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[INTERNATIONAL] · Philippines, Mexico, Madagascar, Mauritius, Japan · 9 sources

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WorldRiskReport: Climate change intensifies storms and shifts paths

The latest WorldRiskReport, produced by the German NGO alliance Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict at Ruhr University Bochum, warns that climate change is making storms more intense, dangerous, and unpredictable. Human-driven warming of the atmosphere and oceans provides tropical cyclones with more energy, leading to higher wind speeds and increased rainfall.

Storms are increasingly shifting their paths toward the poles, reaching regions that were historically storm-free. This trend, along with rising sea levels, increases the risk of coastal erosion, flooding, and landslides. The report notes that storms cause more economic damage than any other extreme natural phenomenon, with poorer economies suffering disproportionately compared to wealthy industrial nations. In terms of fatalities, storms rank third, following earthquakes and extreme temperature events.

Specific regions face high exposure, including the Philippines, Mexico, Madagascar, Mauritius, Japan, China, Micronesia, the United States, South Korea, and Australia. Meanwhile, in the Himalayan region, glacier mass loss is occurring 65% faster than a decade ago, and the reduction in climate-adaptation funding, such as the closure of the SERVIR-Hindu Kush Himalaya initiative, has left countries like Nepal more vulnerable to devastating flash floods.

Entities

Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft · Fiji · Friederike Otto · Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict · International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development · National Disaster Management Office · Nepal · Ruhr University Bochum · U.S. Agency for International Development · World Weather Attribution · WorldRiskReport

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