Climate-related Extreme Weather Events and COVID-19: A First Look at the Number of People Affected by Intersecting Disasters

Author(s)
Walton, D. & van Aalst, M.
Publication language
English
Pages
21pp
Date published
23 Sep 2020
Type
Research, reports and studies
Keywords
Disasters, COVID-19, Cyclone, Drought, Epidemics & pandemics, Floods & landslides, Engaging with affected populations, Environment & climate, Climate Action (SDG)
Organisations
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
Link
https://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/document/climate-related-extreme-weather-events-covid-19-first-look-number-people-affected-intersect

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented humanitarian crisis which intersects with the global climate emergency. Climate change has not stopped in the midst of the pandemic’s global spread. In fact, COVID-19 is directly affecting and increasing the needs of persons affected by climate-related disasters. People in the path of extreme weather events are currently faced with overlapping disasters with compounding effects.

Of course not all climate-related disasters have a direct link with climate change. However, it is unequivocal that due to global warming we are facing a more volatile climate with more weather extremes. This paper, produced in partnership with the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, aims to provide a preliminary analysis of the number of people jointly affected by COVID-19 and climate-related disasters – demonstrating the multilayered nature of these crises and highlighting the compounded vulnerability faced by communities.

Authors: 
Walton, D. & van Aalst, M.