At least 15 natural disasters linked to climate change caused destruction costing more than a billion dollars in 2019, with seven of them costing at least 10 billion, according to data collected by Christian Aid, a British NGO.
"Extreme weather, fueled by climate change, hit all populated continents in 2019, killing and displacing millions of people causing billions of dollars in damage," Christian Aid says in a new study published on Friday.
The NGO has compiled a list of 15 events in 2019 that have caused more than a billion euros in damage each.
Seven of these disasters have even caused damage estimated at more than 10 billion euros. For example, the floods in northern India, the typhoon in China, hurricane Dorian in North America, the floods during summer in China, the floods in the US South and Midwest, Typhoon Hagibis in Japan, and the recent forest fires in California in Automn.
"Each of these disasters has a link with climate change," the study points out.
Taking into account the loss of human lives, the NGO stresses that "the immense majority of deaths were caused by only two events" (the floods in north of India, (1,900 dead) and the cyclone - Idai - in Mozambique, 1,300 dead).
The NGO emphasises that the world’s poorest populations pay the highest price in the face of climate change.
"In contrast, financial costs are higher in wealthy countries. Japan and the United States experienced the three most costly events."
The insurance industry has estimated the costs linked to natural and human disasters this year to have reached 140 billion dollars.
The Brussels Times
