Recent international assessments show clearly that under climate change, we may expect the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events to increase. Developing countries are already disproportionately impacted by extreme events, such as tropical cyclones, droughts and floods. Recent events around the world show significant damage and challenging periods of response and recovery, which are exacerbated by reducing return periods and multi-hazard events.

In this Research Topic, we collate case studies of extreme events in developing countries, with a clear emphasis on what may be learned from prediction, early warning, risk reduction and mitigation, preparedness, and response - particularly given future increases in such events.

We would like to draw authors from all developing regions, with good representation, and clear balance between climate science and studies focusing on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation. We would also like to achieve a reasonable balance between established and emerging researchers; with opportunity for emerging researchers working in these areas.

Finally, we consider this Research Topic timely, given the range of international assessments on environment and climate currently in progress - an opportunity for such collated and up to date work focused on the developing world to be of value.

Keywords: climate variability, extreme events, developing countries, disasters

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.