From the small French archipelago of Mayotte to wealthy Saudi Arabia, and from affluent European megacities to the slums of Africa — no region of the world was spared from the natural disasters of 2024, which were nearly entirely exacerbated by climate change, Caspian Energy Media reports with reference to insider.gr.
The year of 2024, the hottest on record, has witnessed record-high temperatures both in the air and on the sea surface, and this heat served as fuel for the intensification of cyclones, heat waves, and other extreme weather events worldwide.
According to the World Weather Attribution (WWA) network of scientists, "The consequences of fossil fuel-driven warming have never been as evident and destructive as they were in 2024. We are living in a new, dangerous era," said WWA climatologist Friederike Otto.
"The lethal risk of heat waves was vividly demonstrated in June, when more than 1,200 Muslim pilgrims died in Mecca (Saudi Arabia), where the temperature reached 51.8°C."
"No continent was spared from the intense heat, the 'silent killer' as scientists call it, with casualties recorded in Thailand, India, and the United States."
"In Mexico, the heat was so intense that howler monkeys fell dead from the trees, and millions of children stayed at home in Pakistan when the thermometer exceeded 50°C."
Global warming is not just a synonym for heat waves, the ocean water temperature is higher, more water evaporates, and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture — two factors that trigger catastrophic phenomena in the atmosphere."
In April, the United Arab Emirates received in one day the amount of rainfall that typically falls over two years, flooding many areas of the country and paralyzing Dubai's airport.
Kenya has just overcome a period of severe drought, only to experience the most intense flooding in decades.
In West and Central Africa, four million people are in need of humanitarian aid following historic floods that claimed the lives of more than 1,500 people. Lethal floods occurred also in Europe, particularly in Spain.
Afghanistan, Russia, Brazil, China, Nepal, Uganda, India, Somalia, Pakistan, Burundi, and the United States have not been spared from floods in the past 12 months.
Furthermore, the warmer ocean surface has increased the strength of tropical cyclones, intensifying the power of destructive winds. Strong cyclones such as Milton, Beryl, and Elin caused widespread damage in the United States and Caribbean countries, and the year of 2024 has seen more cyclones than usual.
In November, the Philippines were hit by six strong storms, just two months after Typhoon Yagi devastated Southeast Asia.
The cyclone Sinto which caused extensive damage to Mayotte, would have been less powerful without climate change, according to a preliminary report.
Some areas of the world are becoming wetter due to climate deregulation, while others are becoming drier.
Drought has severely affected many areas of the Americas, causing widespread wildfires in the western United States, Canada, and even in some parts of the Amazon, which is considered one of the wettest regions in the world.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), due to several months of drought in Southern African countries, around 26 million people were at risk of starvation in December.
Extreme weather events claimed the lives of millions of people in 2024.
From an economic standpoint, the damage from natural disasters amounted to 310 billion dollars worldwide, according to estimates by Swiss Re.
From the beginning of 2024 until November 1, the United States has recorded 24 natural disasters with damage exceeding one billion dollars, according to authorities.
In Brazil, the drought cost the agricultural sector 2.7 billion dollars from June to August.
