Nature study: climate change makes compound disasters more common, deadly
A new study in Nature says climate change is making "compound disasters" (like floods and heatwaves happening together) more common and dangerous.
These events can hit communities hard, as seen in Pakistan in 2022 when monsoon rains and a heatwave caused glacial melt, leading to massive damage and more than 1,700 deaths.
The researchers urge quick action to cut carbon emissions before things get worse.
TCoRE tool links CO2 to risk
The study introduces TCoRE, a tool that shows how the risk of these compound events rises with more CO2 emissions.
Common disasters increase steadily, but rare extremes ramp up even faster.
To keep global warming below 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, we might need emission cuts equal to nearly five decades of current output.
The authors emphasize that lowering carbon budgets and improving disaster planning are crucial for protecting vulnerable people and ecosystems.