NEWS: Join us for our upcoming event: How should the world confront climate derailment risks?

As climate impacts increase in frequency and magnitude, the breadth and momentum of responses which grapple with the emerging crisis are accelerating too. It is often assumed that this relationship will continue: that an increase in climate risks will lead to an increase in meaningful mitigation and adaption strategies and green transitions.

However, there is an increasing risk of the exact opposite situation playing out; where climate impacts inhibit, disrupt or altogether prevent effective climate action. Such ‘derailment risks’ are growing, from climate deniers receiving increased support in the wake of climatic shocks, to the costs of disasters decreasing funding for long term national adaptation plans, mitigation and adaptation plans are increasingly threatened by the very issues they aim to tackle.

As climatic shock events occur with increasing frequency in a post 1.5C world characterised by uncertainty and fragmentation, the risk of climatic shocks derailing climate action will likely grow in the future. At present, however, this looming threat is largely unaccounted for within key decision-making settings.

The Strategic Climate Risks Initiative (SCRI) – led by Sustainability Accelerator Associate Fellow Laurie Laybourn and incubated in partnership with the Accelerator – is currently grappling with the tricky dynamic of derailment risk and attempting to foster more awareness and resilience amongst decision makers.

The SCRI is publishing a flagship report, summarising derailment risks, and how decision-making communities can prevent them from disrupting climate action. The report’s launch is also coupled with the introduction of a new tool which aims to provide decision makers with the practical skillset required to mitigate derailment risks.

To celebrate this, on Tuesday 28^th October, we’re partnering with the SCRI to host a panel event at Chatham House where expert practitioners and researchers delve into derailment risk. The event is followed by a drinks reception and an opportunity to learn more about the tool for approaching and managing derailment risks.

You can still register interest for the event here and be sure to keep an eye out on SCRI’s website for the launch of their report on derailment risk.