Climate change has impacted the meteorological phenomena experienced in various regions of the world, making them increasingly extreme. These phenomena have experienced a significant growth both in frequency and magnitude, and in their consequences.
Among the recommendations of the experts to mitigate the effects of these phenomena is the need to implement early warning systems, efficient, organized, and effective. Additionally, it is suggested to prepare cities and their infrastructures with the perspective that these events will not only decrease but will increase.
Meteorological phenomena aggravated over time
Between 1993 and 2022, almost 800,000 people lost their lives worldwide due to more than 9,400 extreme meteorological phenomena, which caused economic damages totaling $4.2 trillion (adjusted for inflation).
These data come from the 2025 edition of the Global Climate Risk Index (CRI) prepared by Germanwatch since 2006.
David Eckstein, co-author of the Climate Risk Index and Senior Advisor on Climate Finance and Investments at Germanwatch, explained:
“The years 2003 and 2022 were especially devastating, with an exceptionally high number of deaths due to intense heat. Additionally, droughts, forest fires, reduced agricultural yields, strain on infrastructures, and overwhelming pressure on healthcare systems caused widespread damages.”
“Among the most notable extreme phenomena are the 1999 drought in southern Spain and the severe floods in 2019 in the southeast, which caused casualties and massive losses in agriculture, properties, and infrastructures. Over three decades, Spain suffered nearly 27,000 deaths and approximately $25,000 billion in economic losses.”
The CRI is based on data from extreme meteorological phenomena from the International Disaster Database EM-DAT and socioeconomic data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The World Economic Forum classified extreme meteorological phenomena amplified by climate change as the second most important global risk after armed conflicts and wars.
Countries most affected by extreme phenomena in 2022
- 1st Pakistan
- 2nd Belize
- 3rd Italy
- 4th Greece
- 5th Spain
- 6th Puerto Rico
- 7th United States
- 8th Nigeria
- 9th Portugal
- 10th Bulgaria
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