Extreme weather events driven by climate change are increasing, exacerbating inequalities between and within countries across all continents. From heatwaves to catastrophic hailstorms, these events impose costs we are ill-equipped to bear and place even greater burdens on vulnerable communities.
Recently, various regions of our country have experienced extremes such as strong winds, hail, and storms, leading to floods in some areas, followed by fires in northern Albania (Lurë, Lezhë, Shengjin), as well as the south. All these events are a direct result of anthropogenic climate change. Across Europe, temperature extremes, floods, and storms have hit Italy, causing severe floods and landslides, while Poland has experienced flooding and Portugal and Greece have been ravaged by wildfires. These events demonstrate the deteriorating state of the climate, as noted by the European Union. More flooding is also predicted for Britain.
The climate change curve is shifting dramatically regarding the frequency, intensity, and geographical distribution of extreme weather events. These factors are currently the most significant drivers of climate change.
The question is, how are researchers investigating the impacts and costs of climate change? Several platforms help identify the key contributing factors leading to extreme weather or climate events, allowing researchers to determine the relative impact of global warming versus other variables, such as natural variability.
International organizations provide annual reports detailing extreme events. In 2019, one such report documented over 150 attribution studies, with 73% showing a significant link to human-caused climate change. Alongside this, there is growing interest in understanding how these changes translate into social, economic, and environmental impacts.
From a practical standpoint, this means analyzing the costs of climate change caused by changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. How can this be achieved? Studies use Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) as a tool to not only assess how much climate change has contributed to such events but also measure the extent of the resulting damage. This tool is invaluable not only for economic assessments but also for informing climate change litigation and aiding future planning and prioritization of climate adaptation strategies.
What is clear is that most studies incorporating EIA reveal that climate change is deepening economic inequalities, hitting the poorest hardest. This becomes particularly evident when comparing the impacts across countries. A relevant example is the use of EIA from the United Nations Loss and Damage (L&D) Fund, where quantifying the economic impacts of climate change during extreme events provides critical data. This data is essential in calculating how much money the L&D Fund requires, where the funds should go, and for which impacts.
Additionally, there must be a monitoring and quantification system in place for a 2°C global warming scenario by 2050. Floods and storms affecting countries should anticipate cumulative losses and damages attributable to climate change, resulting in an increased percentage of annual losses over the next twenty-three years (2025–2045), compared to the previous two decades (2000–2022).
In conclusion, poorer, rural countries and their communities are more exposed and vulnerable to extreme weather due to a lack of resources and an inability to invest in adequate resilience. Forecasts and calculations of these impacts are essential for taking both mitigating and adaptive measures.