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Fire in California in 2017
Photo: Kent Porter / dpa
Global warming increases the risk of droughts, floods and hurricanes around the world.
But how much people are actually at risk depends largely on the location of the respective country, the state of the infrastructure and the financial resources for protective measures and disaster relief.
This year's “WorldRiskReport” by the “Entwicklungs Hilft” alliance and the Ruhr-Universität Bochum points to the importance of these security systems and how they can be financed in times of the climate crisis. "The fight against poverty and climate change belong together," said project manager Peter Mucke on Wednesday in Berlin. The new federal government must take this into account "if it wants to be taken seriously in times of pandemics and increasing weather extremes."
The report's risk index shows the risk of an extreme natural event leading to a catastrophe for 181 countries.
Ten island states are represented among the 15 countries with the highest risk.
"In addition to the increasing extreme weather conditions, the rise in sea level is driving your risk up," says co-author Katrin Radtke.
Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Tonga are most at risk in the world.
In Europe, on the other hand, the risk is low, Germany only ranks 161st. The disaster risk, i.e. the combination of extreme natural events and social vulnerability, is comparatively low.
This is also due to the social security systems that took effect after the floods in July, for example - and that are missing in other countries.
»In West Africa in particular, there are major deficits in social security and there is a great need for action.
People with special protection needs such as children, the elderly or people with disabilities rarely have access to government support.
This also makes them particularly vulnerable to extreme natural events, ”said Radtke.
So far, the majority of the world's population has no access to social security.
The experts demanded that politicians urgently address this issue with a view to adapting to climate change.
"From health insurance to neighborhood help - we often only realize how important insurance is when there is a crisis," said Mucke.
According to the index, at least the residents of Malta and Qatar should worry the least.
The two states are at the bottom end of the risk scale.
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