Volume 18 Issue 1 

We live in a world that's been set alight. From the aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic to financial shocks the world over, there are plenty of reasons for public unrest to transform into civil meltdowns.

This edition is going into print as the protests in France have turned ugly. On the other side of the world, Trump's legal battles are one spark away from inciting possible violence, so much so that even the judge overseeing the case has asked both parties to refrain from settlements that could cause unrest.

In the global south, already burdened populations, who have been dealing with political and economic whiplash, are facing even more challenging situations because of climate-change-induced hazards such as earthquakes and heatwaves. 

At CRJ, our focus continues to be on the effects of such ruptures and how emergency services and planners can be alert to their fallout. For example, Anita Punwani tackles the subject of how we can stick to the UN's SDGs while facing worldwide crises. On page 33, one of our finest advisors, Andy Blackwell, explores how we can learn from permacrisis and become more resilient.

Similarly, on page 30 Robert Hall explores how personal resilience can help us bounce back faster. Where one of our authors discusses the complex needs of refugees and the so-called migrant crisis on page 74, Shreyas Jayakumar offers a parallel: an organisation that's empowering refugee women to do more, irrespective of how their lives have been turned inside out.

From focusing on the mental health of first responders to how emergency organisations are using TikTok to help people tackle crises, people who are solution-orientated continue to find ways for communities to heal and thrive.

Yes, there is heightened turmoil no matter what direction one looks in. But we must stay focused on resilience; we must remain steadfast on remedying chaos. In that, I'm grateful for the CRJ community, because many of you are on the frontlines of finding solutions that work. 

There is a vital need for a 'prepare, not repair' approach. We choose order and humanity over chaos and despair.