ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors provide an understanding of disasters by examining global disaster policies, addressing the question – what global institutional actions are being taken to address climate change and disasters? The green climate fund is designed to support developing countries to take mitigation and adaptation actions. At the 2008 commission for the status of women meeting, women from many countries signalled their concerns that women and girls were disproportionately affected by climate changes and that attention to gender in the context of disasters is urgently needed. The authors also provide a case study indicating the importance of social work engagement at high-level policy institutions and actions. While policy and practice initiatives at global, national, state and local levels guide disaster practice – this is a relatively new area for governments and transnational bodies and it is important that social workers both understand the principles underpinning cooperation and contribute their expert knowledge to global understanding of appropriate responses.
