Munich Re warn ten of worst disaster years were in past 12
Munich Re recorded 725 weather-related natural hazard events costing more than $65bn with insured losses of $18bn from January to September 2010, the second-highest nine-month figure since 1980.
It warned that 2010 has been the warmest year since records began more than 130 years ago and said the ten warmest years during that period were within the past 12 years. The warning came two months ahead of the World Climate Summit in Cancún.
Weather stepped up a gear
Prof. Peter Höppe, head of Munich Re’s Geo Risks Research/Corporate Climate Centre, said: “It’s as if the weather machine had changed up a gear. Unless binding carbon reduction targets stay on the agenda, future generations will bear the consequences.”
Events included floods in central Europe, wildfires in Russia and widespread flooding in Pakistan. The World Climate Summit is scheduled for 29 November to 10 December in Cancún, Mexico.
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