What happens when multiple climate change hazards collide?

from Local Zero Hosted by Strathclyde Institute for Sustainable Communities

As our climate changes, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe. But what happens when multiple climate hazards occur at the same time—or in quick succession? In this episode, Jen Roberts and Matt Hannon explore the concept of climate hazard stacking and what it means for climate resilience. How common are these overlapping risks already, and how might they change in a future shaped by more extreme weather? What challenges do they create for communities, infrastructure and decision-makers—and how should adaptation strategies respond? To unpack these questions, they are joined by Professor Chris White (https://www.strath.ac.uk/staff/whitechristopherdr/), Professor in Climate Extremes and Resilience at the University of Strathclyde and an expert on multi-hazard risks across systems and society. Chris explains why understanding climate hazards in combination, rather than in isolation, is essential for building resilient communities and preparing for a changing climate. Links: - UNICEF’s Children's Climate Risk Report (2026): https://data.unicef.org/resources/childrens-climate-risk-report-2026/ - Climate Change Committee (https://www.theccc.org.uk/) report (May 2026) A Well-Adapted UK - The Fourth Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk: https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/a-well-adapted-uk/ - Book recommendation: The Response by David Shukman “A Story of Fire and Flood in Britain’s New World of Extremes” https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/469146/the-response-by-shukman-david/9781529144284 republished following a technical glitch!