RIYADH: The world suffered losses estimated at about $170 billion due to 10 climate-related disasters during 2021, Bloomberg reported citing a recent study.
This was the sixth time that natural disasters cost the world more than $100 billion in one year, while climate change is already costing billions, the study conducted by Christian Aid Charitable Foundation in the UK said.
Hurricane Ida was the largest global disaster, with losses amounting to $65 billion.
Floods in Europe caused an economic loss of $43 billion, while floods in China’s Henan province in July cost more than $17 billion.
This year also witnessed disasters in South Sudan, Bangladesh and other countries.
“Severe droughts in East Africa, which are expected to continue until mid-2022, are pushing societies over the edge,” Bloomberg reported citing Mohamed Addo, director of the Kenya-based think tank Power Shift Africa, said.
The damages are based on insured losses, which means that the true costs of these disasters are likely to be higher, according to the study.
