FROM CLEANUP TO CREATION: THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE DIVIDEND

Australia’s disaster response model is stuck on repeat: wait, react, rebuild. As climate shocks escalate and vulnerable communities bear the brunt, it’s clear we need more than sandbags and sympathy. Zach Greening calls for a policy shift toward transformative resilience, a proactive approach to climate risk that redesigns systems, reduces losses, and secures the future of hazard-prone regions. From improved land management to risk-smart infrastructure, transformative resilience shows how forward investment can cut costs, spark innovation, and restore hope and agency. The resilience dividend is real, so what’s stopping us from seizing it?

Image credit: Cloudcatcher Media