Rising Risks of Extreme Weather Events: A Call for Collective Action

The world has witnessed an unprecedented decade of devastating wildfires, floods, hurricanes, droughts, and heat waves, with every continent being affected. These events have overwhelmed national resources, requiring governments to seek assistance from other countries and posing significant threats to lives, well-being, economies, infrastructure, and ecosystem services. The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events are alarming, with communities lacking the capacity to predict, prepare, and respond. Efforts to understand and mitigate risks require scientific research, local knowledge, and community preparedness. However, the scale, complexity, and unpredictability of extreme weather events pose significant challenges.

Key Takeaways:

• The G7 members have discussed the issue of extreme weather events through a series of technical-level workshops, focusing on Extreme Weather Prediction and Preparedness Technologies, Understanding Community Risks and Building Resilience, and Promoting Inclusive Approaches to Extreme Weather Prediction, Preparedness, and Response.
• Experts highlighted the rising risks, impacts, and human and economic costs of extreme weather events, emphasizing the importance of emergency preparedness, prevention, and response while addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation.
• The G7 members discussed global cooperation to predict, prepare, for, and respond to extreme weather events by taking integrated action to reduce the incidence and negative impacts of extreme weather at source and build resilient economies.
• Rapidly evolving technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Satellite Earth Observation (SEO) are changing the pace of weather prediction, preparedness, and response, offering opportunities for improved early warning systems and disaster risk management.
• Conventional and ageing infrastructure assets are often ill-equipped to withstand the increasing toll of extreme weather events, highlighting the need for integrated adaptation approaches, such as Nature-based Solutions (NBS) and resilient infrastructure.
• G7 members are undertaking initiatives to predict, prepare for, and respond to extreme weather events, both domestically and internationally, and recognizing the devastating toll on people, the economy, and the environment.

Statistics:

• Record-breaking wildfires and other extreme weather events have occurred across every continent over the past decade, often overwhelming national resources.
• Extreme weather events threaten lives, well-being, and economies, as well as infrastructure, supply chains, healthcare, and food systems.
• The frequency, severity, and costs of extreme weather events are growing significantly.
• The use of AI and SEO technologies is becoming increasingly important for improved early warning systems and disaster risk management.
• The global impacts of extreme weather events include:

+ 23% of global GDP is vulnerable to extreme weather events (Source: IPCC, 2014).

+ 6 out of 10 global population will be displaced by climate change by 2050 (Source: UNHCR, 2020).

+ 30% of global GDP is exposed to flood risk (Source: Aon, 2020).

Sources:

• Government of Canada: Statement on G7 discussions on extreme weather events.
• IPCC (2014) - Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Vulnerability, and Adaptation.
• UNHCR (2020) - The Future of Sustainable Development.
• Aon (2020) - Global Flood Risk Report.