SMHI and MESAN (AROME), historical analysis data are combined with Earth Observation predictors from Copernicus and national geospatial datasets from Lantmäteriet. State-of-the-art machine learning methods, Extreme Gradient Boosting and Artificial Neural Networks, produce spatially continuous storm footprints for 135 extreme events recorded between 2000 and 2024. Exposure is quantified by overlaying gust exceedance footprints with EO-derived and OpenStreetMap building datasets, classified by functional type, including residential buildings and critical infrastructure. Preliminary results show windstorm activity concentrated in central and southern Sweden, where population density and built assets are highest. Notably, storms with similar peak gusts can differ in spatial extent and severity, highlighting the importance of event-based, rather than aggregated hazard representation. By integrating high-resolution windstorm footprints with classified building data, this work overcomes key limitations of existing approaches and provides a foundation for incorporating windstorm exposure into national emergency response planning.

Author: Jennie Segerström, Karlstad University, Sweden.

Abstract: Climate resilience is often discussed in relation to individual capacities or larger institutional and infrastructural arrangements. Less attention is given to what happens in between: the small groups in which people interact, share experiences, establish expectations, and coordinate action in everyday life. This study explores how small groups contribute to collective capacity to manage climate-related stressors in coastal Bangladesh. Based on eight weeks of fieldwork in the Khulna region, the study draws on three focus group discussions and two in-depth interviews conducted in communities affected by climate-related challenges, including salinity intrusion, changing livelihood conditions, and environmental uncertainty. The analysis draws on Gary Alan Fine’s (2012) microsociological perspective on small groups and idioculture to examine how group-level processes connect individual experiences with broader community and institutional contexts. Rather than treating shared exposure to climate-related risks as automatically producing collective capacity, the study asks what social processes make collective responses possible. Three interrelated processes emerged as particularly important in the empirical material: knowledge sharing, norms and expectations, and coordination. Small groups provided settings in which practical knowledge could circulate, expectations of mutual support could develop, and resources and responsibilities could be coordinated. At the same time, the findings complicate assumptions about “community” as a coherent or self-evident unit. Differences within communities, as well as relationships across social and religious boundaries, shaped how collective capacity was produced. The findings suggest that collective capacity emerges through recurring interaction, shared practices, and forms of coordination that are developed and sustained over time. From this perspective, resilience is not a fixed attribute, but an outcome of how interactional processes are organsied in everyday practice. The study therefore highlights the importance of asking not only whether communities can respond to environmental challenges, but under what conditions collective forms of organisation can develop and be maintained over time.

Co-authors: 1) Jenny Friedl, Independent researcher (Behavioral sciences, Risk & Resilience), Sweden; and 2) Lars Eriksson, Senior lecturer, Karlstad University, Department of Social and Psychological Studies, Sweden.

Abstract: Risk communication is increasingly aimed at supporting public preparedness for natural hazards and climate change-related risks. Yet it remains unclear how such interventions are experienced and how they shape sense-making and preparedness for future events of natural hazards. Consequently, we investigated how storytelling in climate walks shapes experiences and understanding of local climate change (Friedl and Eriksson, 2026). Fourteen participants completed one of two outdoor walks guided by mobile phone apps that portrayed the impacts of climate change in their local surroundings. The narrative approaches in the climate walks differed. One approach was more human-centered in focusing on a family facing climate-related challenges, while the other presented less human-centered fact-based examples of climate change impacts. Following the walks, the participants were interviewed, and the interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings show that experiencing climate change-related risks in situ made climate change more tangible and prompted participants to engage in sense-making and coping with its impacts. The narrative approaches also prompted different patterns of reasoning: the more human-centered approach more strongly supported reflection on personal responsibility, concrete actions, and future preparedness by enabling the participants to connect abstract climate risks to their everyday environment and consider how to respond to potential natural hazards. The main conclusion is that human-centered storytelling, preferably anchored in familiar places, can deepen understanding of climate change and its consequences and foster cognitive processing and engagement. The study contributes to understanding how narrative- and extended reality-oriented risk communication can support public preparedness. By emphasizing the importance of designing communication approaches that actively support psychological processes such as meaning-making, perspective-taking, and translating understanding into actionable steps, the communication of risk may be more effective for enabling public preparedness.

Co-authors: 1) Johanna Johansson, Doctoral Student Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping Sweden; 2) Kivi Marie, PhD, Research & Development, The Gothenburg Region (GR), Gothenburg, Sweden & Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; 3) Isabelle Hansson, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; 4) Pär Bjälkebring, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; and 5) Susanne Gustafsson, Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping, Sweden.

Abstract: Background: Heatwaves are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change, posing growing societal and health-related risks. Older adults are disproportionately vulnerable to heat exposure because of age-related physiological, social, and environmental factors. In high-latitude countries such as Sweden, urban environments have historically prioritised protection from cold rather than heat, leaving municipalities insufficiently adapted to rising temperatures. Understanding how urban outdoor environments can support safe everyday activities during heatwaves is therefore important for strengthening societal resilience and reducing climate-related health risks. Aim: This study aimed to explore adaptations in the urban outdoor environment that facilitate everyday activities during heatwaves, from the perspective of older adults. Methods: A participatory approach using the visual method Life Filming was employed. Fifteen older adults participated in workshops conducted in two Swedish cities, focusing on film technique using tablets and exploring and documenting their urban outdoor environment. The films generated group discussions about adaptations needed in the environment in relation to everyday activities during heatwaves. Interviews provided additional data. Data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: The overarching theme Function and feeling interwoven illustrated how heat-adaptation influences functional usability, emotional experiences, perceived safety, and social inclusion in urban environments. Importance was placed on Access to everyday nature and Promote inclusive built constructions. The result further demonstrated how spatial and temporal dimensions intersected in shaping heat-related vulnerability and adaptive possibilities in everyday life. Significance & Practical Application: The study contributes knowledge on how urban outdoor environments can reduce climate-related health risks and support resilience among older adults during heatwaves. The results highlight the importance of integrating lived experiences into climate (heat) adaptation and urban planning strategies. Practical implications include the development of age-friendly and heat-resilient urban environments that support mobility, participation, and safe engagement in everyday life during heatwaves.

Author: Johanna Westgard, Student, Karlstad University, Sweden.

Background: Climate change increases the need for climate adaptation, where municipalities play a central role. However, local efforts are often hindered by a lack of resources, coordination, and clear mandates. Despite many Swedish municipalities having small populations, knowledge about their specific conditions remains limited. This study aims to examine the conditions small municipalities face when working with climate adaptation and how they perceive support from regional and national levels. Method: This qualitative case study uses an abductive approach. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with representatives from six Swedish municipalities (fewer than 15,000 inhabitants) and four county administrative boards. The empirical material was analysed using qualitative content analysis, where categories were identified through an iterative interplay between theory and empirical data. Results: The findings show that climate adaptation in small municipalities is often constrained by limited financial resources, few employees, and a lack of political mandates. The work is highly dependent on individual engagement, external funding, and higher-level support. Furthermore, the abstract nature of climate issues makes prioritizing long-term prevention difficult. Conversely, the organizational proximity in small municipalities facilitates short decision-making chains, flexibility, trust, and strong relationships. However, access to knowledge, networks, and guidance varies, and reduced funding at county administrative boards risks reinforcing these inequalities. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that small municipalities’ climate adaptation work is shaped by individual, organizational, and structural factors. To strengthen their adaptive capacity, long-term support and improved access to locally adapted, equitable knowledge are essential. Increased collaboration is required between local, regional, and national levels, as well as between municipalities and external actors. Finally, strengthening internal collaboration can support the work through enhanced knowledge transfer and more efficient resource utilization. 

Co-authors: 1) Josefin Månefjord, Doktorand / PhD Student, Avdelningen för riskhantering och samhällssäkerhet, Lunds Tekniska Högskola / Division of Risk Management and Societal Safety, Lund University, Sweden; and 2) Garbis, Zoe, Avdelningen för riskhantering och samhällssäkerhet, Lunds Tekniska Högskola / Division of Risk Management and Societal Safety, Lund University, Sweden.

Abstract: Background and aim: Food systems have become increasingly globalized and efficient, creating complex interdependencies and vulnerabilities. Yet, empirical studies capturing their structure from a whole-of-chain perspective remain scarce. At the same time, food supply security has gained renewed policy attention internationally, not least in Sweden through ongoing re-establishment of total defense. This study aims to map the structure, interdependencies, critical nodes, and adaptive capacities of the Swedish food system (SFS). Methods: The study is based on 29 interviews with actors within the four vital societal functions together constituting the SFS – primary production, manufacturing, distribution, and public meal service. The data was analyzed abductively to identify patterns, asymmetries, and gaps. Interview data on actor-to-actor flows, critical nodes, external dependencies, temporal criticality and adaptive capacities were combined into a semi-quantitative system mapping. Results: The SFS was mapped based on the self-reported dependencies of each actor, resulting in a holistic view of its structure and connections. The mapping shows that the SFS is not a linear chain from farm to fork but a complex network of interconnected flows with myriad dependencies and system asymmetries. Vulnerabilities are concentrated in critical nodes, while shared and time-critical dependencies on infrastructures and imports create potential for cascading disruptions. The system displays limited structural resilience in terms of diversity, redundancy, modularity, and buffering, while adaptive capacities and interaction between actors contribute to functional resilience. Significance and practical application: The study demonstrates how actor-level data can be used to identify vulnerabilities that only become visible at the system level, and shows that food system resilience requires more than strengthening individual actors. By adopting a whole-of-chain perspective and identifying system bottlenecks, interdependencies and asymmetries, this study can support policymakers and practitioners in developing more effective strategies to strengthen food security and societal resilience.

Author: Julia Gerster, Associate Professor, Disaster Memory Studies, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Japan.

Abstract: As climate-related disasters, geopolitical uncertainties, and complex societal risks intensify globally, governments and communities are increasingly seeking effective approaches to disaster risk reduction (DRR) and resilience-building. Japan, one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, is internationally recognized for its advanced culture of disaster preparedness, commonly referred to as BOSAI. While Japanese DRR strategies have long influenced policy and practice across Asia, they have only recently attracted wider attention in Europe and other regions. At the same time, Japanese government agencies, disaster experts, media organizations, and civil society actors have begun actively promoting disaster mitigation expertise internationally, positioning BOSAI as both a model for resilience-building and a form of soft power. This study examines Japanese disaster preparedness culture from a comparative and international perspective, focusing on the three foundational principles of self-help (jijo), mutual help (kyojo), and public help (kojo). Drawing on surveys and interviews of disaster mitigation experts affiliated with Japanese DRR institutes, policy analysis, a review of academic and practitioner literature, and case studies of Japanese DRR initiatives, the research investigates how these concepts are embedded in disaster governance, community preparedness, and resilience-building practices. Preliminary findings suggest that the strength of the Japanese BOSAI model lies not only in technical disaster management measures but also in its integration of individual responsibility, community-based mutual support, and institutional preparedness. By examining the international circulation of Japanese disaster preparedness knowledge, this research contributes to theoretical debates on policy transfer, resilience, and soft power while also facilitating practical knowledge exchange between Japan and Europe. The findings provide insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers seeking to strengthen societal resilience through integrated approaches to disaster preparedness and risk reduction. As part of this research, I invite scholars to engage in a comparative discussion of disaster risk reduction strategies, examining similarities and differences across national contexts and exploring the opportunities and challenges of adapting BOSAI approaches to European societies.

Co-authors: 1) Peter Bellström, Associate Professor Karlstad University Sweden; 2) Granholm, Martina, Mid Sweden University, Sweden; 3) Hindersson, Emelie, Karlstad University, Sweden; 4) Niklas, Humble, Mid Sweden University, Sweden; 5) Magnusson, Monika, Karlstad University, Sweden; and 6) Sten, Lilly-Mari, Mid Sweden University, Sweden.

Abstract: Det globala läget ställer idag allt högre krav på att både offentlig och privat sektor ska kunna hantera risker och kriser när dessa uppstår. Forskning inom risk- och krishantering behöver också anpassa sig till det globala läget men starka disciplinära traditioner kan begränsa både att nya insikter genereras och att alternativa metoder tillämpas. Inom ramen för ”Stärkta forskningsallianser för framtidens krisforsning”, ett RJ Forskningsinitiering 2025 projekt, har vi för avsikt att försöka brygga delar av dessa starka disciplinära traditionerna och bygga på kunskap inom och samspelet mellan fyra forskningsfält: informationssystem/Informatik, risk- och miljöstudier, kvalitetsteknik och datavetenskap. Informationssystem/informatik bidrar med kunskap och forskning om informationssystem, inklusive plattformar och informationsflöden, som är en viktig komponent vid hantering av information i samband med att en risk uppdagas eller då en kris uppstår. Informationssystemet ska stödja hantering av information i samband med risk- och krishantering och då behövs kunskap och forskning inom Risk- och miljöstudier och om hur fältet studerar samhälleliga hot. Från Kvalitetsteknik tar vi med oss kunskap och forskning om processförändringar och teamutveckling och dess vikt vid risk- och krishantering som kan vara aktuellt både vid informationshantering och hur vi formerar grupperingar vid kriser. Avslutningsvis från Datavetenskap tar vi främst med oss kunskap och forskning om Artificiell Intelligens (AI) och hur det kan kunna stötta det framtida arbetet med risk-och krishantering. Projektet genomförs som ett samarbete mellan Karlstads universitet (KAU) och Mittuniversitet (MIUN) där forskning om risk- och krishantering redan idag bedrivs. Förväntade resultat från projektet är bland annat en lista med gemensamma forskningsfrågor inom risk- och krisforskning som förenar olika forskningsfält, en fördjupad samarbetsstruktur mellan KAU och MIUN inklusive en plan för fortsatt samarbete och gemensamma forskningsansökningar inom risk- och krishanteringspraktiker samt ett stärkt nätverk mellan seniora och juniora forskar inom risk- och krisforskning och angränsande fält.

Co-authors: 1) Campos, Rafaela, Master’s student, University of São Paulo Brazil; and 2) Fracalanza, Ana Paula, University of São Paulo, Brazil.

Abstract: As droughts pose a serious threat to water security worldwide, more action is needed to advance the disaster risk management agenda across sectors. In Brazil, river basin committees (RBCs) are a fundamental component of the decentralized water resources management system, operating as participatory managing bodies with interactions among stakeholders from different governmental and non-governmental sectors. Drought-motivated water allocations are part of the RBCs’ practice in the country’s semi-arid region, where cyclical droughts require continuous efforts focused on coexistence and proactive strategies to reduce socioeconomic and environmental impacts of water scarcity. In contrast, the potential role of RBCs in drought risk management remains underexplored in areas where droughts occur as extreme hydroclimatic events. Based on the legally defined attributions and directives of RBCs, we propose a conceptual framework to assess their institutional capacities to incorporate drought risk management measures into their actions, divided into four dimensions: integration, instrumental, organizational, and financial. The integration dimension relates to the committee’s articulation with different public authorities, civil society organizations, universities, civil protection and defense officials, water users, and other nearby committees. The instrumental dimension envisions how the five water management instruments of the Water Resources Policy may be conducted towards drought risk reduction. The organizational dimension focuses on discussions among committee members on topics related to drought and its impacts through advisory bodies, such as technical chambers and working groups. The financial dimension focuses on basin-related projects funded through the Water Resources State Fund that may contribute to drought risk prevention, mitigation, or adaptation. Having the same territorial unit as the main national policy related to disaster risk management, RBCs are well positioned to address these challenges. By assessing these four dimensions, the framework enables the identification of underutilized measures that can strengthen RBCs’ capacity to advance proactive intersectoral approaches to disaster risk reduction.

Author: Shashank Ghai, Docent Centre for Societal Risk Research, Karlstad University, Sweden.

Abstract: Background and Aim: Falls represent a significant public health burden across the adult lifespan, affecting not only older adults but also working-age individuals, with consequences for functional independence, psychological wellbeing, and quality of life. Most interventions focus narrowly on fall prevention rather than equipping individuals to manage and recover from falls when they occur. This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of the Floor-Hugging Intervention (Floor-HI), a novel multicomponent program combining controlled exposure to fall-risk environments with structured training in post-fall recovery, floor-to-standing transitions, fall imagination, and role-playing scenarios. Methods: An exploratory, single-arm repeated-measures design was used with eight community-dwelling, middle-aged adults (31–55 years; 3 male, 5 female) who completed a 3-week Floor-HI program. Assessments were conducted at four time points (Weeks 0, 3, 6, and 9), covering concern of falling (Falls Efficacy Scale-International), postural control (Mini-BESTest), floor-rise ability (Sitting Rising Test), turning capacity (360° Turn Test), and health-related quality of life (RAND-36). Acceptability was measured via the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability questionnaire, and adverse events were systematically monitored. Results: Recruitment, retention, and adherence rates were 100%, 89%, and 100%, respectively. Significant improvements were observed in postural stability (p = .011), floor-rise ability (p = .011), and turning capacity (p = .012). Concern of falling and health-related quality of life did not change significantly. Acceptability was high across all domains, and adverse events were few, mild, and transient, with none requiring medical attention. Significance & Practical Application: This study provides proof-of-concept for a recovery-oriented approach to fall management that moves beyond avoidance-focused paradigms. Floor-HI presents a promising framework for building resilience against fall-related injury, with implications for community rehabilitation, occupational health, and public health programming. These findings support future controlled trials in higher-risk populations.

Co-authors: 1) Siri Jakobsson, Universitetslektor i psykologi, Karlstads universitet, Sverige; 2) Gustavsson, Johanna, Karlstads universitet, Sverige; 3) Wästlund, Erik, Karlstads universitet, Sverige; and 4) Bäccman, Charlotte, Karlstads universitet, Sverige

Abstract: Background: Suicide remains a major global public health concern. In Sweden, suicide rates have slightly increased among adolescents and young adults, and suicide accounts for a substantial proportion of deaths among individuals aged 15–29. Mobile health (mHealth) applications are increasingly promoted as scalable tools for suicide prevention. However, the evidence base is dispersed across multiple reviews, making it difficult to obtain a clear overview of intervention components and reported effectiveness. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis of mobile apps for suicide prevention. Methods: Searches will be undertaken in PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search strategy combines terms related to mobile applications and suicide-related outcomes. Eligible studies include peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials focusing on mobile applications targeting suicide prevention or related outcomes such as suicidal ideation or self-harm. Screening and data extraction procedures follow established methodological guidance for conducting reviews. Findings: The search and screening process is currently underway. The review will identify and synthesize primary studies evaluating mobile app-based interventions for suicide prevention. Intervention components and technological features, including emerging AI-driven functionalities, will be mapped across included studies. Where data permit, a network meta-analysis will be conducted to compare the efficacy of mobile apps across different control conditions and intervention types. Attention will be given to variation in intervention content, study design, outcomes, and comparator groups, as well as identified research gaps. Results will be presented at the conference. Discussion: By synthesizing findings across articles, this study aims to clarify the current state of knowledge regarding suicide prevention apps and their technological components and reported impact. The review is expected to inform future research, development, and implementation efforts, as well as discussions around ethical and practical considerations related to AI integration in suicide prevention technologies – particularly in relation to youth and early intervention strategies.

Author: Sofia Hallerbäck, PhD student, Karlstad University, Sweden.

Abstract: Nature-based solutions are increasingly promoted by researchers, funders, and stakeholders, emphasizing the capacity of nature to address complex societal challenges and risks, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, in effective and adaptive ways. At the same time, the conception of nature as a resource to be utilized is itself one of the root causes of these challenges. This study presents a literature review and policy document analysis of the concept of nature-based solutions, drawing on Bacchi’s What’s the Problem Represented to Be? (WPR) approach and more-than-human perspectives. The analysis traces the origins of the concept through a network of overlapping concepts, the development of international definitions, and its deeper historical roots. Rather than framing nature as a solution, the study proposes more-than-human imaginaries of just coexistence.