Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in the Agriculture Sector: Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report

This briefing synthesises the IPCC SREX report's findings on climate extremes and the agriculture sector. It highlights that disaster risk is increasing due to higher exposure and vulnerability, particularly in developing countries. Key threats include intensified droughts, heatwaves, and flooding, which cause significant economic losses and threaten food security. The document advocates for 'climate-smart' agriculture, improved disaster risk management, and a combination of short-term coping strategies and long-term structural adaptations to build resilience.

• Disaster risk is projected to increase in many countries regardless of climate change because more vulnerable people and assets are being exposed to climate extremes. The agriculture sector is particularly exposed due to its close link and dependence on the climate.
• Climate change has already influenced the frequency and magnitude of certain climate extremes in specific global regions since 1950. For instance, East Asia has experienced increasing dryness, which negatively impacts environmental and agricultural conditions.
• While the increase in climate extremes over the next two to three decades may be small relative to normal year-to-year variations, the effect of climate change on these extremes will become increasingly significant as it becomes more dramatic.
• The agriculture sector is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its reliance on ecosystem services and water. Future impacts include intensified droughts, increased frequency of heatwaves, changes in flood patterns, and upward trends in extreme coastal high water levels.
• Adaptation strategies for agriculture are categorized by timeframe and objective. 'Low regrets' short-term options include improving coping strategies, diversifying livelihoods, and enhancing forecasting and warning systems. Long-term strategies involve reforestation, land rehabilitation, irrigation techniques, and the use of drought-resistant crop varieties.
• Economic losses from weather and climate-related disasters are increasing globally, with annual estimates ranging from a few billion to approximately US$ 200 billion (in 2010 dollars). While developed countries see the largest measured losses, developing countries experience higher fatality rates and higher economic losses as a proportion of GDP.
• In Africa, agriculture is the most exposed and vulnerable economic sector, contributing roughly 21% of total GDP and 50% of total export value. Sub-Saharan Africa is especially at risk due to limited irrigation and the fact that some plants grow close to their climatic limits.
• Extreme temperatures significantly impact crop yields and livestock. For example, the 2003 European heatwave caused estimated uninsured agricultural losses of €13 billion in the EU, and Italy saw a 36% drop in maize yields in the Po Valley. In rice, night temperatures increasing from 27 to 32°C can reduce yields by 90%.
• The 'dzud' in Mongolia is a compound hazard involving drought, extreme cold, windstorms, and heavy snowfall. The 2009/2010 dzud resulted in 75,000 herder families losing all or more than half their livestock, contributing to a 16.8% decrease in the GDP share of agriculture compared to 2009.
• Climate extremes drive food insecurity by causing production shortfalls, reducing growing seasons, and altering land use. Infrastructure damage from events like flooding can also hinder the transportation of food, while shortages can increase global market costs.

APA

Norrington-Davies, G., Cameron, C., & Back, E. (2012). Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in the Agriculture Sector: Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SREX-lessons-for-agriculture-sector.pdf

Chicago

Norrington-Davies, Gemma, Catherine Cameron, and Emma Back. Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in the Agriculture Sector: Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2012. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SREX-lessons-for-agriculture-sector.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Norrington-Davies |first1=Gemma |last2=Cameron |first2=Catherine |last3=Back |first3=Emma |title=Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in the Agriculture Sector: Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=2012 |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SREX-lessons-for-agriculture-sector.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{norringtondavies2012managing, author = {Norrington-Davies, Gemma and Cameron, Catherine and Back, Emma}, title = {{Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in the Agriculture Sector: Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2012}, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SREX-lessons-for-agriculture-sector.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }