Search Climate Insights Directory

Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are prolonged extreme warm water events, defined as temperatures above the 90th percentile for at least five consecutive days. These events have increased since the early twentieth century, driven by a 2.3°F (1.3°C) rise in sea surface temperatures over the last 100 years. MHWs cause severe ecological damage, including coral bleaching, kelp forest collapses, and sea bird die-offs, and can disrupt industries through fishery closures. A notable example is "the Blob" in the Pacific Ocean (2013), which lasted 226 days and was 4.5°F (2.5°C) warmer than average.

Based on 2018 and 2019 survey data, the study finds that 64% of Americans believe global warming affects U.S. weather. Risk perceptions are heavily influenced by local geography, with residents in the West fearing droughts and wildfires, those in the Midwest fearing flooding, and those in the East and Southeast fearing hurricanes. While 56% of Americans view extreme weather as a high or moderate risk to their community over the next decade, the specific concerns vary by state, often reflecting local experiences with 'Billion Dollar Disaster Events'.

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was predicted to be more active than normal due to warmer-than-average water temperatures in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and ENSO-neutral conditions. While climate change may not increase hurricane frequency, it is linked to a 25-30% increase in Category 4 and 5 storms per degree Celsius of warming, more rapid intensification, increased rainfall, and higher storm surges driven by rising sea levels.

The 2010s saw a significant surge in billion-dollar disasters in the U.S., accounting for nearly half of all such events and costs since 1980. The decade recorded 119 billion-dollar disasters with costs exceeding $800 billion, with notable spikes in central states like Texas, Illinois, and Missouri. The document links these trends to climate change—specifically warmer oceans and a wetter atmosphere—and notes that pre-disaster adaptation spending saves an average of $6 in recovery costs.

Sivan Kartha warns that failing to address the climate crisis could lead to a catastrophic 5-degree Celsius increase in global temperatures, comparable in scale to the transition out of the last Ice Age. He asserts that while the technology and finance to avoid this exist, they are concentrated among the wealthiest 10% of the population. Kartha concludes that the only practical path to net-zero emissions is for the most privileged to lead the reduction and support the rest of the world in doing the same.

Sivan Kartha highlights the catastrophic potential of a 5-degree Celsius increase in global temperatures, comparing it to the scale of change that ended the last Ice Age. He asserts that while the technology and funds to stop fossil fuel reliance exist, they are concentrated among the wealthiest 10% of the population. Kartha concludes that achieving net-zero emissions globally requires the most privileged societies to eliminate their own emissions and provide support to less privileged populations to enable a collective transition.

The statement reports that Hurricane Dorian caused 50 confirmed deaths, displaced 70,000 people, and caused property damage estimated between US$3 and US$7 billion in the Bahamas. It highlights that Haitians and Bahamian-Haitians have been targets of racism, xenophobia, and exclusion from rescue efforts. The author argues that the disaster and subsequent social tensions provide evidence of the links between global warming and mass migrations, urging WACC Global to explicitly address these connections in its workplans and publications.

The report finds that hundreds of American houses of worship face chronic flooding by 2050, with thousands more at risk by 2100 if emissions remain unchecked. It highlights the particular vulnerability of Gulf and Southeast coast states, specifically Louisiana, Florida, and North Carolina, while suggesting that deep emissions cuts and local adaptive measures could significantly reduce these risks. Additionally, it discusses the energy footprint of religious buildings and provides recommendations for improving energy efficiency and adopting renewable energy to mitigate climate change.

Madagascar's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) is led by the Ministry of climate risk management and utilizes a participatory, inclusive, and intersectoral approach. The process is guided by a validated roadmap and supported by coordination and monitoring and evaluation committees. Priority adaptation sectors include agriculture, water resources, infrastructure, forests and biodiversity, human health, and coastal zone management, addressing risks such as floods, droughts, hurricanes, sea level rise, and epidemics.

The United States is experiencing a rise in 'billion-dollar' weather disasters, with the average number of such events increasing from 5.3 per year (1980-2012) to 11.6 per year (2013-2017). The author contends that investing in resilience is more cost-effective than rebuilding, noting that federal adaptation investments can provide $4 to $10 in future benefits for every dollar spent. Key recommendations include updating building codes, implementing green infrastructure like wetland restoration, and deploying decentralized energy systems such as microgrids to prevent deadly power failures. The text emphasizes that adaptation must occur simultaneously with greenhouse gas mitigation, as resilience measures often align with sustainability goals and carbon reduction.

The document warns that Hurricane Florence could trigger a public health crisis in the southeastern United States by causing the failure of toxic waste sites, such as coal ash pits, hog manure lagoons, and Superfund sites. It highlights the vulnerability of these sites, citing a recent coal ash collapse at the L.V. Sutton Power Station and previous spills during Hurricane Matthew and in 2008. The author contends that industry prioritizes cheap waste disposal over safety and calls for stronger government regulations to secure hazardous sites and address the increasing frequency and strength of hurricanes driven by climate change.

The World Weather Attribution (WWA) consortium states it is unable to conduct a formal analysis of climate change's effect on Hurricane Florence's rainfall due to observational challenges, a lack of high-resolution models, and insufficient funding and manpower. While acknowledging a separate study by Reed et al. and the general scientific consensus that global warming increases precipitation, the WWA notes that storm surges—affected by sea level rise—are also expected but are not part of their current attribution assessment.

The document analyzes how climate change increases the frequency and intensity of 'billion-dollar' disasters, straining national budgets and widening the 'protection gap'—the difference between total economic losses and insured losses. It details the transition from traditional actuarial science to forward-looking 'cat models' and geospatial modeling to price risk. To address 'tail risks' and the lack of insurability in vulnerable regions, the text highlights alternative mechanisms: catastrophe bonds for capital market risk transfer, microinsurance (parametric insurance) for low-income populations, and sovereign risk pools for multi-country coverage. It also notes the codification of insurance in international frameworks like the Paris Agreement's 'Loss and Damage' pillar and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The document outlines the quantitative scoring system used to translate qualitative likelihood and confidence levels from the Climate Science Special Report (CSSR) and the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) into a visual guide for extreme weather attribution in the continental United States.

The document examines how a warming atmosphere increases the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation, contributing to higher inland flood risks in parts of the United States, particularly the Midwest and Northeast. It highlights that while climate change is a driver, land-use changes—such as development in floodplains and the removal of wetlands—significantly exacerbate flood risk. The report argues that current FEMA flood maps are inadequate because they rely on historical data rather than future projections. To mitigate these risks, the authors recommend reforming the National Flood Insurance Program, increasing funding for river gauge networks and flood mapping, and implementing nature-based infrastructure and stricter zoning regulations to discourage floodplain development.

The document outlines the development of 'climate attribution' science, which allows researchers to quantify the role of human-caused climate change in extreme weather. It identifies that evidence is strongest for heat waves, coastal flooding, and extreme precipitation, while remaining less conclusive for tornadoes and thunderstorms. The text provides specific examples of US events, such as Hurricane Harvey and the February 2017 heat wave, where climate change significantly increased likelihood or intensity.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is implementing a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to mainstream climate adaptation into development planning and financing. The process, led by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning, Sustainable Development and Information Technology, identifies key climate hazards such as tropical storms, rising sea levels, and rainfall variability. Priority sectors for adaptation include agriculture, water, energy, tourism, and infrastructure. Between 2010 and 2014, extreme weather events caused losses exceeding 35 percent of the country's GDP.

Jamaica is implementing a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) approach that involves developing 12 sector-specific strategies and action plans, including investment plans and M&E frameworks. This process is guided by the National Development Plan, Vision 2030, and coordinated by the Climate Change Division and the Climate Change Focal Point Network to avoid 'silo' effects and ensure mainstreaming across government ministries. Key milestones since 2009 include the establishment of the Climate Change Division and the completion of the Forestry Sector Strategy and Action Plan.

The document highlights that climate change is already causing severe damage in the Caribbean through hurricanes, flooding, and droughts, which is reversing gains in poverty alleviation and economic growth. It emphasizes the need for adaptation investments in agriculture to address rainfall changes and extreme events, and in tourism to combat sea-level rise and coral bleaching. The brief notes that while CDKN research has provided necessary localized climate projections, high up-front costs remain a significant barrier to implementing adaptation measures.

The document outlines the vulnerabilities of the Caribbean water sector to climate variability and change, emphasizing the need for cross-sectoral cooperation and flexible planning strategies to build climate resilience.