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The United Nations University (UNU) is the academic arm of the United Nations (UN). It bridges the academic world and the UN system. Its goal is to develop sustainable solutions for current and future problems of humankind in all aspects of life. Through a problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach it aims at applied research and education on a global scale. UNU was founded in 1973 and is an autonomous organ of the UN General Assembly. The University comprises headquarters Tokyo, Japan, and more than a dozen Institutes and Programmes worldwide.

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UNU-EHS contributes to IPCC SREX report

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released its Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX). UNU-EHS scientist PD Dr.-Ing. Jörn Birkmann contributed to Chapter 2 "Determinants of Risk: Exposure and Vulnerability" as lead author. 220 authors from 62 countries worked on the report; more than 18,000 review comments were received and addressed.

About the SREX report

This IPCC report addresses, for the first time, how integrating expertise in climate science, disaster risk management, and adaptation can inform discussions on how to reduce and manage the risks of extreme events and disasters in a changing climate.

It evaluates the role of climate change in altering characteristics of extreme events. It assesses experience with a wide range of options used by institutions, organizations, and communities to reduce exposure and vulnerability, and improve resilience, to climate extremes. Among these are early-warning systems, innovations in insurance coverage, improvements in infrastructure, and the expansion of social safety nets.

The SREX report is the outcome of cross-disciplinary teamwork between scientists studying the physical aspects of climate change, scientists with expertise in impacts, adaptation and vulnerability as well as experts in disaster risk management. The report’s 592 pages cite thousands of scientific studies and have been subjected to three rounds of review by experts and governments to ensure that the findings are firmly based in the underlying scientific and technical information.

About the IPCC

The IPCC was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to assess scientific information related to climate change, to evaluate its environmental and socio-economic consequences and to formulate realistic response strategies.

The IPCC assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information produced worldwide relevant to understanding climate change and its effects. It does not conduct any research itself or monitor climate-related data. The work of the IPCC is carried out by thousands of scientists on a voluntary basis.

In 2007 the IPCC was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with U.S. Vice-President Al Gore.

Downloads

The full report is available at the IPCC SREX website.

SREX Report: Summary for Policymakers

Fact Sheet

Press release