The British NGO Christian Aid has compiled the data on the damage caused by the most devastating climate events of 2021, such as Hurricane Ida in North America and Cyclone Tauktae in India and Sri Lanka. The report published by the organisation states that, due to climate change, “these kinds of disasters are likely to worsen” in the future unless steps are taken to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Not all extreme weather events are caused by climate change, but according to the most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations, the leading international body for climate change studies, the proof that human activities influence the scale and severity of tropical storms, including hurricanes and cyclones, is becoming increasingly abundant.
Hurricane Ida (August/September). A number of states in the US - including Louisiana, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York - were struck by a “category 4” hurricane that brought winds with gusts of over 200 kilometres an hour: 95 people lost their lives and, three months on, many people are still homeless. Estimated damages are in excess of € 50 billion.
The flood in Europe (July). The unprecedented rainfall in Germany (the worst-hit country) Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg resulted in the deaths of at least 240 people and caused almost € 40 billion of damage. Floods like these, characterised by very intense rainfall in a very short period of time, can be linked to certain effects of climate change.
