The Covid-19 epidemic occupied most of our discussions and destabilized the entire planet in 2020. Relegating far, very far, concerns related to the climate crisis.
The consequences linked to natural disasters have however been colossal this year in the world.
The bushfires that ravaged part of Australia in January killed 34 people, forced 65,000 inhabitants into exile and cost $ 5 billion (around € 4.1 billion).
As for the storms that hit Europe in February and October, and in particular France, they caused 30 deaths and 5.9 billion dollars (about 4.8 billion euros) in damage and we do not know yet what Bella, who hit several French departments this weekend, will have in store for us.
According to calculations by the British NGO Christian Aid, which we were able to consult and which are unveiled on Monday, the climate crisis ended this year with a bill of more than 140 billion dollars (about 114 billion dollars). euros) on a global scale!
Fourteen major weather events
The NGO's report analyzes the fourteen “climate crisis-related” disasters that have occurred this year.
Fires, hurricanes, storms, floods… Nine of these major weather events resulted in damage estimated at over $ 5 billion each.
"Each month of the year 2020, until November, has been affected by at least one natural disaster attributable to the climate crisis," says Christian Aid.
VIDEO. China floods ravage southern country, killing at least 78
Among the most notable disasters, the British NGO cites the Asian monsoons, at the origin of "five of the ten most costly events".
The floods in China thus cost 32 billion dollars (about 26 billion euros)!
The United States, for its part, was affected by “a record season of hurricanes and fires”.
It is the country that suffered the most serious economic consequences of climate change in 2020. If we refer to the number of victims, the floods in India constitute the deadliest weather event of the year with 2,067 victims recorded. .
Storm Alex cost $ 3.2 billion
One of the ten costliest events of the year, Storm Alex left devastated landscapes behind.
“The flooding caused by Storm Alex in south-eastern France and north-western Italy killed 16 people and destroyed infrastructure worth $ 3.2 billion
(Editor's note: around 2, 6 billion euros)
”, underlines the report which warns the countries concerned vis-a-vis the increased risks of catastrophes of this type in the future.
VIDEO. Floods in the South-East: spectacular damage and many missing
“The Italian region of Piedmont has experienced its highest rainfall since 1958, with a station recording 630 mm of rain in 24 hours.
Extra-tropical cyclones will become more frequent and more destructive in Europe as temperatures rise due to global warming.
Storm losses are expected to increase over the next few years in several European countries.
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According to European Union calculations, between 1980 and 2019, extreme weather and climate events accounted for around 81% of the total economic losses caused by natural disasters in member countries for a total bill of… 446 billion d 'euros!
That is 11.15 billion euros per year on average.
Spectacular fires
According to the European Copernicus Earth Monitoring Program, approximately 1,690 megatons of carbon were released into the atmosphere in 2020 between January 1 and December 7 due to major fires.
Carbon dioxide emissions are certainly decreasing compared to last year but it is in a way the burnt tree that hides the forest.
"We should not rest on our laurels because the fires in the most affected areas have reached a record intensity due to hotter and drier conditions, underlines Mark Parrington, scientific director and expert in forest fires in the Copernicus service for monitoring the atmosphere.
This has resulted in an increase in pollutants transported thousands of kilometers, affecting air quality for millions of people.
"
Four regions were particularly affected by these mega fires.
The western United States first: according to Copernicus, activity in the region has been "tens, if not hundreds of times, more intense than the 2003-2019 average in the whole of the United States".
The plumes of smoke from the American wildfires had far-reaching reach, even moving into parts of northern Europe.
Another area terribly affected last summer: the Arctic Circle, where plumes of smoke covered the equivalent of more than a third of Canada!