Climate change extreme weather costs Germany billions annually
July 18, 2022, 7:52 pm

Climate change extreme weather costs Germany billions annually

Climate change threatens people with food and water scarcity, increased flooding, extreme heat, more disease, and economic loss. Human migration and conflict can be a result. The World Health Organization (WHO) calls climate change the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century - Photo. Pixabay

Extreme heat, drought and floods caused by climate change cost Germany at least 6.6 billion euros ($6.69 billion) in damages annually on average in the past two decades, a study showed on Monday (July 18), with some severe episodes pushing losses into the tens of billions, the US news reported, citing Reuters.

The study by economic research company Prognos comes as authorities across Europe battle to control huge wildfires, with hundreds of deaths blamed on soaring temperatures that scientists say are consistent with climate change.

Germany's economy and environment ministries cited the study as showing that floods in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia in 2021 cost more than 40 billion euros in damages, and combined with the hot summers of 2018 and 2019 the cost to Europe's biggest economy rose to 80 billion euros.

The study authors said the estimates of damage since the year 2000 could be even higher due to individual events that have not been examined yet and unquantifiable effects such as the impact on health and the consequences for biological diversity.

Extreme heat, drought and floods caused by climate change cost Germany at least 6.6 billion euros ($6.69 billion) in damages annually on average in the past two decades - Photo. Pixabay

In 2018 and 2019, Germany's forests and agriculture suffered damages of 25.6 billion euros due to heat waves and drought, in addition to nine billion euros in damages caused by workers' lower productivity in industry and commerce sectors.

German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke said the numbers the study showed were alarming.

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Lemke said: "We must and we will now invest more in climate protection and climate adaptation in order to better protect our population.”

With the aim of being carbon neutral by 2045, the German government has stepped up climate protection efforts with far-reaching reforms for the utility sector and across manufacturing industries, buildings, transport and agriculture.

Source: usnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”