About this Research Topic

Background

Climate change will amplify and create new risks for natural, human and built systems. Risks are distributed unevenly and are generally higher for underprivileged households and communities in less developed countries. The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) held in Paris had as its main objective to restrict the global mean temperature increase by up to 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with the boundary value of 1.5°C been regarded as the most desirable. If we exceed this limit, the likely impacts include an increase in disease outbreaks, degradation of ecosystems, food insecurity, increase in extreme climatic events such as droughts and floods, rising sea levels, and other impacts. However, even if the global mean temperature stays at 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, the expectation is that new risks will emerge and existing ones will amplify at regional and global scales.
Yet despite the urgency of addressing climate change globally, there are still several unknowns: What will be the regional climate change patterns if we stop global warming at 1.5 or 2°C? Which regions will be above or below the global average? When is it likely that either a 1.5 or 2° rise will be hit? What are the impacts and risks of this warming on people, ecosystems and the built environment? How can we manage such risks?
The goal of this Research Topic in the new Climate Risk Management section of the journal Frontiers in Climate is to address these questions by inviting submissions in all areas of climate driven-risk, with a special focus on impacts and vulnerabilities arising from 1.5 or 2°C global warming.
We welcome investigators to contribute to a better understanding of the impacts, vulnerabilities, and risks (both new and exacerbated) that will be generated by 1.5 or 2°C of global warming, as well as the actions that will be necessary to respond, cope with and adapt to these risks.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
• The impacts of climate change at 1.5°C and beyond
o Regional impacts on water cycle and meteorological systems
o Regional impacts on climate extreme events such floods and dry spells
o Regional impacts on populations and biodiversity
• Potential vulnerabilities and risks arising from 1.5°C or more of global warming
o Regional vulnerabilities and risks to populations
o Regional vulnerabilities and risks in small and large cities
o Regional vulnerabilities and risks to biodiversity and agriculture
• Adaptation required under 1.5°C of global warming and the risks of not adapting
o Regional risks and adaptations on cities and populations
o Regional risks and adaptation on biodiversity and agricultural systems

The form for the Frontiers fee waiver scheme can be found here:
https://frontiers.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_51IljifwFBXUzY1
More information about open access publishing can be found here:
https://www.frontiersin.org/about/open-access

Keywords: risk management, climate change, risk, impacts, vulnerabilities, Paris Agreement, adaptation, COP21

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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