CLIMATE CRISIS

Droughts, floods, wildfires and typhoons due to climate change hit continents in 2019, displacing millions & costing $139bn

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CLIMATE change-related extreme weather cost over £107.4 billion ($139 billion), killed 4,572 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more in 2019, as the planet’s weather becomes more turbulent in response to rising temperatures.

The 15 most destructive events, which each caused more than £760million of damage, were identified by charity Christian Aid in a landmark report. It came as mankind continued its march towards oblivion as the UN found carbon dioxide emissions were still rising, and the two-week Madrid climate summit broke down without agreement.

Climate change activists have paralyzed the transport networks of major cities across the world this year, to bring attention to the issue, while Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg has led youth protests against governments and world leaders. The aptly-titled ‘Counting the Cost’ report found the Californian wildfires, that ripped through the area between October and November, were the most expensive natural disaster after wracking up a bill of £19billion following eight years of drought.