This paper serves two purposes. Frst, it presents a theoretical perspective of disaster policy and management generally. I provide an argument that addresses how national and subnational policy development depends on several critical factors, for example, the effective use of research based knowledge in planning for potential disasters such as floods and wildfires as well as the development and use of effective communications – horizontally, from the top down and from the bottom up – during the planning and implementation processes. Second, the paper applies this theoretic perspective to the specific issue of how national and subnational governments address climate change as a hazard that increases vulnerability to potential disaster incidents.
