GPS News
WEATHER REPORT
Extreme weather killed 195,000 in Europe since 1980
Extreme weather killed 195,000 in Europe since 1980
by AFP Staff Writers
Copenhagen (AFP) June 13, 2023

Extreme weather conditions in Europe have killed almost 195,000 people and caused economic losses of more than 560 billion euros since 1980, the European Environment Agency said Wednesday.

"Nearly 195,000 fatalities have been caused by floods, storms, heat- and coldwaves, forest fires and landslides" between 1980 and 2021, the EAA said in its report.

Of the 560 billion euros ($605 billion) in losses, only 170 billion, or 30 percent, were insured, the EEA said, as it launched a new online portal collating recent data on the impact of extreme weather.

"To prevent further losses, we need to urgently move from responding to extreme weather events...to proactively preparing for them," EEA expert Aleksandra Kazmierczak told AFP.

According to the latest data, heatwaves accounted for 81 percent of deaths and 15 percent of financial losses.

Europe needs to take measures to protect its ageing population, with the elderly particularly sensitive to extreme heat, the EEA said.

"Most national adaptation policies and health strategies recognise the impacts of heat on cardiovascular and respiratory systems. But less than half cover direct impacts of heat like dehydration or heat stroke," it said.

The summer of 2022 saw more deaths than usual in Europe following repeated heatwaves, but the 2022 deaths were not included in the data published on Wednesday.

There were 53,000 more deaths in July 2022 than the monthly average in 2016-2019, up by 16 percent, though not all of those deaths were directly attributed to the heat, the EEA said.

Spain registered more than 4,600 deaths linked to the extreme heat in June, July and August.

Climate modelling has predicted longer, more intense and more frequent heatwaves.

In February 2022, the EAA said extreme weather killed 142,000 people and caused 510 billion euros in losses for the period 1980-2020.

The increase in the figures released on Wednesday was partly due to the fact that in 2021, flooding in Germany and Belgium led to economic losses of almost 50 billion euros.

In terms of deaths, a change in methodology in France and Germany was responsible for the large variation, the EEA said.

- 'Devastating consequences' -

Climate change caused by humans increased the risk of drought five- or six-fold in 2022, a year when forest fires ravaged twice as much territory as in recent years, the EEA said.

Droughts could end up being very costly.

Economic losses could rise from nine billion euros per year currently to 25 billion euros at the end of the century if the planet warms by 1.5C degrees.

That could climb to 31 billion euros if it warms by 2C and 45 billion euros if it warms by 3C, according to scientific scenarios.

The consequences for agriculture could be "devastating", the EEA warned.

"Farmers can limit adverse impacts of rising temperature and droughts by adapting crop varieties, changing sowing dates and with changed irrigation patterns," the report said.

Without changes, yields and farm incomes are projected to decline in the future, it said.

While human losses from flooding are much lower, accounting for just two percent of the total, they are the most costly, accounting for 56 percent of economic losses.

Related Links
Weather News at TerraDaily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
WEATHER REPORT
Three dead, thousands displaced following Cuba storms
Havana (AFP) June 13, 2023
Three people have died and thousands have been evacuated after heavy rains pummeled eastern and central Cuba in recent days, authorities said Monday. Heavy rains that started Thursday had subsided by Monday evening, but recovery operations were still underway in several eastern provinces, including Holguin, Camaguey, Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Las Tunas, as well as in Sancti Spiritus, in the center of the island. The Camaguey Civil Defense said in a statement on Monday that a 56-year-old man h ... read more

WEATHER REPORT
Shock to the crop system

Climate warming pits geese against farmers in Finland

Canadian Prairies farmers try to adapt to a warming world

Using photosynthesis for living on Mars while making space travel sustainable

WEATHER REPORT
Intel to invest up to $4.6 bn in new Poland chip site

Ex-Samsung exec charged with stealing chip tech for China factory

US chip giant Micron to invest $600 mn in China plant

MIT engineers develop a soft, printable, metal-free electrode

WEATHER REPORT
France to plough cash into low-emission planes: Macron

Helicopter 'mishap' injures 22 U.S. service members in Syria, CENTCOM says

NATO begins unprecedented air drill in 'show of strength'

Air force chief appointed chairman of Ethiopian Airlines

WEATHER REPORT
European leaders host Musk, chase Tesla investment

GM reaches deal for access to Tesla's North American chargers

Musk, China industry minister hold talks on 'new energy vehicles': ministry

Tesla's Musk hails China's 'vitality' on Beijing visit

WEATHER REPORT
US business titans flock to China despite fraying ties

US clampdown has crypto kings looking abroad

AIIB serves China's Communist Party: Canadian former executive

Top Chinese, US diplomats hold phone call

WEATHER REPORT
With bows and spears, Indigenous 'warriors' defend the Amazon

Brazilian Amazon deforestation falls 31% under Lula

Lula leads tributes on anniversary of Amazon double murder

In Ecuador biosphere, battle lines form over mining plans

WEATHER REPORT
Satellogic earth observation constellation continues expansion with SpaceX Transporter-8 Mission

Thales Alenia Space joins tema to develop Destination Earth core service platform

Terran Orbital and ImageSat International set to launch RUNNER-1 EO sat

Sidus to launch LizzieSat with Edge AI, hyperspectral and multispectral imaging

WEATHER REPORT
Single-molecule valve: a breakthrough in nanoscale control

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.