Climate, Italy ranked sixth for the number of victims since 1999

The Climate Risk Index 2020, an annual study by Germanwatch, calculates the extent to which the countries of the world have been affected by extreme weather events (storms, floods, heat waves, etc.), classifying them based on their vulnerability to such events . The report also highlights how extreme weather conditions, linked to climate change, are affecting not only the poorest nations, such as Myanmar or Haiti, but also some of the richest countries in the world.

The results reflect the increasing damage caused by heat waves, storms, floods, which scientists have discovered to be aggravated by climate change and clearly show how high-income countries are affected by the impacts of extreme weather events.

In 2018 Japan was the country most affected by extreme weather events, followed by the Philippines, Germany, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Rwanda, Canada and Fiji. Italy has also been severely affected. The report states that Italy ranks 21st in the world for impacts from extreme weather events in 2018. This figure takes into account in particular the losses of millions of dollars (per person) for which Italy ranks eighth place in the world, deaths for which Italy ranks 28th, losses (of units) of GDP for which Italy ranks 27th.

Looking at the last decade (1999-2018), Italy ranks 26th, 18th for millions of dollars and sixth for deaths. The report also stresses the importance of the ongoing negotiations in Madrid at COP25.

According to the authors, in fact, despite the climate impacts starting to cause losses and permanent damage all over the world, there is still no specific UN financial instrument capable of repaying climate-related losses. Until now industrialized countries have refused to negotiate this instrument but, for the first time, during COP25, financial support for climate-related losses and damage is at the top of the agenda.

For the poorest and most vulnerable countries, this climate summit is therefore of the utmost importance, with a pressing request for agreement or at least recognition of the need for concrete help towards those who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.