Assessing the cascading impacts of climate extremes on human health, agricultural productivity, energy infrastructure, and ecosystems, with an emphasis on identifying key vulnerabilities and supporting the development of targeted adaptation strategies
Summary
This research line focuses on assessing the cascading impacts of climate change and climate extremes across key socio-environmental sectors, including human health, agricultural productivity, energy infrastructure, and ecosystems. Recognizing the interconnectedness of these systems, the approach seeks to understand how climate-driven stressors, such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and extreme weather events, propagate across sectors, amplifying risks and generating complex feedback loops.
A central objective of this research is to identify critical vulnerabilities within and between these sectors, with special attention to sensitive regions and populations most exposed to climate hazards. This includes analyzing how heat stress affects public health outcomes (e.g., heat-related mortality, vector-borne diseases), how drought and temperature variability impact crop yields and food security, how extreme events threaten energy generation and distribution systems, and how ecosystems respond to increasing climatic pressures, affecting biodiversity and ecosystem services.
By integrating climate data, impact models, and socio-economic information, this research aims to support the development of targeted, evidence-based adaptation strategies that enhance resilience. The ultimate goal is to provide actionable insights for policymakers, stakeholders, and communities, fostering adaptive planning and mitigation efforts that address both direct and indirect effects of climate change in a holistic, cross-sectoral manner
Objectives
To investigate the cascading effects of climate extremes on human health, agriculture, energy systems, and ecosystems, aiming to identify critical vulnerabilities and support the development of effective adaptation strategies.
