Droughts and floods in a changing climate and implications for multi-hazard urban planning: A review

Abstract

Climate change impacts global weather patterns, leading to more frequent and intense extreme weather events. Floods and droughts are the primary hazards caused by climate change, for the number of events, people affected, and global economic impacts. While traditionally addressed separately, their interconnectedness is increasingly recognized in research, policies, and practices. However, research on their interactions is limited, especially in urban areas. Therefore, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between floods and droughts by analyzing their similarities and differences. This understanding will inform multi-hazard analysis and guide urban planning. A literature review was conducted to analyze the existing body of knowledge on floods, droughts, and their interactions, specifically focusing on cities in the context of climate change and risk. First, an analysis of the characteristics and differences between floods and droughts highlights the primary distinction lies in their temporal and spatial spread. Droughts are slow-onset events that impact large areas over extended periods, while floods are rapid-onset events with a more concentrated impact. Additionally, the review identifies commonalities between the two hazards, such as shared causes, cascading effects, mutually negative impacts, potential for joint management strategies, commonly affected sectors, geographical distribution patterns, frequently cited case studies, a growing focus on urban areas, and crucial knowledge gaps that require further investigation. Finally, the paper presents a novel framework for analyzing the interconnected risks of floods and droughts. This framework emphasizes the importance of comprehensive data collection, including risk factors, contextual information, drivers, impacts, responses, and historical event data. This holistic approach aims to improve understanding of these interconnected hazards’ combined causes and effects. The article argues for a paradigm shift in urban planning towards a multi-hazard, multi-sectoral, resilient, and adaptable approach that considers both floods and droughts in the context of climate change. The article concludes with suggestions for further research.