Double Jeopardy: Addressing compound flood and heatwave events
February 20, 2025
Compound events, such as floods and heatwaves occurring in close succession or simultaneously, can interact in a way that creates more severe outcomes than if they occurred both individually, as multiple stressors can exceed the coping capacity of a system more quickly than individual stressors occurring in isolation. Urbanization exacerbates these risks through the urban heat island effect, impervious surfaces, and inadequate drainage systems, increasing exposure and vulnerability.
By providing evidence-based insights, case studies from Pakistan and the United States and practical recommendations, this paper provides practitioners with actionable adaptation solutions that address both heat and floods, with further co-benefits for improving overall quality of life, environmental sustainability, and economic stability.
This paper is coauthored by the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, Z Zurich Foundation, ISET-International, IFRC, LSE and Mercy Corps as part of the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance.
