Climate change-related extreme weather events accounted for almost €400bn of economic losses across 33 European countries over the past several decades and were responsible for more than 140 million deaths, a new EU agency report today reveals.
The impacts of these climate extremes accounted for 82 per cent of total reported losses between 1980 and 2013, with the highest losses in absolute terms registered in Germany, Italy, and France, the report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) said.
Moreover, the report detailed how the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, flooding, droughts, storms and other events has “substantially increased” in recent years, warning more flexible climate adaptation measures and policies are required across the continent to tackle growing risks.
Within the UK alone, climate-related weather events cost an average of €1.4bn a year between 1980-2013.
The UK is also named as one of the EU areas with the highest flood risk in terms of regional GDP.
The latest trends and projections suggest changes in climate are already having wide-ranging impacts on ecosystems, the economy, and human health and well-being across Europe, with new records repeatedly being set for global and European temperatures, sea levels, and reduced sea ice in the Arctic. To read more click here
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