480,000 deaths linked to extreme weather in past 20 years

PARIS • Almost half a million people have died in natural disasters linked to extreme weather events in the past 20 years, according to a new assessment of the direct threat posed to humanity by climate change.

The mortality burden of climate-related catastrophes such as storms, flooding and heatwaves is overwhelmingly borne by developing countries.

At the start of the two-day Climate Adaptation Summit yesterday, held virtually this year due to the pandemic, the think-tank Germanwatch calculated that these disasters have cost the global economy a staggering US$2.56 trillion (S$3.4 trillion) this century.

An analysis of more than 11,000 extreme weather events showed nearly 480,000 fatalities since 2000, with Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti the worst hit countries, it said.

"Signs of escalating climate change can no longer be ignored - on any continent or in any region. Impacts from extreme-weather events hit the poorest countries hardest as these are particularly vulnerable to the damaging effects of a hazard, have a lower coping capacity and may need more time to rebuild and recover," Germanwatch said in its report.

Under the 2015 Paris climate deal, wealthier nations are supposed to provide US$100 billion every year to help poorer states mitigate temperature rises and adapt to the changing climate.

But recent research suggests the true amount of funding available to developing countries for climate action is vastly lower.

Germanwatch's global climate index examined the impact of two decades of extreme weather events, particularly the 2019 storm season, which produced hurricanes and cyclones that devastated parts of the Caribbean, East Africa and South Asia.

"This shows that poor, vulnerable countries face particularly great challenges in dealing with the consequences of extreme weather events," said report co-author David Eckstein.

"They urgently need financial and technical assistance."

Adaptation - reducing the fallout among communities and increasing their capacity to deal with climate-related disasters such as floods and drought - is a pillar of the Paris accord.

The deal earmarks US$50 billion annually to adaptation, but as disasters have multiplied in the years since it was struck, the United Nations says the cost will balloon over the coming years.

Out of an estimated US$70 billion needed by developing nations each year, only US$30 billion is currently available.

In its Adaptation Gap report this month, the UN's Environment Programme said the true annual cost of adapting to climate impacts could be as high as US$300 billion by 2030 and US$500 billion by mid-century.

The Climate Adaptation Summit, hosted by the Netherlands, will see countries convene virtually to seek "clear commitments to deliver concrete new endeavours" to help countries deal with the changing climate.

In a separate report yesterday, insurance broker Aon said natural catastrophes resulted in US$97 billion in insured losses last year, 40 per cent above the average for this century, in a year when insurers also faced hefty bills due to the pandemic.

Hurricane Laura, which hit the United States and Caribbean in August last year, caused a US$10 billion insured loss, the largest global insured-loss event of the year, Aon said.

Economic losses from natural disasters - insured and uninsured combined - totalled US$268 billion, with seasonal floods in China between June and September causing the greatest loss event at US$35 billion.

Seasonal floods during the same period in India caused the greatest number of deaths, at 1,922, added Aon.

In total, more than 8,000 people died last year in natural disasters.

Asia recorded US$95 billion in economic damage from natural disasters last year, just 9 per cent of which was insured.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS