Global Scans · Climate change · Weekly Summary

A global catastrophic risk is a hypothetical future event that has the potential to damage human well-being on a global scale. Some events could cripple or destroy modern civilization. Any event that could cause human extinction is known as an existential risk.

• [New] The pressing reality of climate change is rapidly altering global weather patterns, with the frequency and severity of extreme weather projected to escalate. IOSH
• [New] The top of the hierarchy of controls - the removal of hazards - is different with climate change because it is generally beyond the purview of employers, and requires an approach that results in reducing greenhouse gases globally. IOSH
• [New] The chaos from crossing various global climate change tipping points will hurt human population wellbeing, business investment, and worker employment. IOSH
• [New] On employment, the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025 ranked renewable-energy engineers, environmental engineers, and electric-vehicle specialists among the 15 fastest-growing roles to 2030, with 47% of employers expecting climate-change mitigation to transform their business. SUMAS - Sustainability Management School
• [New] A new analysis finds climate change is increasing the odds of dangerous heat during many 2026 World Cup matches, putting players, fans, and workers at greater risk. Yale Climate Connections
• [New] While the rising physical impacts of climate change will increase demand for insurance products, the complexities of accurately pricing risk may mean that a high percentage of assets become uninsurable if global average temperatures rise by more than 3 °C. GOV.UK
• [New] Delivering the Third National Adaptation Programme by introducing system-level climate change risk assessments is set to strengthen health system resilience through adaptation of NHS sites and services, alongside reducing population health risks, by 2028. GOV.UK
• [New] With global biodiversity in crisis, and climate change threatening nearly every city in the world, designing cities with nature is critical to advance resilience, adaptation, and more livable urban environments. New York Botanical Garden
• [New] Barring a major global intervention to curb climate change, European businesses can expect more record-breaking heat waves in the years ahead and, as a consequence, growing pressure for safe workspaces from regulators and workers alike. Fortune
• [New] Climate change can disrupt global supply chains and threaten access to food, water and energy. Singapore Green Plan 2030
• [New] Climate change is increasing risk to agricultural productivity, supply chains, and food security across Latin America and the Caribbean. GrowingIL
• Extreme heatwaves are becoming hotter, longer and more severe as climate change intensifies, putting lives, wildlife and ecosystems at severe risk. Friends of the Earth
• Developing countries urgently need funding to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, address climate change, and protect biodiversity, with total annual requirements approaching USD 6 trillion by 2030. International Institute for Sustainable Development
• Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of flooding, and the Environment Agency now puts around 4.6 million properties in England at risk from surface water alone. Unda
• Climate change could cause up to 15.6 million additional deaths between 2026 and 2050 and inflict $8.6 trillion to $15.4 trillion in health costs by mid-century. Health Policy Watch

Last updated: 16 August 2026