Five observations on extreme weather events
Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2025 7:11 am
Extreme weather events
The term "extreme climate event" defines any unexpected, unusual, severe and/or non-seasonal natural event likely to strike a country or a given geographical region. These events may have variable kinetics. Some occur over a very short period of time (a few hours or a few days), but are unique in their very high intensity (cyclones, precipitation, floods, hurricanes, etc.). Others, on the other hand, may persist for several weeks or months (heat waves, droughts, etc.). Particular consideration will be given here to heat waves, which correspond to an episode of high temperatures over a prolonged period, fires and forest fires caused by drought and high temperatures, floods and torrential rains which are the leading natural risk in France and, finally, cyclones and hurricanes.
Although the increase in extreme weather events is visible on a global scale, there are profound disparities between countries and within populations in terms of exposure, anticipation, prevention and adaptation to these risks.
Figure 1: Global Climate Risk Index 2021
The increase in extreme thailand phone number list climatic events is a phenomenon demonstrated on a global scale by scientific observations in recent decades.
By 2035, the trend towards increasing the number of extreme events is unlikely to be reversed. It is even expected to increase and intensify, regardless of the environmental policies implemented due to the inertia of climate systems.
Extreme climate events are becoming increasingly costly on a global scale, in terms of material degradation, but also in terms of human lives, with serious consequences for people's housing, financial and food security.
Territories and populations unequally exposed.
Emission reduction, anticipation and adaptation policies are still too insufficient to address the risks.
The term "extreme climate event" defines any unexpected, unusual, severe and/or non-seasonal natural event likely to strike a country or a given geographical region. These events may have variable kinetics. Some occur over a very short period of time (a few hours or a few days), but are unique in their very high intensity (cyclones, precipitation, floods, hurricanes, etc.). Others, on the other hand, may persist for several weeks or months (heat waves, droughts, etc.). Particular consideration will be given here to heat waves, which correspond to an episode of high temperatures over a prolonged period, fires and forest fires caused by drought and high temperatures, floods and torrential rains which are the leading natural risk in France and, finally, cyclones and hurricanes.
Although the increase in extreme weather events is visible on a global scale, there are profound disparities between countries and within populations in terms of exposure, anticipation, prevention and adaptation to these risks.
Figure 1: Global Climate Risk Index 2021
The increase in extreme thailand phone number list climatic events is a phenomenon demonstrated on a global scale by scientific observations in recent decades.
By 2035, the trend towards increasing the number of extreme events is unlikely to be reversed. It is even expected to increase and intensify, regardless of the environmental policies implemented due to the inertia of climate systems.
Extreme climate events are becoming increasingly costly on a global scale, in terms of material degradation, but also in terms of human lives, with serious consequences for people's housing, financial and food security.
Territories and populations unequally exposed.
Emission reduction, anticipation and adaptation policies are still too insufficient to address the risks.