Compound events and associated impacts in China

Owing to amplified impacts on human society and ecosystems, compound events (or extremes) have attracted ample attention in recent decades. China is particularly vulnerable to compound events due to the fast warming rate, dense populations, and fragile ecological environment. Recent studies have demonstrated tangible effects of climate change on compound events with mounting impacts on the economy, agriculture, public health, and infrastructure in China, posing unprecedented threats that are increasingly difficult to manage. Here, I synthesize recent progress in studies of compound events and associated impacts in China. Several lines of evidence indicate an increase in the frequency and intensity of multiple types of compound events across China. Future directions in studying compound events in China are suggested, including investigating extremes from a compound perspective, modeling compound events in the Anthropocene, quantitative evaluations of risks, and holistic adaptation measures of compound events.