About this episode
The episode discusses how the term 'natural disasters' fails to capture the social and political factors that exacerbate climate harms.
To call the effects of a fire, flood or cyclone these days a 'natural' disaster only tells part of the story, as climate change makes us realise that vulnerability to harm is often the result of factors that actually have little to do with weather events. Land theft, displacement, poverty and the legacies of colonial rule can all multiply climate harms, which means that climate justice is more than simply a matter of sustainable energy development or transitioning to a greener economy.
Topics covered
- climate change
- vulnerability
- social justice
- colonialism
- environmental impact
Keywords
- climate change
- natural disasters
- vulnerability
- colonialism
- climate justice
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: ABC
Places: colonial rule
More episodes of Philosopher's Zone
- Can sport survive AI? · June 11, 2026 · 38 min
- Purity, filth and 'promiscuous defecators': why we're weird about poo · June 4, 2026 · 36 min
- Bad faith and 'just asking questions' · May 27, 2026 · 29 min
- Where am I? Buddhist philosophy and the self · May 12, 2026 · 39 min
- Common sense vs reason: when philosophy gets weird · May 7, 2026 · 35 min
- Adam Smith, economics and moral philosophy · April 30, 2026 · 32 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Philosopher's Zone podcast page.