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Climate change: Rhineland-Palatinate records billions in losses due to flooding!
Rhineland-Palatinate will record damage from natural hazards amounting to 166 million euros in 2024. Climate change calls for adaptation measures.
Climate change: Rhineland-Palatinate records billions in losses due to flooding!
In 2024, natural hazards such as storms and floods caused damage amounting to 166 million euros in Rhineland-Palatinate. According to the General Association of the German Insurance Industry (GDV), this is a significant decrease compared to 2023, when the damage amounted to 325 million euros. This development shows that the financial burden of extreme weather events can vary, although the actual losses in the region are likely to be even higher as not all losses are insured. Across Germany, damage from natural hazards totaled 5.7 billion euros in 2024.
Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg were particularly badly affected, where more than half of the total damage occurred. There, severe flooding and heavy rain events caused damage amounting to 2.6 billion euros, which is around one billion euros above the long-term average.
Consequences of climate change
Jörg Asmussen, the general manager of the GDV, warns that the consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly noticeable and calls on the new federal government to make adaptation to these climate consequences a priority. It underlines the need to develop a comprehensive concept for dealing with natural hazards, which also includes preventative measures. The frequency of flood events, which is seen as a direct consequence of climate change, represents a serious challenge for which society is still inadequately prepared.
In this context, the 2023 Natural Hazards Report highlighted the water sensitivity of infrastructure, buildings and cities. The increase in natural disasters caused by climate change is a global phenomenon that does not exclude Germany. Forecasts indicate that the damage caused by the effects of climate change could at least double by 2050.
Climate policy measures required
In view of the increasing damage caused by extreme weather events such as heavy rain, floods, storms, hail and fires, the need to combat climate change and adapt to its consequences is becoming increasingly urgent. The GDV encourages Germany to intensify efforts to achieve the Paris climate goals. In addition, the data from the natural hazard report is a valuable tool for researchers to better understand and evaluate trends and risks and is available on the GDV website for those interested.