Shock Tracker: A living database of shocks

There is mounting evidence that we are living in a time of turbulence, with many disruptive events becoming increasingly common and intense. In these times, understanding the dynamics of past shocks can help us better prepare and potentially prevent severe impacts in the future. The Shock Tracker is a living database of cases, encompassing everything from wildfires, to floods, disease outbreaks and conflict. The case studies are formulated as storylines, describing the event and its multiple drivers and impacts, through a standardized reporting protocol. The database currently has over 100 documented cases and, thanks to its living nature, it is growing every day. The cases are submitted by people from diverse backgrounds who become part of our growing Shock Tracker Network. All cases then undergo rigorous review before being added to the final archive. There is a particular focus in the protocol on how the shock was shaped by the interactions between people and nature. Through the case studies, the Shock Tracker highlights how anthropogenic climate change contributed to shock events, where mild but multiple drivers led to extreme impacts, and what the role of human action and agency were in both driving and mitigating these events and their impacts. The Shock Tracker is therefore a collection of cases that show that climate-induced events are already happening and are not only a future problem, that they are not only caused by extreme conditions, and that they are not only natural but often triggered by social decisions. We hope that the Shock Tracker can be a source of both direct learning from past events to better prepare us for the future and a useful resource for academic research into the patterns of drivers and impacts of shocks.