Managing the regional risks of climate extremes and disasters: learning from the IPCC Special Report (SREX)

Climate change is a complex phenomenon that is changing economies, health and communities in diverse and severe ways. It is predicted that billions of people face shortages of water and food, with greater risks to health and life as a result of climate change and extreme weather and climate events (‘climate extremes’). Developing countries are the most vulnerable to these climate change impacts and climate extremes because they have fewer resources to adapt socially, technologically and financially.

____________________________________________________________________________

WHAT IS THE SREX REPORT?

In response to a recognised need to provide specific advice on climate change and climate extremes the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) commissioned a Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX). It is the first of its kind to conduct an assessment between climate extremes and climate change.

The report draws on experience from institutions, organisations and communities in their struggle to reduce exposure and vulnerability, and to improve resilience to climate extremes.
____________________________________________________________________________

WHAT WERE THE MAIN FINDINGS IN RELATION TO ASIA, AFRICA AND LAC?

Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report for Asia

Chinese version available here

Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report for Africa

French version available here

Lessons from the IPCC SREX report for Latin America and the Caribbean

Spanish version available here
Portuguese version available here

____________________________________________________________________________

WHAT WERE THE MAIN THEMATIC FINDINGS?

CDKN has summarised the key findings of the report into a series of thematic briefs. The thematic guides draw exclusively on material from SREX, including assessments of the science and the implications for society and sustainable development. They are intended to be useful for policy makers, decision takers and planners locally, nationally and regionally.

Managing climate extremes and disasters:

____________________________________________________________________________

WHAT MORE CAN THE AUTHORS OF THE REPORT TELL US?

CDKN talks to Dr Tom Mitchell, Head of Climate Change at the Overseas Development Institute and Coordinating Lead Author on the IPCC SREX report, about the findings of the report. He discusses how these have been interpreted for regional policy makers by the CDKN report series Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters: Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report. Dr Mitchell shares both the significance of the IPCC report and explores how developing countries are adapting to climate extremes already.

Prof. Virgina Murray, Contributing Lead Author of the IPCC SREX report on Managing Extreme Events and Disasters, and Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at the Health Protection Agency, discusses the implications of the SREX report.

____________________________________________________________________________

WHAT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THE REPORT'S FINDINGS?

As a result of this report, the IPCC, the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), Norway’s Climate and Pollution Agency, Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) have organised a series of regional outreach events. Designed for policymakers, business leaders, academics and civil society organisations, the events sought to present the findings of the report, inform stakeholders about the possible impacts of and options for managing the risks of climate extremes and disasters in the regions.

The regional event series was made up of seven events, with each event covering a range of topics. These included:

Extremes, exposure and vulnerability in the context of the Special Report (SREX)
Observations and projections of extremes
Impacts, losses
Risk management options
Towards a sustainable and resilient future

The regional events were designed to bridge the gap between the theoretical and the practical, the global and the regional, by improving access to, and use of, the latest science and social science information on changing disaster risks, to better anticipate climate-related disasters and build resilience.