2018 was the year that climate change became all too obvious around the world. Wildfire, cyclones, hurricanes ravaging countries and causing worldwide devastation was evidence that global warming is real.
Financial Loss:
Munich Re-released its annual accounting of all the damages caused by weather and natural disasters. The results show that catastrophes, which were caused by climate change, caused $160 billion in losses globally. Only four events in the U.S. alone were responsible for a third of all loses.
Around the World:
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions rose last year, and during a time when the President denies climate change altogether. The report shines a light on the ways that Earth is changing and all the natural disasters we are facing. The worst disaster last year was September Tsunami in Indonesia, which killed 2,100 people and caused devastating damage.
The biggest losses were driven by mild weather: California’s Camp Fire, which caused the entire town of Paradise to burn to the ground and caused a financial loss of $16.5 billion.
Hurricane Michael caused $16 billion in loses, and Hurricane Florence led to $14 billion in loses.
Around the world, some of the most expensive climate related events included Typhoon Jebi and flooding both in Japan. Europe’s major heat wave and drought were also notable expenses. While $160 billion in losses is definitely above average, it falls short from the $350 billion in losses that occured in 2017. But that’s not exactly cause for a silver lining.
Wildfire Events:
Fires in particular show that there are clear indications of the influence of man-made climate change. Carbon emissions based on human activity have led to large fires becoming more common and happening throughout the year.
In California, wildfires are occruing more frequently, and with greater vigour. Losses from wildfires in California have dramatically risen in recent years. There has also been a significant increase in hot and dry summers, which is a major factor in the formation of wildfires.
Wildfires may be devastating, but they aren’t only the result of climate change. In fact, climate change doubled the odds of the European heat wave that revealed signs of ancient civilization, and also shrunk Sweden’s tallest peak. Hurricane Florence’s record rainfall is a pattern toward climate change trends that will produce greater precipitation during storms. Hurricane Michael was more aggressive because of higher sea levels.
The Bottom Line:
These events tell us that we need to slash carbon emissions – it’s almost as financial as it is humanitarian – albeit you cannot put a price on human life. These calculations can mean that certain places will become uninsurable and people have to move or become homeless.
