Climate crisis linked to at least 15 $1bn-plus disasters in 2019

Christian Aid report highlights costs of floods, fires and storms around the world

Climate breakdown played a key role in at least 15 events in 2019 that cost more than $1bn (760m) in damage, with more than half of those costing more than $10bn each.

Extreme weather including floods, storms, droughts and wildfires struck every inhabited continent in the past year, causing devastation and loss of life. Christian Aid, which tracked climate-related destruction in 2019, said the costs in human terms and insured losses were likely to have been underestimated.