Call for papers: Advancing Information Systems (IS) for climate emergencies and disaster management
Submission deadline: 31 March 2026
Communities globally are increasingly vulnerable to climate-induced disasters such as storms, floods, wildfires, and earthquakes. These events often trigger further emergencies, leading to infrastructure failures, public health issues, and socio-economic disruptions.
Emergency management agencies, governments, and researchers are utilizing advanced information systems to enhance disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Technologies like digital twins, artificial intelligence, geographic information systems, blockchain, and real-time data analytics are transforming disaster management by offering actionable insights and predictive modeling.
However, significant gaps remain in translating technological advancements into inclusive, real-world applications that deliver efficient and effective solutions, especially by prioritizing the needs of vulnerable groups populations.
We invite high-quality, interdisciplinary contributions covering (but not limited to) the following topics:
- Smart Technologies for Disaster Preparedness and Response
- Data-Driven Decision Support for Emergency Management
- Cascading Urban Emergencies and Resilience Strategies
- Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Disaster Recovery
- Humanitarian Information Systems and Crisis Communication
- Ethical, Social, and Policy Considerations in Disaster Informatics
- Gender-Inclusive Disaster Response and SDG 5: Gender Equality
Guest editors:
Ronald Pelot, PhD
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
Rodrigo Costa, PhD
Waterloo University, Ontario, Canada
John Y. Choe, PhD
University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
Madhulika Bhati, PhD
Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR), India
Special issue information:
The special issue is supported by the International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (ISCRAM) 2025, which was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from May 18 to 21, 2025 (Full information about the conference: https://www.iscram2025.com/ ). Selected high-quality papers presented at the conference will be invited for submission to this special Issue.
Important Dates:
Submission portal opens: July 15, 2025
Full paper submission deadline: Mar 31, 2026
Manuscript submission information:
Special issue is invitation-based ONLY, and invited authors should submit their full manuscripts via the “International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction” online submission system https://www.editorialmanager.com/ijdrr/default.aspx and indicate that the paper is submitted for consideration for publication in this special issue. When choosing Manuscript “Article Type” during the submission procedure, click “VSI: IS for Emergency Response” otherwise, your submission will be handled as a regular manuscript.
Author Guidelines: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/international-journal-of-disaster-risk-reduction/publish/guide-for-authors
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