Heatwaves, droughts, maximum one-day rainfall and extreme wind events will likely become a near-permanent in some 20 countries, even if the world curtails warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to a new study.

These effects can become permanent for 37 countries if the warming reaches 2°C and 85 countries can be impacted if it increases by 3°C compared to the preindustrial era, the findings published in journal Earth System Dynamics stated.

Further, the world will see a disproportionate increase in compound events, which are multiple extremes that occur simultaneously or consecutively. Such extremes could become two to 9.6 times more frequent if warming exceeds 3°C compared to the preindustrial period.

“The impacts associated with compound events are expected to be higher than impacts caused by individual extremes,” the researchers wrote in their paper.

For example, a combined onslaught of extreme wind and extreme precipitation could increase the destruction of infrastructure and economic losses. The researchers studied individual extremes as well as combinations of compound extremes.

The first combination was heatwave and drought. The duo influence wildfire, crops, natural vegetation, power plants and fisheries. The second combination — extreme wind and precipitation — can cause storm surges and flooding. 

Several studies have found that heatwave–drought occurrences have increased in the last four to five decades. Their analysis focused on changes in the frequency and timing of individual and combined extremes.       

A High-Level Meeting at UN Headquarters in New York

For Malawians, Cyclone Freddy was an unmitigated disaster. In March this year, the storm ripped through the African country twice during its record-breaking month-long destructive rampage through southern Africa.

The unprecedented duration of the extreme weather event would have been difficult for any country to deal with, but for Malawi, one of the most vulnerable developing nations in the world, it was devastating. Hundreds were killed, more than half a million people were displaced, and thousands of hectares of crops were washed away.

As of early April, hundreds of people remained missing, and some 1.1 million people were in need of humanitarian support. The severe storm hit during Malawi’s worst cholera outbreak in two decades, adding to the pressures on a health system that was already severely stretched.

That same month, a group of independent UN rights experts called for more humanitarian aid and for Malawi to “develop durable solutions to avert, minimize, and address disaster displacement through climate adaptation measures, preparedness and disaster risk reduction.”

More people globally are being affected by disasters than ever before, despite the adoption of a UN-backed international disaster reduction agreement in 2015. Experts from around the world are gathering at UN Headquarters to speed up efforts to implement that agreement to bring about a safer world fully. From 18 to 19 May, a High-Level meeting at UN Headquarters in New York will provide an opportunity to lay out the many challenges that have stalled progress, and chart a course towards a safer world.   

Stampede

an occasion when many large animals or many people suddenly all move quickly and in an uncontrolled way, usually in the same direction at the same time, especially because of fear. This could be deadly and cause injuries. 

Tornado

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornadoes can destroy well-made structures, uproot trees, and hurl objects through the air like deadly missiles.

Cyclone

Cyclones are caused by atmospheric disturbances around a low-pressure area distinguished by swift and often destructive air circulation. Violent storms and bad weather usually accompany cyclones. The air circulates inward in an anticlockwise direction in the Northern hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern hemisphere.

Heatwave

Heat wave is a condition of air temperature which becomes fatal to human body when exposed. Quantitatively, it is defined based on the temperature thresholds over a region in terms of actual temperature or its departure from normal. In certain countries it is defined in term of the heat index based on temperature and humidity or based on extreme percentile of the temperatures.