image: Compound extreme events and associated health risks in China, along with assessment and response strategies
Credit: Haosu Tang
A newly published review in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters reveals that climate extremes are increasingly striking in combination—and their compounding impact is posing a growing threat to public health across China.
As global warming accelerates, extreme weather and climate events are becoming more frequent, intense, and prolonged. Climate change not only disrupts the climate system but also increases the likelihood of compound extreme events—situations where multiple hazards such as heatwaves, flooding, and air pollution occur simultaneously or in rapid succession. These events often span wider areas, last longer, and inflict more severe damage than single, isolated events. Critically, their health impacts are amplified in ways that traditional climate–health assessments often overlook.
The review, led by Haosu Tang from the University of Sheffield and Professor Gang Huang from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, synthesizes research progress from the past decade to examine how these converging climate hazards affect human health—and why they demand urgent attention.
The study begins by defining and classifying different types of compound events, then explores how they have evolved, what drives them, and how they are expected to intensify in a warming world. It highlights three particularly dangerous types of compound extremes: continuous day–night hot extremes, temperature–humidity compound events, and high-temperature–ozone compound events. These events often overlap and interact, amplifying health risks through multiple exposure pathways, especially among vulnerable populations such as the elderly or those with pre-existing conditions.
To better assess and manage these risks, the study introduces a new framework for evaluating the health impacts of compound extreme events and proposes practical response strategies. The authors also outline five key research priorities: (1) identifying the risk chains of compound events; (2) addressing the constraints of observational records and coupled model performances; (3) attributing and understanding the drivers of compound extreme events; (4) finding optimal pathways for carbon reduction and air quality improvement; and (5) promoting inter-disciplinary, multi-regional, and cross-sectoral collaboration.
“Most health risk assessments have focused on one type of hazard at a time,” said lead author Haosu Tang. “But in reality, people are increasingly exposed to multiple extremes at once—and these compound events interact in ways that intensify health threats.”
By spotlighting this growing yet underrecognized challenge, the review offers an essential foundation for future research and policy aimed at strengthening public health resilience in a warming world.
The authors stress that addressing compound extreme events is not just a climate science issue—it is an urgent and rising public health priority.
Journal
Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters