A stressor becomes a threat multiplier if it exacerbates other threats, especially those related to national security. Many experts believe climate change is a threat multiplier. For example, droughts and high temperatures are expected to be deadly on their own, but they will also increase the numbers of refugees seeking asylum in countries with more food. Meanwhile, the combination of increased temperatures and refugees living in close quarters could increase the likelihood of a pandemic even deadlier than COVID-19. Additionally, a refugee crisis, especially if paired with a pandemic, could lead to border conflicts and an increased chance of war between various countries. If this were to occur between two nuclear countries, the risk of nuclear war and a subsequent nuclear winter would also increase.
Most catastrophic risks come with the threat of triggering further catastrophes if we don’t address them quickly and effectively.