Phys.org October 26, 2021
The report by UK-based policy institute Chatham House drew on the views of more than 200 climate scientists and other specialists to assess which immediate climate hazards and impacts should most concern decision-makers in the coming decade. According to the report the ten “hazard-impact pathways” of greatest near-term concern all relate to Africa or Asia. The vulnerability of the place where they happen means impacts cascade and have knock-on impacts that are global in their nature, or at least cover large regions. Without more aid for adaptation and poverty reduction storm damage and multiple crop failures could result in political instability and conflict and drive increased migration to Southern Europe. The paper calls for the development of a comprehensive climate risk register that charts the communities most vulnerable to climate hazards, the potential cascading risks, and what can be done to increase resilience. By addressing those issues of vulnerability, we can actually prevent really appalling climate disasters from occurring in this decade…read more.