Policymakers must consider risk from slow-onset processes, as well as extreme weather

The document highlights a gap in policy attention toward slow-onset climate processes in Latin America and the Caribbean, despite the region's experience with extreme weather. It calls for integrated risk-management approaches and international cooperation to address loss and damage, noting similar challenges in Asia and the Pacific.

• While Latin America and the Caribbean have significant experience managing risks from extreme weather events like hurricanes and droughts, they are less capable of addressing slow-onset climate-related events such as ocean acidification, sea-temperature rise, and sea-level rise.
• Policymakers have given significantly less attention to slow-onset processes, leading delegates to call for the knowledge gap to be addressed due to the potential for devastating impacts if global temperatures rise 4°C above pre-industrial levels.
• Participants recommended the adoption of comprehensive approaches that integrate disaster-risk management and adaptation to reduce loss and damage, while also increasing political coordination and data sharing.
• Slow-onset processes are causing specific regional challenges elsewhere, including soil salinisation and sea-level rise in Bangladesh, sea-level rise in Pacific small-island states, and glacial melt in the Himalaya affecting the water supply of India, Bhutan, and Nepal.

APA

Harmeling, S., & Warner, K. (n.d.). Policymakers must consider risk from slow-onset processes, as well as extreme weather. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/story/policymakers-must-consider-risk-from-slow-onset-processes-as-well-as-extreme-weather

Chicago

Harmeling, Sven, and Koko Warner. Policymakers must consider risk from slow-onset processes, as well as extreme weather. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, n.d. https://cdkn.org/story/policymakers-must-consider-risk-from-slow-onset-processes-as-well-as-extreme-weather.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Harmeling |first1=Sven |last2=Warner |first2=Koko |title=Policymakers must consider risk from slow-onset processes, as well as extreme weather |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |url=https://cdkn.org/story/policymakers-must-consider-risk-from-slow-onset-processes-as-well-as-extreme-weather |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{harmelingndpolicymakers, author = {Harmeling, Sven and Warner, Koko}, title = {{Policymakers must consider risk from slow-onset processes, as well as extreme weather}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, url = {https://cdkn.org/story/policymakers-must-consider-risk-from-slow-onset-processes-as-well-as-extreme-weather}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }