Managing Climate Extremes

The report highlights that Asia is exceptionally exposed to climate extremes, with over 90% of the global population exposed to tropical cyclones. It argues that disaster risk is driven not only by weather events but by dynamic factors of vulnerability and exposure, such as unplanned urbanisation and weak governance. The document provides observed and projected trends for temperature and precipitation extremes across Asian sub-regions and advocates for the integration of disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation (CCA) and sustainable development to build long-term resilience.

• Disaster risk in many countries is increasing even without accounting for climate change, primarily because more vulnerable people and assets are being exposed to weather extremes. Asia is particularly affected, containing more than 90% of the global population exposed to tropical cyclones.
• Climate change has already altered the magnitude and frequency of some extreme weather events globally since 1950. While expected increases in extremes over the next two to three decades may be small compared to normal year-to-year variations, their role in disaster impacts in Asia will become increasingly significant as impacts become more dramatic.
• Vulnerability and exposure are dynamic and shaped by economic, social, and governance factors. High vulnerability often results from skewed development, such as unplanned urbanisation and environmental mismanagement, which forces poor populations into hazard-prone areas.
• The impact of extreme events varies drastically based on a country's disaster risk reduction (DRR) efforts and governance. For example, two Category 4 cyclones of similar severity, Sidr in Bangladesh (2007) and Nargis in Myanmar (2008), resulted in vastly different fatalities (approximately 4,200 vs over 138,000) due to Bangladesh's superior early warning systems and community mobilisation.
• Observed trends since the 1950s in Asia show a likely increase in warm days and warm nights across North, Central, East, and South Asia, and a very likely increase in Western Asia. Projections for 2071-2100 suggest that current temperature extremes may become 'normal' temperatures in less than 50 years in some regions, such as Western Asia.
• Asia faces severe economic and human losses from climate extremes, accounting for 51% of the world's reported fatalities from natural catastrophes between 1980 and 2010. In the first nine months of 2011, 80% of all global economic losses from natural disasters occurred in the Asia Pacific region.
• Urban settlements in Asia are highly vulnerable, with seven of the top ten urban agglomerations projected to have the greatest asset exposure in 2070 located in developing countries in the region. Cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Dhaka, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Shanghai, Bangkok, Rangoon, and Hai Phòng are identified as having the greatest population exposure to coastal flooding by 2070.
• Effective disaster risk management (DRM) requires a combination of local knowledge and scientific data. Examples include the use of mangroves in Orissa, India, which significantly reduced loss of life during the 1999 super cyclone compared to villages without them.
• National legislative frameworks are critical for coordinating DRM. Indonesia's 2007 Disaster Management Law and China's Emergency Response Law (2007) are cited as examples of integrating DRM into development planning and government response systems.
• Risk transfer mechanisms, such as index-based insurance for non-irrigated crops in Andhra Pradesh, India, can reduce transaction costs and provide a safety net for farmers by triggering payments based on rainfall levels rather than individual loss assessments.
• To avoid the worst disaster losses and tipping points, there is an urgent need for transformative changes in institutions and a global commitment to greenhouse gas mitigation to prevent more severe and frequent climate extremes.

APA

Cameron, C., Norrington-Davies, G., & Velde, V. T. (2012). Managing Climate Extremes. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SREX-Lessons-for-Asia-revised-final-copy-9.pdf

Chicago

Cameron, Catherine, Gemma Norrington-Davies, and Victoria te Velde. Managing Climate Extremes. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2012. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SREX-Lessons-for-Asia-revised-final-copy-9.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cameron |first1=Catherine |last2=Norrington-Davies |first2=Gemma |last3=Velde |first3=Victoria te |title=Managing Climate Extremes |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=2012 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SREX-Lessons-for-Asia-revised-final-copy-9.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cameron2012managing, author = {Cameron, Catherine and Norrington-Davies, Gemma and Velde, Victoria te}, title = {{Managing Climate Extremes}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2012}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SREX-Lessons-for-Asia-revised-final-copy-9.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }