Planning for Compound Hazards during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Climate Information Systems Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines compound events as 1) two or more extreme events occurring simultaneously or successively, 2) combinations of extreme events with underlying conditions that amplify the impact of the events, or 3) combinations of events that are not themselves extremes but lead to an extreme event or impact when combined (Seneviratne et al. 2012). This definition of compound events is now embedded within the IPCC risk framework under the umbrella of a combination of multiple drivers and/or hazards that contribute to societal or environmental risks. Also embedded in this framework is the understanding that response to an imminent risk can, in its own right, serve to reduce or to increase future risk.