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Public Health Risks Under Temporally Compounding Climate Extremes
Kuan Zhang1, Xiaoming Wang2,3, Tao Wang1
1School of Public Policy and Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
Risk Analysis : an Official Publication of the Society for Risk Analysis
|September 9, 2025
Summary
Climate change increases compound extreme events, posing serious public safety threats. Vulnerable populations, especially in urban areas like Chongqing, face magnified health risks from heatwaves and these events, requiring targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Climate Science
- Public Health Risk Assessment
Background:
- Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of compound extreme events (CEEs).
- These CEEs pose significant threats to public safety and health, particularly in densely populated urban areas.
- The summer of 2022 highlighted the vulnerability of megacities like Chongqing to temporally compounding events (TCEs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and apply a public health risk assessment framework for CEEs, based on the IPCC risk framework.
- To identify temporal and spatial variations in public health risks associated with CEEs.
- To understand the factors contributing to vulnerability and exposure among different population demographics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the IPCC risk framework to assess public health risks.
- Analyzed temporal and spatial risk discrepancies based on natural endowments, socioeconomic conditions, and demographics.
- Investigated the specific risks posed by heatwaves and their interaction with TCEs.
Main Results:
- Public health risks from heatwaves are elevated due to high exposure and vulnerability, linked to poor living conditions, social isolation, and pre-existing health issues like mental disorders.
- CEEs, particularly when combined with heatwaves, amplify risks for vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly, and exacerbate noncommunicable diseases.
- Highly vulnerable populations are disproportionately exposed to CEEs, leading to increased health impacts, heightened inequalities, and environmental injustice.
Conclusions:
- Reducing exposure to heatwaves is crucial, but a comprehensive strategy involving climate hazard mitigation and vulnerability reduction is essential to minimize CEE risks.
- Strengthening health systems and improving dwelling conditions are vital interventions to protect public health.
- Addressing CEEs is critical for achieving sustainable development and promoting environmental justice.
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