Using a pragmatic philosophical underpinning, this article analyses how land use planning actions and inactions contribute to flood risk creation in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. In recent times, the planning system in Ghana has come under intense public criticism for failure to effectively control physical development in the major cities. The recurring flooding in the cities of Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi-Takoradi seems to testify to this failure. Many lives and property have been lost through these flooding events in the country. This article argues from a disaster risk reduction point of view that the ineffectiveness in elementary processes of land use planning, such as delays in permit approval, inadequate monitoring and inspections, and lax enforcement of regulations, potentially creates flood risk. The rational of this study is therefore to bring to light the land use planning actions and inactions that create flood risk in Sekondi-Takoradi exposing urban dwellers to flooding. Because of the article’s pragmatic underpinning, a mixed-methods case study approach was adopted for this investigation. Both survey and interview data were collected from homeowners and planning institutions in Sekondi-Takoradi to ascertain how land use control practices seem to be contributing to flood risk in the municipality. The analyses comprised simple statistical analysis of the survey data in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and thematic analyses of the interview data. The findings reveal that institutional incapacities have resulted in delays in permit approvals, non-compliance with permit regulations, uncontrolled conversion of vegetated land, lax monitoring and inspections of physical developments and poor enforcement. These institutional challenges have emboldened prospective land developers and homeowners to flout building and land use regulations. This has led to the building of residential properties in swamps, waterways and other flood-prone locations, creating flood risk.

Purpose: Climate change is predicted to increase the vulnerability of urban populations to flood hazards. Against this backdrop, flood risk adaptation has become pertinent. However, in Ghana, current flood risk management practice is fostered by a reactive culture. There is limited research on how communities and government agencies are engaging with flood risk adaptation in improving resilience. Therefore, this paper aims to analyse the culture of communities and agencies through the cultural theory of risk (CTR), towards understanding the flood risk adaptation in Accra, Ghana. Culture is deciphered using the beliefs held by residents and public agency officials. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative methodology, underpinned by the constructivist paradigm, was adopted to understand factors that influence flood risk adaptation in informal settlements. Data was gathered using household and institutional interviews in Glefe, Accra, Ghana. Findings: The results show that both disaster risk management institutions and community members are deeply concerned about current and future flood risk. However, their cultural beliefs concerning flood risk and adaptation are contradictory, broadly framed by fatalist, individualist and hierarchist beliefs. The contradictory emergent beliefs contribute to a clash of expectations and create uncertainty about how to respond to flood risk, impacting the implementation of required adaptation measures. Developing a collaborative flood risk management framework and a shared understanding of adaptation approaches may be a better alternative. Originality/value: This paper advances understanding of how culture influences flood risk adaptation in developing country context.

This study presents fresh evidence from an informal settlement in Accra, Ghana, examining how knowledge, understanding, experiences, and feelings about flood risk influence the flood risk perceptions of residents. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach, involving the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data. We collected the data through seventeen interviews and 392 household surveys in Glefe, Accra, Ghana. We then conducted a thematic analysis of the qualitative data to understand participants' perceptions and the factors influencing their flood risk perceptions. The factors were used to produce hypotheses about flood risk perception. We subsequently performed regression analyses using the quantitative data to test the hypothesised relationships. The findings revealed that fear, flood experience, and coping experience were the major factors influencing residents' flood risk perceptions. Taken together, these factors had varying levels of influence on risk perceptions, with fear being the most statistically significant. However, it seems that experience held sway over residents' opinions, views, and perceptions. The perceived likelihood of future flooding events was therefore determined by residents' experience with flooding and coping. The study recommends incorporating the flooding and coping experiences of residents into adaptation mechanisms because these influence their perceptions of the flooding risks.

This paper presents the findings of a study on the implementation of heatwave response measures in the Northern Territory (NT). Climate projections indicate that temperatures in the NT may rise by as much as 1.4°C by 2030. This warming trend necessitates public health measures to address extreme heat. An evaluation of the NT Heatwave Hazard Plan was conducted through an online survey to assess the effectiveness of implementation activities. The survey also sought to understand how respondents perceive and act to prevent heat stress. The study showed that 62% of participants are aware of the health risks linked to extreme heat, identifying heatwaves as a potential threat. The results also showed that many respondents employed various coping measures to stay cool, with 50% opening windows at night and 90% drinking cold fluids. The results further indicated that 55% of respondents who experienced heat illness were outdoor workers. Most respondents (83%) found heat health messaging useful, and 53% changed their behaviour as a result. The study suggests expanding heat health messaging beyond social media to reach a wider audience, as most respondents obtain weather information through traditional media channels.