IPCC_Managing Risks of Extreme Events.pdf - Climate Access

Case StudiesChapter 9•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••`Table 9-1 (continued)9.2.1 9.2.2 9.2.3 9.2.4 9.2.5 9.2.6 9.2.7 9.2.8 9.2.9 9.2.10 9.2.11 9.2.12 9.2.13 9.2.14EducationEWS Legislation RiskTransferSIDS ColdClimateHeatwavesMegacitiesDrought Dzud Cyclones Floods EpidemicDiseaseHotweatherandwildfiresKey MessageMeasures that provide benefits under current climate and a rangeof future climate change scenarios, called low-regrets measures,are available starting points for addressing projected trends inexposure, vulnerability, and climate extremes. They have thepotential to offer benefits now and lay the foundation foraddressing projected changes.E. ManagingChanging Riskof ClimateExtremes andDisastersEffective risk management generally involves a portfolio ofactions to reduce and transfer risk and to respond to events anddisasters, as opposed to a singular focus on any one action ortype of action.Multi-hazard risk management approaches provide opportunitiesto reduce complex and compound hazards.Integration of local knowledge with additional scientific andtechnical knowledge can improve disaster risk reduction andclimate change adaptation.Appropriate and timely risk communication is critical for effectiveadaptation and disaster risk management.1: Ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and a localpriority with a strong institutional basis for implementation.2: Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance earlywarning.HyogoFramework forAction –Priorities forAction3: Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture ofsafety and resilience at all levels.•••4: Reduce the underlying risk factors.••••••5: Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at alllevels.Most importantly, this chapter highlightsthe complexities of disasters in order toencourage effective solutions that addressthese complexities rather than just one issueor another. The lessons of this chapter provideexamples of experience that can help developstrategies to adapt to climate change.9.2. Case Studies9.2.1. European Heat Wavesof 2003 and 20069.2.1.1. IntroductionExtreme heat is a prevalent public healthconcern throughout the temperate regions ofthe world and extreme heat events have beenencountered recently in North America, Asia,Africa, Australia, and Europe. It is very likelythat the length, frequency, and/or intensityof warm spells, including heat waves, willcontinue to increase over most land areas(Section 3.3.1). As with other types ofhazards, extreme heat can have disastrousconsequences, particularly for the mostvulnerable populations. Risk from extreme heatis a function of hazard severity and populationexposure and vulnerability. Extreme heatevents do not necessarily translate intoextreme impacts if vulnerability is low. It isimportant, therefore, to consider factors thatcontribute to hazard exposure and populationvulnerability. Recent literature has identifieda host of factors that can amplify or dampenhazard exposure. Experience with past heatwaves and public health interventions suggestthat it is possible to manipulate many ofthese variables to reduce both exposure andvulnerability and thereby limit the impacts ofextreme heat events. This case study, whichcompares the European heat wave of 2003with 2006, demonstrates developments indisaster risk management and adaptation toclimate change.9.2.1.2. Background/ContextExtreme heat is a prevalent public healthconcern throughout the temperate regions ofthe world (Kovats and Hajat, 2008), in part492